Email's Woes Continue
Recently my colleague Kevin Zimmerman wrote about an email campaign incident where his wife's name was wrong and none of the "personalized" information was correct. The company fixed the issue after a few campaigns, but even after more than 10 years of email business, many companies still have a long way to go to create a good customer experience in the inbox.
Today's lead article of 1to1 Weekly, "Still Searching for the Inbox," looks at the state of email strategy. Unfortunately it's not all good news. While many other areas of marketing are looking through a strategic lens at the customer experience, a "spray and pray" attitude toward email is still popular. They don't call them blasts for nothing.
The good news is that some companies are getting it right, and customers are expecting more personalized activities. Personally, I think Netflix uses email in an very informative and personalized way -- the company sends alerts when movies are sent and returned; I get emails letting me know of very specific new movies that fit within my established preferences; and the company also sends out quick surveys via email to learn how the customer experience in general is. It's not just a marketing tool or a mass advertising vehicle. It's a communication channel that builds relationships.
Which company that you receive email from has the worst email habits and which has the best?
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The influx of unwanted messages to the inboxes has changed the game when it comes to email marketing. Relevant to the point subject lines, and maintaining credible reputations as senders are extremely important in terms of email open rates. Regardless of the current challenges, email is still a major communications channel, effective email marketers who value double opt in and are not afraid to embrace radical new approaches, will enjoy the benefits that come from realizing email for the powerful targeted marketing tool it is.
I think email's best use is as a retention and "trusted advisor" tool. Unfortunately, because it's so cheap to use, many companies use it as a blanket cross-sell or up-sell vehicle. It's got great potential if used correctly.
Most of those emails are junks. I used to open them one by one, but now i just trashed them right away.
I love it when companies send me additional savings offers based on the things I've already purchased from them. I'm completely willing to be on the mailing list of a company if they're offering real savings and aren't offering me things I don't want. I can't think of anyone who does this better than Amazon.com.
Quite honestly, I have not found email to be particularily effective from anyone I buy from. I have purchased cameras, baseball equipment, airline tickets, music and I can't recall any of those companies being more targeted with their followup emails than before my purchases. Whatever communication I get is usually a broadcast type and doesn't appeal to my buying habits.