I subscribe to a ton of email newsletters. I filter them into a folder in Gmail and read them when I have time. Most of them I find informative and get ideas for content and inspiration for projects. So I like them.
But in the past few months, I’ve unsubscribed from quite a few. With the volume I receive, I have little patience for those who are doing it wrong.
Here are five things that have driven away this email newsletter junkie:

1. You made me wait. I subscribed to a certain noted trivia expert and was looking forward to enjoying some interesting, little-known facts. Little did I know the newsletter — in text-only format, no less — involved a list of trivia questions with the answers to follow … the next week. Really? By the time seven days’ worth of email has come and gone, I have forgotten the questions. Forget it. Unsub.
2. You don’t proofread. I know I’m a stickler for this, but there’s really no excuse for the wrong its in your headline. If you don’t care any more than that, I sure don’t. Unsub.
3. You link to content behind a paywall. Ridiculous. I understand premium, members-only content, but it’s not going to tantalize me into signing up and paying you. It just irritates me. Don’t advertise your newsletter to all if it’s only going to link to paid articles. Unsub.
4. Your email is ugly. A doctor’s office sends me the worst-looking emails I’ve ever seen. It looks as if it were put together by an incompetent assistant on crack. How am I supposed to trust you with my body if you don’t care more than this about your professional image? Unsub. And no future appointments.
5. Too little, too late. If you’re trying to be timely, do it well. I knew Google was killing Reader for several days before all four of you sent the breaking old news to my inbox. It’s fine to share your thoughts on the development or alternatives to Google Readers, but don’t try to pass it off as news. Unsub.

It’s like being invited to someone’s home and behaving badly. Your subscribers put trust in you not to abuse their email address or violate their trust.
If you want my business, use email wisely, be a good guest in my inbox.  There’s a good chance I’ll give you three strikes. After that … you’re out. Unsub.