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Read All About It.

By Malcolm Johnston

Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario

November 17, 2011 04:11 AM

I don't know for sure, but you probably get a lot of emails. I know I do. Most of them I just delete without reading.

When I fire up the old laptop every morning I dread logging into my email simply because of the sheer volume of correspondence I get. It seems that I'm subscribed to the newsletters of every real estate organization on the continent. I also get the usual solicitations to buy viagra, bid on cheap Chinese manufactured goods, purchase real estate related trinkets, join linking networks and buy domains and build websites. God forbid I should have posted anything witty on Twitter the previous day. Some days I just feel inundated with things to read. Some days I will have more than 200 emails in my in box.

The emails I despise the most are the ones that are simply entitled "Read All About It".

I will admit that the first person who came up with this was rather clever. The image of a newspaper boy standing on a street corner shouting out "Read All About It" is iconic. We associate the phrase with the delivery of important news, perhaps the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, the bombing of Pearl Harbour, or details about Jeniffer Anniston's love life. The first couple of times I recieved an email entitled "Read All About It", I was induced to open the email and read all about it. When I discovered that I wasn't reading anything important, just your garden variety every day crap, I was rather irritated.

My irritation has increased one-hundred fold in the ensuing years because this hackneyed phrase seems to have worked its way back into common every day usage. I will get five or six emails every single day urging me to "Read All about It". There is nothing that will guarantee an "unread delete" more than an email with this heading. The utter lack of effort and imagination when coming up with a heading just seems to rub me the wrong way.

Anyhow, if you are one of these people who use the phrase "Read all About It" as a heading for your blog post or email headlines, it's time to start being a little more creative.

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Kristi Knutson

Kirkland, WA

Blog Trainer ☂

Leave Jennifer Anniston alone! :P

Agreed a hundred percent on this one, Malcolm! I remember, especially when I first got email, I absolutely LOVED 'reading all about it.' At this point though, I have all of my email notifications turned off for social networking sites, don't give my email address out, and just delete the spam that still manages to get through.

It seems that checking email has become a chore instead of a fun or informative activity.. c'est la vie?

Nov 17, 2011 04:37 AM

Chris Smith

Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage - New Tecumseth, ON

South Simcoe, Caledon, King, Orangeville Real Esta

Malcolm, my personal pet peeve is people forwarding e-mail to their entire contact list... I delete them automatically.

Nov 17, 2011 05:20 AM

Liz and Bill Spear

Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH

Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Malcolm, For me, the pet peeve is subject lines that start with RE: like they're in reply to something we sent, and they're not. Sorry, no business for you!

Nov 17, 2011 07:09 AM

Brian Madigan

RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON

LL.B., Broker

Malcolm,

I agree with you. There is just far too much stuff. I'm now reluctant to send out e-mail newsletters.

Brian

Nov 17, 2011 07:18 AM

Peter Pfann @ eXp Realty Pfanntastic Properties in Victoria, Since 1986.

eXp Realty, Victoria BC www.pfanntastic.com - Victoria, BC

Talk To or Text Peter 250-213-9490

HI Malcolm,

finding the right balance between being accessable and being spammed to death is more or less a loosing battle, although I must admit that our Rackspace email host is pretty good at catching most of the stuff we don't want already

Nov 17, 2011 08:16 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Malcolm - May I just point out one little, itty, bitty detail... your post is entitled "Read All About It". I'm just sayin'.

Nov 17, 2011 06:26 PM

Karen Hawkins, MBA - Langley & Surrey, BC

Royal Pro Real Estate Network - Langley, BC

So true, Malcolm, so true...I've just decided that I don't want to 'read all about' any of those e-mails - no matter what the topics! Thanks for the post (and Sally's comment made me chuckle!)

Nov 17, 2011 07:09 PM

Malcolm Johnston

Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON

Trenton Real Estate

Kristi, indeed it has become a chore. Sometimes I put it off for an hour while I get other things done.

Chris, yes, that bugs me too sometimes.

B'Liiz, that seems to be the latest trick. I was fooled a couple of times.

Brian, I am also reluctant to add to the information overload.

Peter and Linda, yeah, I do browse through my spam box once in a while, and that's a minefield too.

Sally, FINALLY, someone noticed the irony. If you check the tags you'll notice that I've been waiting for this comment. Good job.

Karen, I'm done with "reading all about it" too. It's time for a mental de-cluttering.

Nov 18, 2011 01:42 AM

EC, JF, Double R and Zoey the Cool Cat

Russel Ray Photos - San Diego, CA

The ones I dislike the most begin with "Hello, Dear", "Business proposition", and "Beloved".

Nov 18, 2011 01:03 PM

E H

None - Amos, QC

Hi Malcolm. Everyone's got their Schtick. Unfortunately it seems most of the also don't have any class or creativity. Ho hum.

Nov 19, 2011 01:48 AM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Email is a constant source of irritation but we can't live without it.

Enjoy the season of Thanksgiving and be sure to have your camera in hand to capture those special moments.

Chrysanthemums

The Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens, October 29 - November 20, 2011. Our visit was on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Longwood Gardens is located in Kennett Square, PA. Photograph by Roy Kelley using a Canon PowerShot G11 camera.

Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs

Nov 20, 2011 09:51 AM

Susan Emo

Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON

Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

It isn't that difficult to hit Delete but I find most of what you're describing lands in my Junk Mail anyways. I'm more annoyed when someone phones me - why can't they text? Just another sign of the times.

Nov 22, 2011 08:43 AM

Larry Lawfer

YourStories Realty Group - Newton, MA

"I listen for a living." It's all about you.

Puffery, I tell ya, nothing but puffery. The only things I pay attention to are those that supply value to me in the way I want it. I limit my time on email during my day because it is the least productive of all social media tools to use. It is so much easier to speak to more people on a platform than individually through email. I save email to my clients and have them set up so that they come into a specific area and I don't have to go through all the rest of the Spam. There are also apps that can help cut down your spam.

Nov 25, 2011 11:42 AM

Brigita McKelvie, Associate Broker

Cindy Stys Equestrian and Country Properties, Ltd. - Lehigh Valley, PA

The Broker with horse sense and no horsing around

Malcolm,

I have received numerous e-mails where I have won the million dollar lottery or inherited millions. (I think I'm a billionaire at this point - NOT.) My delete key is wearing out quickly. I hope I can replace it. LOL

Brigita

Nov 30, 2011 12:23 AM

Ty Lacroix

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc - London, ON

Malcolm, I just read all about it!

Dec 05, 2011 07:45 AM

Dee Mayers

Covina, CA

San Gabriel Valley, CA

Malcolm,

I feel your pain, everyday I go through and delete lots of unwanted e-mails too.

Dec 06, 2011 11:25 AM