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Amara Graham
Amara Graham

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A question about developer product emails

When you are testing out a new developer product, either personally or professionally, how do you feel about product emails after signing up?

I recently had a product that's specifically marketed for developers email me twice within 2 hours of signing up, and then a 3rd time within 18 hours.

Is this what you would expect? Too much? Depends on the email content? I'm curious what others think before I bias everyone with my thoughts πŸ˜†.

Top comments (8)

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moopet profile image
Ben Sinclair

Recently I've come to loathe them. They're really off-putting, because it seems like half the time I sign up for something because I need to for work, or because I want to use one feature of it, and I start getting emails that seem more pestering than helpful.

One I got recently literally said, "Have you been living in a cave?" because they'd been trying to get in touch with me about my extended car war... about something developer-y. Another sent me a message on linkedin because the emails matched.

If I was willing to tolerate them before, I'm not any more. I will see it as a negative even if it's genuinely helpful because, like everything in the world, it's been spoilt by people and their greed.

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missamarakay profile image
Amara Graham
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missamarakay profile image
Amara Graham

Well that didn't embed like I wanted...

That's almost beyond off-putting at that point.

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fjones profile image
FJones

DO. NOT. SEND. EMAILS.

Okay, more sensibly: Developers know how to keep track of the product. Reminding them may work from a business POV (because we also do forget), but you're far more likely to garner a) frustration and b) laughter. Just don't do it.

Every service I sign up for that sends me periodic emails (nevermind quickly after signing up) convinces me not to use the product, consciously. Subconsciously, I'm sure they work, and remind me of the product and all that, but it does, for example, ensure I'll never work for you.

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missamarakay profile image
Amara Graham

The periodic β€œI’m clearly in a drip campaign” emails πŸ’€

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jmfayard profile image
Jean-Michel πŸ•΅πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ Fayard

I think it depends a lot whether I'm excited about the product or not.

Delicate balance to be found.

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andypiper profile image
Andy Piper

That seems pretty needy / too much. I don’t mind an initial β€œhere are some useful resources” kind of thing, but I’d usually prefer to explore at my own pace.

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shreya_gr profile image
Shreya

Following :) Having the same question on my mind for a while.