Email Blasts: A Good Idea?

Email Blasts and why Portico Inc. avoids them

I think it's tempting for busy recruiters to send email blasts to their database about a job, event, or offering. With a good ATS and / or CRM, it is possible to segment a target audience to maximize efficiency and results. Email blasts also offer an opportunity for split marketing, which can lead to interesting results. Many recruiters use email blasts as a time management tool and the tool definitely is a time saver. In other words, email blasts might be good for some, but there are others...

My business, Portico Inc., falls into the bucket of those "others" who say no to email blast campaigns, and here is why:

1. I simply don't like them and they're not in alignment with the bottom-line ethos of Portico Inc., which is to cultivate and build healthy relationships with our clients and candidates.

   
   

2. This point is related to the preceding point. Email blasts lack the all-important personalization I think successful recruiters aim for. For example, while it's easy to send the blast to private chefs only, the blast often assumes that all private chefs are alike and share the same goals and motivators. Missing the mark with candidates, can lead to irritation and an erosion of trust and confidence.

   
   

3. I used to work for a firm that practised email blasts for jobs, newsletters, etc. I would track the metrics post blast, and invariably saw low click-through / conversion rates and high numbers of unsubscribers. It was a learning experience.

   
   

4. Many recipients conclude the email blasts they receive are little more than uninteresting spam. That is not effective marketing.

   
   

5. GDPR has had an impact on communications beyond the EU. Email blasts run the risk of violating regulations, particularly if they do not have an unsubscribe feature. Further, if the sender has not received permission from the intended recipient, some jurisdictions might consider it a violation of privacy laws.

   
   

6. For those recruiters working in the niche market of recruiting for UHNWIs, email blasts can lead to brand reputation damage. It raises the question, "does this company really understand me?" That is a big problem when communicating with UHNWIs and the individuals who work for them.

   
   

7. Eschewing personalized outreach leads to missed opportunities for high engagement that addresses specific needs. People--candidates and clients--want to be seen and understood.

   
   

8. Email blasts across multiple timezones exacerbates the depersonalization effect they have. If the email arrives in the middle of the night, the recipient might conclude they have been lumped into a faceless and disparate crowd. It's unlikely they will experience a warm and fizzy feeling after reading the email.

   
   

9. Email blasts are prone to technical error, like getting the recipient's name wrong. Oops.

10. Because email blasts are a time efficient communication tool, there is also a tendency for overuse with a spam effect. We all get irritated by spam.

Call me old-fashioned, but I'll continue to stick with targeted and purposeful outreach that is tailored to the recipient. It might be time consuming, but it's also time well spent. After all, relationship building does take time.

Scott Munden is President of Portico Inc., specializing in household staffing for ultra-high-net-worth families.

© 2025, Portico Inc.