This is a prospect?

This teaches me not to judge a prospect too quickly.
The following thread is from an email campaign I ran.
290 emails to one target niche. 2 requests for removal (very civil). And this...
I'll post it in the order it came in.

Here's the first reply to my campaign:

From: Gary [mailto:gary@[his company]
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2012 9:35 AM
To: tim@[my company].net
Subject: RE: [company name deleted]


Tim

Normally I trash solicitation mails like this ... but, something in the below attracted just a glimmer of curiosity

I have no idea what your methodology is that attracted you to my email address ... but, clearly you feel OK
with spamming me for business solitication ... and then you route a "standard reply" away from YOUR inbox
to a general mail inbox ... Nice

From the content of your correspondence, one might construe that careful matching of data might be involved

UNLESS YOU READ CLOSELY

When you read closely, you realize that the "inferred industry association" is being used as the solicitation driver
Too Bad, that the INFERRED ASSOCIATION is completely wrong ... I mean stone-axe completely wrong
Therefore, all of the solicitation language is completely wrong
All of which would render any connection with such linkages of useless value

If you read this and are at all curious, reconsider your presentation

A couple of notes:
1. My original email wasn't spam. The email was scrupulously in line with the CAN-SPAM act. In fact, the mailing got less than 1% requests for removal.
2. His curiosity, came from three things, I believe.
A. Good copy writing.
B. Relevance. I was as careful as I could be to match my message to his industry. And though I missed (my source gave me faulty info), the argument was coherent for the industry I targeted.
C. Proof. I didn't just make claims, I backed them up.

Ok, I was pushed back a bit. So I sent a fairly contrite reply I thought.

From: Tim Dawes [mailto:tim@[my company].net]
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2012 10:58 AM
To: gary@[his company].com
Subject: I have blocked my system from sending you any more emails

Gary,
I read your email and I'll reconsider my process given your comments.
I've also blocked my system from mailing you in the future.
Thanks for taking the time to reply and giving me something to chew on.
Tim Dawes

I was sincere about reconsidering my process. I don't like to piss people off. So I am considering how I can tighten things up. Here's his surprising reply to me.

From: Gary [mailto:gary@his company.com]
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2012 11:06 AM
To: 'Tim Dawes'
Subject: RE: I have blocked my system from sending you any more emails

Tim

I was making no request for you to refrain from sending correspondence ... use your own judgement
I am aware of most of deficiencies in our online presentation
If you have something to offer, then feel free to present it

then a critique of my email and my method.

So, I'm following up. Don't know if I'll get business or not. But he's told me in as many words that he's open to hearing my suggestions. And now we're engaging.

Take away - don't be too quick to judge. And it's worth the time to personalize. Even when you're personalizing to the wrong industry.