treeline - 11:46 pm on Jan 25, 2006 (gmt 0)

A decision to give you a link or not will have nothing to do with whether there's a PO Box or not. If they don't like your letter, they won't get that far before they delete it.

A good letter should sound like it's from someone intelligent, well educated and friendly who happens to have a site that's got a strong connection to mine. Anything else, zappo. Saying it has a strong connection to mine generically, zappo. Mentioning what my site is about and why there's a connection (if you got past the first sentences of this paragraph) then I'll click on the link to take a look. If you were lieing, zappo. Or worse, now I've made an effort so maybe I should bother to complain.

If I like the site, it is STRONGLY related to mine, and I like you, then MAYBE I'll add a link. If the email contained threats like "I've added your link, but if you don't add me you'll be deleted..." Zappo right then, read no more words.

You probably don't need to give linking instructions. It looks tacky, spamlike, and anyone with a bit of knowledge already knows how. Surprisingly the ones who don't know how often write back to tell you so. Now you're friends so tell 'em then.

Remember: A good letter should sound like it's from someone intelligent, well educated and friendly who happens to have a site that's got a strong connection to mine. Keep it short and sweet.