In an instant reply world, was Slack Connect onto something with no-email contact?
IDSC "BlackTechLogy": Why creating more email addresses could resolve the spam problem
This post is part of a series entitled “BlackTechLogy.” Click here for the archived posts.
Every person needs at least four email accounts. This was a suggestion from a 2020 Forbes post. I raised an eyebrow, counting off seven of my own email addresses — and only one that is available to everybody. I even have “spam” in the email address to prepare recipients to know I’m aware that this is a throwaway email address. I share it with everyone the way Oprah gives away cars to her fans.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases with my referral links. I know some consumers are choosing to boycott Amazon for its DEI removal. However, after thinking about this thoroughly, I choose to continue promoting intriguing products from small businesses, women-owned businesses and (specifically) Black-owned businesses who still feature their items on Amazon. All five of my Substack publications now include a MINIMUM of one product sold by a Black-owned business. (I have visited the seller’s official site, not just the Amazon Black-owned logo, to verify this.) If you still choose to boycott, I 100% respect that decision.
I learned the hard way that giving everyone the same email address meant I would be bombarded with emails I didn’t need to read in real time (usually marketing material and website messages) and not immediately see personal or professional emails that I wanted and needed to read in real time.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage for each sale made with my referral links on this page.
But there is something to be said about Slack first offering and then removing the direct messaging option for those outside of a company. In late March, Slack became a public messaging platform. If you’ve ever used Slack, you know that there is a setup so that in-house teams can send direct messages to each other and speak on group forums. However, as a public messaging platform, this removed the need for outside teams or individual reps to be invited to the team. It basically worked similar to an email address or texting system—without giving out an email address or smartphone.