A curious thing is happening to my inbox as the world continues to reinvent "normal."  

Some lists I'm on have been strikingly silent.

Yep, I've noticed who I haven't been hearing from and wonder if they are okay. Are they struggling to find their way through a radically different landscape?  

Others have been-- how do I put this nicely? -- busy.

Really busy cranking out content and reminders and new programs and offers and free seminars and otherwise sending me a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff.

To be clear, I am not dissing new offers or programs. (I myself have a new offer.) Changing up the ways we work to meet the needs people have today is the core of good business. 

I am, however, cautioning against two scourges:
 

1) The West Elm Bombardment Effect

Sacrifice your email address to the siren call of 20% off at West Elm, and you learn that this retailer is not shy about hitting your inbox several times a day.

Yes, you read that right. Several time a day.  

Does anyone need to hear from any business multiple times a day? 

No. You will never convince me it's necessary.
 

2) The Unnamed Marketer Overlaunch Syndrome

There's a marketer/business leader I admire and whose tools I use. And they have a lot of tools which they are offering right now.

I am getting the multi-email funnels for this webinar, and that training opportunity, a certification course, an exclusive interview with another business leader.

It's a lot. And it's confusing.

And it leaves a tiny taste of  "please, buy something from me, anything."

A less cynical view is that they want to help in a difficult time and are throwing lots of ideas against the wall to see what sticks for people.

Still, it's requiring me to sift through it all to find what might be right for me. I end up confused instead of inspired. 
 

Where is your sweet spot? 

We have to Goldilocks our content outreach -- not too little, not too much.

Is there an absolute number of emails or posts that is "Just Right?" No. As I tell my content planning clients, the best outreach volume is the one

• you can maintain consistently

• that doesn't let people forget about you or that they signed up for your list

• that gives you room for added outreach wildcards like launches or tie ins

• that doesn't annoy and come off as bombardment

• that supports building trust and building the conversation with the people you're reaching out to

Content is a conversation

Because at the end of the day, content is a conversation. When in doubt, remember why you send, post, blog, chat, text in the first place.

You're showing people what it's like to work with you and be in your particular universe.

Show up well.