每日收到不下十個宣傳電郵、電話、短訊，還在Facebook給陌生人「亂tag」！

　　在電影《He’s just not that into you》裏，經常於網上嘗試結識異性又屢次失敗的Mary這樣形容通訊科技帶來的煩惱：“I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It’s exhausting.”

　　我想倒過來這樣形容被宣傳轟炸的煩擾：I’m just not that into your promotional offers. I have to go around checking all these different portals just to reject seventeen useless offers a day. It’s exhausting!

　　一些機構不但濫發宣傳電郵，還漠視收件者的需要及認知。以下分別舉一個令人毫無頭緒及一個誠實得駭人的真實例子(當中的名稱、數據為虛構)：

例一. 令人毫無頭緒的電郵

　　Dear alextsang.197208

　　We have upgraded our interface to provide additional services:
　　- access to a wide range of entries;
　　- EBSCOhost search and full text support;
　　- facet technology to help modify the search query;
　　- Refworks for directly exporting records to it; and
　　- tagging support, etc.

　　Regards
　　Mary Smith Ltd.

　　相信很多讀者看畢這封電郵也不明白優化介面帶來甚麼好處。

　　首先，從公司名稱不能了解它提供什麼服務，應至少提供公司網址。

　　從內容可估計該公司提供search及record的功能，但是其他用字不是過於空泛(wide range of entries, records, tagging)，就是過於專業卻欠闡釋 (EBSCOhost, facet technology, Refworks)，賴得理你是否看得明白，令人一頭霧水。我嘗試搜尋及了解EBSCOhost和Refworks，認為可這樣交代，使收件者明白其好處：

　　- EBSCOhost search, which allows you to search multiple databases of full-text articles in every subject area from leading information providers;

　　- Refworks, an online bibliographic management programme which allows you to create personal database of references and generate bibliographies in your desired formats;

　　另外，引用顧客電郵地址@前的字母數字為稱呼，非常奇怪，顧客亦絕不會因而覺得電郵是為他度身撰寫。應抽取顧客登記的名字或簡單用Sir/Madam作稱呼。

例二. 誠實得駭人的電郵

　　電郵提供學生修畢課程後的出路報告，目的當然是希望收件人報讀課程。報告數據精細無遺，如實報導，大概是這模樣：

　　Profile of 2011 Graduates
　　Number of graduates  xxx

　　Job engagement 58.3%
　　Further studies 32.6%
　　Seeking employment 7.7%
　　Others (emigration, going back to China, not seeking employment, disappear, in prison, in drug rehabilitation centre, seeking counselling) 1.4%

　　共有90.9%畢業生成功就業或繼續升學，數據正面。仍有少量畢業生在找尋工作亦屬正常。可是，失蹤、入獄、戒毒、尋求輔導，卻令人驚訝止步。報告自當真確無誤，但試想想，學生應該不是因為修畢課程而失蹤、入獄、戒毒、尋求輔導吧﹖建議因應目標學生選材，這裏寫Others 1.4% 已足夠。

　　這兩封電郵內容真確，但撰寫時，明顯沒有從收件人的角度思量，難以達到其宣傳目的。小則令收件人無奈，大則有損自己或機構的形象，甚至惹來投訴。