Whenever you work in marketing, self promotion, or copy writing of any sort, you are playing a numbers game. The basic fact of advertising in general is that you are trying to talk to as many people as you can, as inexpensively as possible, and with the right message.

But, you can't be all things to all people. No matter how carefully you plan, mistakes are going to be made, and people are going to have unexpected reactions to the ideas you are sending, and the words that you use. We can sit there and get upset about it, allowing a little criticism to punch us in the stomach, or, we can do something productive with the experience. Here are a few common problems and how to work with them.

Your email has enraged a SPAM crusader
Everyone who has ever sent more than 100 emails at once has had to deal with this person, a CAPS-talking lunatic who, instead of taking one second to hit delete, has opted to spend a half an hour quoting you federal guidelines, and threatening to have you charged with some horrible crime.

Don't get upset. Simply respond with a friendly email stating that you are sorry if you cause him any bother, and that you will never send him another email. That's all he wants, anyway. Then, take your time and read the email that he sent. There is probably a lot of good information that will keep you out of trouble. Obey the guidelines.

An angry unsubscriber
Some people do not understand how to use unsubscribe buttons, so they will respond to your FROM address with hatred and vitriol. For people like this, I recommend a little email judo. Use that fire to engage in conversation.

A good way to start is by saying "I'm very sorry to hear about your experience. I'm going to talk to my IT department immediately to have the issue resolved." A lot of times, the person will simply disappear at that point, but about a third of the time, they will write back with a much better attitude. This is a fantastic way to re-introduce yourself. I have personally turned angry unsubscribers into customers on several occasions.

The insult
Occasionally, someone will take the time to send you an email, or maybe make a phone call, just to tell you how much you stink. Your ability to roll with this is the test that you must pass.

If you are an independent businessperson, or freelancer, remind them of the fact. "I'm sorry that you feel that way, but, I'm really doing the best I can." When people see that they are dealing with a regular, normal human like them, they'll back off. It's easy to yell at one of a million CSRs in a call center. It's harder to be pointlessly nasty to a person with a name and a family.

Remember this:
In marketing, making a connection is half of the struggle. If you can teach someone your name, and tell them personally about your business, this can be enough to get the ball rolling. Sometimes, complaints present us with an ideal opportunity to do just that.