Hostile email from the Open Rights Group

This morning I got this overly hostile email from the Open Rights Group.

Subject: Why have you stopped donating to Open Rights Group?
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:02:21 -0500
From: Jim Killock, Open Rights Group
Reply-To: Jim Killock, Open Rights Group
To: Matt

Looking forward to next week’s “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?”

4 thoughts on “Hostile email from the Open Rights Group

  1. Michael Holloway

    Hi Matt
    Apologies if the mail was overly hostile, or indeed remotely hostile, that’s certainly not our intention.
    Open Rights Group – like most community-funded operations – has a hard time securing funding and, in particular, leaking donees. With that in mind and to improve retention rates we email when regular donations stop unexpectedly. Payment prompt mails need to be attention-grabbing but shouldn’t be off-putting and – as with all our comms – are a work in progress so we’re always happy to hear suggestions for improving the tone.
    We’ll certainly review before sending any more. Again, apologies for coming on a bit strong!

  2. Matt Lee

    Something like… ‘Matt, the Open Rights Group misses you’ would have been cool.. I dunno. The subject was VERY accusing, IMO.
    I haven’t been keeping up with ORG lately… are there events taking place in the North now?

  3. Michael Holloway

    We initially used ‘ORG misses you’ as the subject line but it felt indirect. Its a tricky balance between being ignored and rubbing people up the wrong way, but the current version is evidently too strong so we’ll tone it down.
    As for events in the North, although ORG did various events outside the capital in 2008, we’ve made little real progress in terms of establishing local groups. During the ORG GRO campaign, we offered to come talk – in an effort to seed local campaigning capacity – if a supporter had a venue and a small crowd, but unfortunately nothing came of it. If you have a particular event in mind or want to invite ORG to come and speak then please do get in touch.

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