There have been a number of posts recently on the use of No-Reply, or some variation, as the sending address for commercial newsletters. Chad White of the Retail Email Blog, posted a Birds Eye view on the topic after a lengthy discussion on Twitter about this same topic regarding Welcome emails using the from alias of DoNotReply.
This discussion got me thinking and watching for mailers using the No Reply from address, fortunately I found that very few of the newsletters I subscribe to use this as the from address. However I did find some guilty parties… No I won’t name names.
Don’t let this be you – no reply is quickly becoming a way to alienate your subscribers and show them that they are just another number on your list. In the age of Social Media and two communications, join the discussion or get left behind.
I know all newsletters and email marketing campaigns are automated by software but when I see see a “no reply” address I automatically think “robot” and then dismiss
What’s even worst is when there’s a no reply address in transactional emails.
For me, it’s a matter of credibility. Not only do I think similarly to Mihai (re: robot), but it also tells me that the company doesn’t respect the different ways that people respond to your email.
I think there will always be people who will hit “reply” to ask a question, etc. and if you have a no reply address, it tells me that you really don’t want to talk to your customers. As an email marketing professional, I have always maintained an address that is checked regularly for the sole purpose of making sure that any customer’s question is answered in a timely manner.
Having a no reply address is almost as bad as making the contact us link some kind of weird maze to actually get to someone. Just my two cents.
Hi Matt,
I posted (http://www.b2bemailmarketing.com/2008/09/why-limit-your.html)on this subject back in September last year and Russell Fletcher also posted his thoughts on his blog: http://emailvigilance.blogspot.com/2008/09/no-reply-no-no.html
I believe it is a matter of education and as marketers become more attuned to their subscribers needs we should see less and less of the ‘no-reply’ addresses.
Matt,
No-Reply = No-response from me. I wouldn’t handle a question with an email, but the fact that I know that I can’t turns me off. I want to do business with someone that at least gives the illusion they care. Sometimes my customers try and setup noreply@ addresses, we don’t allow that.