Did You Actually Want Me to Leave Your Site Before I Could View It?

Dear Website Owner:

Why'd you do it? You enticed me to your site but sent me packing with your obnoxious "Sign up for my newsletter!" popup mere seconds after I arrived...from my cell phone. 

Now, why would I sign up for a newsletter I know nothing about until I've had a chance to browse your site for a couple of minutes? 

I get it. You have the latest up-to-date information for my area. It's the bestest of the bestest of the bestest. You're special like that.  

I really wanted to like your site, Ms. Real Estate Agent, but you didn't make it easy for me. 

I was minding my own business on my evening walk, saw a new home for sale and I was curious to see what it was like inside and what it was going for. You had your name as your site, making it easy for me to get to, so I punched in your name on my phone and up pops your site.

Nice design. 

Well, initially.

Then I was accosted by your popup. Yeah, not overstating it. You wanted my email address and would force me to fill out a &^$%)@ captcha to just view your site. I clicked off of it. 

Next time, maybe.

Less than 10 seconds later, a second popup hit me in the face. 

Sigh.

I'm done with your site. 

Sorry, you had a chance to wow me, but instead you frustrated me. 

If you wanted me to remember your name when I was in the market for a home, I'll remember your name all right, but not for the reasons you think. Is it unreasonable that you would lose a potential sale a month from now because you frustrated a user today? You betcha. You gave me a poor user experience. Lots of other agents don't frustrate their potential customers.

Please Ms. or Mr. Website Owner, walk a mile or two in my shoes.

Think of me.

Don't take me for granted and assume I'll want to be put on a list. I give away a little bit of privacy every time I put my email address in a form. You see, I just want to browse your site a bit. Just a bit. Especially if I'm on my cell phone. My phat fingers just cannot navigate that tiny phone keyboard like the young kids.

I've designed a few sites in my life but I am always thinking about the user. And I as a user rarely sign up for a newsletter with less than 10 seconds on a site. In fact, I don't think I ever have. So, have some compassion on us users.

After a few minutes, bring on the popup. Or not. I prefer not, but at least I will have had a brief chance to surf your goodies.

Is that too much to ask?