[jedsmith]

Not going to criticize the advice, since I think there's a point to it. I will take issue with this, though:

> The three hours spent at a networking event could also be invested in emailing your customers

Please, no, entrepreneurs. Don't consider e-mail a magic customer builder. I dropped Twilio like a bad habit after their community manager e-mailed me three templates in as many weeks, reminding me that I had signed up for an account; I was developing something using their service, and instantly shelved the project once these started to roll in:

I’d like to introduce myself, I'm Danielle, Twilio's Community Manager, and I'm here to help out with any questions you may have

I wanted to drop a note to see how your experience with Twilio has been going.

Danielle here, I wanted to share a few more Twilio tips and tricks with you.

I'm all for an occasional e-mail or two, but when your company is in my inbox once a week, that's too much. That's not developing a relationship with me, that's trying desperately to keep me interested in your service. Find better ways to develop relationships with your customers aside from e-mail.

[nhebb]

I think reasoning like this assumes that our potential customers are like us. I look at my inbox vs. my wife's and realize that not everyone dislikes getting tips, newsletters, promos and every other piece of junk mail under the sun. She loves getting that stuff. It's just bytes on the hard drive, and she doesn't care about that. I know I'm leaving money on the table my not having an email campaign, so it's one thing I'm vowing to change. Sure, you might lose a few people, but in the long run you'll gain more.

[jedsmith]

Good point. Putting aside the tech persona and wearing the shoes of the less-technical is a challenge.

[mapster]

You can make a rule to send Twilio's emails to spamn or trash, and still forge ahead with project. Can't let small stuff scuttle your goals or your in for big trouble.

[talbina]

You could have made this post without including the person's name.

[jedsmith]

From a generic, non-specific, automatic mail on behalf of the company? Which everybody gets? If it was private between me and her you'd have a point.

She included her name, I didn't, and I don't see harm in repeating the mail verbatim.

[Stormbringer]

The thing that struck me about the emails in question was that by including the name, it makes it more personal, which makes it seem as though they are trying to presume a closer relationship than they actually have, which makes it seem scammy.