Don't be sheepish -- make good on your promise

In a recent quest for examples of email programs done right, I gave out my precious @ddress and signed up for a number of online marketing e-newsletters. To my surprise, more than half of these agencies failed to have even a Welcome Letter, let alone any kind of regular communication. And I'm not talking about the mom & pop shop at the end of the block. Local online marketing companies with killer websites complete with fancy graphics and flyouts, but I can't even get an email confirmation? What gives? Did you or did you not just ask me for my email address and invite me to be a part of your community? Or secret rhetorical question B, are you just asking me for my information because everyone else is doing it? If I learned anything from my awkward teenage years, it was to not be a sheep following the masses. Give your subscribers what you promised; don't stand them up like a bad date. Chances are these companies have blogs or twitter accounts buzzing with content (or at least ideas). Get busy, San Diego!