When mistakes happen

Today, I got an email with the subject line: “Our apologies.”

And of course… I opened it.

Turns out, it was from a restaurant I’d never subscribed to. They were writing to apologize for accidentally sending me their newsletter without consent. Apparently, I wasn’t supposed to be on the list. They’d made a technical mistake.

The funny thing is ... I don’t even remember getting the original newsletter.

Chances are, I’d seen the email, wasn’t interested, and immediately archived it.

Autopilot.

Gone.

No outrage, no privacy concerns, no second thought.

But now, here I was reading a full apology for something I hadn’t even noticed.

And that’s what made me pause.

Because here’s the thing:

Sometimes, the apology email does more harm than the mistake itself.

The problem with over-apologizing

I’ve been in email marketing long enough to know: mistakes happen. A wrong segment, a missed exclusion, an automation error ... it’s part of the game.

But I’ve rarely, if ever, sent out a big “Oops” campaign.

Not because I don’t care.

But because I do care

... about how the message lands.

Most people won’t notice the mistake.

Or they’ll notice it and won’t care.

Or they’ll notice it and unsubscribe, and that’s their right.

But sending another email, especially one with the subject line “Sorry”?

That’s a guaranteed open.

It’s like shouting into a quiet room: “Hey everyone! Look at this thing we did wrong!”

You’re drawing attention to something they probably didn’t even register.

Ask the right questions first

Before you send that apology email, ask yourself:

1. Will most people even realize it was a mistake? If the answer is no, maybe don’t highlight it.

2. Are you respecting people’s preferences? If someone already unsubscribed, why are you emailing them again just to say oops?

3. Can you target more precisely? If you really want to apologize, only send it to those who opened or clicked the original email. Make it relevant.

Turn mistakes into moments

If you’re going to say sorry, say it with something meaningful.

In this case, the restaurant could’ve said: "Oops. Looks like we sent our newsletter to a few people who didn’t ask for it. If you liked what you saw, feel free to subscribe here. If not, our apologies for the disruption. And here’s a small treat to make up for it: €5 off your next order. We hope to welcome you soon.”

That would’ve aligned with their brand. It would’ve felt warm, human, and even a little clever. Instead, I got a bland paragraph about how they value my privacy.

Which, sure…

but also: yawn.

What I’ve learned (and what I hope more brands learn too)

• Start from the user’s perspective. Not your own guilt, not your legal team’s concerns. Ask: how will this feel on their end?
  

• Be intentional with your audience. Don’t shout your mistake to the whole database. Speak only to those who were affected.
  

• Don’t waste a touchpoint. If you’re going to email me, make it matter. Show me your values. Surprise me. Delight me. Don’t just check a box.

Apologies matter. But in a world full of inbox noise, generic “Oops” emails don’t cut it anymore.

If you’ve got my attention ... use it well.