--- title: "Don’t Become Junk Mail In Your Members’ Inboxes" id: "16259" type: "post" slug: "dont-become-junk-mail-in-your-members-inboxes" published_at: "2013-03-05T19:01:22+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T19:48:23+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/05/dont-become-junk-mail-in-your-members-inboxes/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/05/dont-become-junk-mail-in-your-members-inboxes.md" excerpt: "How Fab.com opts its subscribers out of emails they don't open. Also: Does your association pay as much attention to membership retention as recruitment?" taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Leadership" - "Marketing" - "Member Engagement" - "Social Media" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Don’t Become Junk Mail In Your Members’ Inboxes There’s a purpose behind email newsletters. But what if the recipients aren’t even opening them? Taking email marketing cues from discount luxury deals site Fab.com, and more, in today’s Lunchtime Links: **Clean inbox:**If you’re a shopper or an avid subscriber of email newsletters, you know how emails can just pile up. Fab.com understands this, too. According to The Next Web, Fab.com has developed a system in which it stops sending you the newsletters you don’t regularly open, and then alerts you to the change. “The last thing we want is to clutter your inbox,” the alert reads. [According to one writer (opens in a new tab)](http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2013/03/04/classy-fab-stops-sending-you-emails-you-dont-read-even-when-you-dont-ask-them-to/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thenextwebtopstories+%28The+Next+Web+Top+Stories%29) , “This should be email marketing 101, and we’re hoping other startups take note.” **Recruitment versus retention:**Shelly Alcorn of the Association Subculture blog thinks that when associations obsess over recruiting new members, they often lose control over campaigns, make unsustainable promises, and offer lavish prizes. Not only does this affect new members, but it gives the wrong vibe to current ones. Greenfield Services’ blog agrees with Alcorn’s statement: “An overzealous approach to member recruitment can lead to tensions with existing members and confusion for new arrivals. And those problems are magnified when leaders ‘judge staff and volunteer performance on new member recruitment numbers, rather than current member retention,’” according to [the blog (opens in a new tab)](http://membershipengagement.greenfield-services.ca/2013/02/member-recruitment-retention-its-all-in.html) . **The perfect fit:**So you know your association needs to be on social media, but on which platform? First off, you need to know which network will work best for your association and its members. MemberClicks put together a [list of social media platforms and their “personality.” (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.memberclicks.com/bid/273407/Your-association-s-natural-fit-in-social-media) From Pinterest to Google+, you can decide which social media network fits your association. What’s on your reading list today? [Anita Ferrer](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Anita Ferrer is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Tags: [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Marketing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/marketing/) [#Member Engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/member-engagement/) [#Social Media](https://associationsnow.com/tag/social-media/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [ArticleDevelop a “Big Rock” Webinar Strategy to Spark Engagement, Generate Leads, and Drive Nondues RevenueJanuary 22, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/01/22/develop-a-big-rock-webinar-strategy-to-spark-engagement-generate-leads-and-drive-nondues-revenue/) - [VideoRecap from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 19, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/19/recap-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoSneak Peek: Highlights from Day 2 of the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 14, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/14/sneak-peek-highlights-from-day-2-of-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F03%2F05%2Fdont-become-junk-mail-in-your-members-inboxes%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !