This morning I received an email from a professional organization of which I have been a member since October 31, 1989. During those 20+ years, I have served on the board, given pro bono presentations on business writing, and attended dozens of the chapter's breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings.
Here is the complete notice I received, with the name of the organization disguised:
Subject: Membership lapsed
Hello,
Your membership has not been renewed in time and has now lapsed:
XXXX Seattle Chapter [with URL]
For: Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, Syntax Training
Renewal date: 30 Nov 2011
Please сontact us as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Given the brevity of the email, I suspected it was spam. I cringed in fear when I clicked the link, but it took me to the organization's real website.
Reading the email, you may wonder how many notices I had received inviting me to renew before I got this one. The answer: zero. I am certain of that number because my husband and business partner gets copies of all my business email, and he didn't receive renewal notices either.
Would you agree that the email lacks something? How would you improve it?
Lynn
Syntax Training