Each morning, our email inbox is full of different messages. Some personal, some mass but interesting, and most of them uninteresting – the type that we delete without ever opening.

When we buy a product or donate money to an organization, we probably will end up on their list. While they must get our permission to send us information, the fine print generally requires us to grant that permission, though we must be allowed to opt out.

Seth Godin talks about permission marketing, sharing with those who want to hear from us rather than everyone. It’s better for the person with a message or item to share, and we would rather here from those who we actually want to hear from.

While we may think of this with marketing, or selling, what about when we have a different message? When we care deeply about something and want to share with another person?

It might be a good idea to get permission in that context as well. I am unlikely to hear your message and for it to sink in or resonate if you don’t first have my permission to share.