Now there's a subject line to inspire opening an email ! ?
No welcome, no personalisation and probably the worst laid out email I have ever received!! It took me to the full magazine on line
My only question is...did you pay an agency for this?
Friday, 26 February 2010
LD2010 #2: Nick Clegg answers your questions
Now there's a subject line to inspire opening an email ! ?
No welcome, no personalisation and probably the worst laid out email I have ever received!! It took me to the full magazine on line
My only question is...did you pay an agency for this?
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
How to start off an email conversation...the right way
Well, still no welcome from any of the political parties. They should take a leaf out of the Sunday Times Wine Club. As soon as I had registered with them and agreed to join their email list, I received a welcome email from them, the contents of which are below.
Many thanks for letting us know you'd like to hear from us. From now on we'll keep you up to date with all our latest news and offers.
As we often buy limited-edition wines from quality-driven producers (the sort a supermarket would be forced to overlook) our list changes frequently. With great new discoveries coming in and out of the cellar all the time, it's worth staying in touch and checking your emails regularly to avoid missing out.
If you'd like to see our latest offers - and find details of our relaxed tasting evenings - please visit our website.
Best wishes,
Dan Snook, Wine Director
sundaytimeswineclub.co.uk
An immediate welcome with confirmation that I had registered and with some indication of what I can expect.
Lets hope the wines are as good!!
Many thanks for letting us know you'd like to hear from us. From now on we'll keep you up to date with all our latest news and offers.
As we often buy limited-edition wines from quality-driven producers (the sort a supermarket would be forced to overlook) our list changes frequently. With great new discoveries coming in and out of the cellar all the time, it's worth staying in touch and checking your emails regularly to avoid missing out.
If you'd like to see our latest offers - and find details of our relaxed tasting evenings - please visit our website.
Best wishes,
Dan Snook, Wine Director
sundaytimeswineclub.co.uk
An immediate welcome with confirmation that I had registered and with some indication of what I can expect.
Lets hope the wines are as good!!
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Dear Gordon, I've just met you and you're already asking for money?
Well, I guess that as part of an unofficial launch of the General Election Campaign, The Labour Party would want to get their message across to as many people as possible. So I was not surprised that I would get this email about their new 'A future fair for all' push.
What did surprise me was that despite the fact that I had only signed up for their emails 48 hours ago, they were already asking for a donation!!
Who on earth manages these campaigns for Labour? Do they not know about how relationships are built on a mutual understanding of what each party wants? Well, I have a fair idea of what they want!
ps...no news from the LibDems as yet.
What did surprise me was that despite the fact that I had only signed up for their emails 48 hours ago, they were already asking for a donation!!
Who on earth manages these campaigns for Labour? Do they not know about how relationships are built on a mutual understanding of what each party wants? Well, I have a fair idea of what they want!
ps...no news from the LibDems as yet.
Friday, 19 February 2010
''Coronation Street's Ken Barlow backs our social care plans''
That was the welcome from the Conservative Party...about 24 hours after I registered on-line for their emails.
So my first email wasn't a thank you for registering or a welcome, but just an immediate dump into the overall program.
And to make things worse, they managed to get the personalisation wrong...I became Dear ,
So I am assuming that the Tory program was being lauded for the quantity of emails being sent rather than the quality!!
Redefining 'conversation'
I came across this interesting piece from the Ogilvy Blog and what conversation means these days .
To me it's interesting because it still promotes the idea of conversation as really being the constant throughout the evolution of marketing. The conversation may alter or take on a different emphasis depending on where and when it is taking place, but it still exists.
The conversation might be taking place via a social media site where peers are exchanging thoughts on a product, or it may between the brand and the consumer via feedback programs or a series of emails.
What's key is that we as marketers understand what the conversation content needs to be at that particular moment, and uses technology, where appropriate, to optimise this content and uses technology to make the conversation easier to take place.
The future is not about combining the conversation that is marketing with technology
It's about doing that now!
To me it's interesting because it still promotes the idea of conversation as really being the constant throughout the evolution of marketing. The conversation may alter or take on a different emphasis depending on where and when it is taking place, but it still exists.
The conversation might be taking place via a social media site where peers are exchanging thoughts on a product, or it may between the brand and the consumer via feedback programs or a series of emails.
What's key is that we as marketers understand what the conversation content needs to be at that particular moment, and uses technology, where appropriate, to optimise this content and uses technology to make the conversation easier to take place.
The future is not about combining the conversation that is marketing with technology
It's about doing that now!
Off the Peg Campaigns or Bespoke?
Some companies want to simply build a program mostly based on blueprint, best practice.
In reality, best practice can only be a starting point.The best campaigns can only come into place by using the insights that come from a company’s real data about customers and competition. About what they are doing and what they have done.
Combining these elements pays off in the end.
Start off with what you want from a shirt, but get it tailored to suit you
A custom-designed shirt always fits better!
Who will speak to me first..David, Gordon or Nick?
In an article entitled 'Tories make best use of email but all parties flounder on social media', Brand Republic talks about how The Conservative Party seem to be leading the field in terms of email marketing.
Apparently, the Tories sent 12 email messages while Labour sent only one and the Liberal Democrats none at all, according to Return Path, which conducted the research.
The three parties also failed to send immediate welcome messages after people signed up to receive updates. It took the Tories six days send email message and Labour 58 days to do the same.
Surely they can't be that slack?
Well I thought I would do my own little bit of research to see if now that we seem to be in a proper build up to an election, they have cranked up their email marketing in any way? So last night I registered for all main political parties..and I am still waiting my welcome!!
Lets see who decides to speak to me first.
Apparently, the Tories sent 12 email messages while Labour sent only one and the Liberal Democrats none at all, according to Return Path, which conducted the research.
The three parties also failed to send immediate welcome messages after people signed up to receive updates. It took the Tories six days send email message and Labour 58 days to do the same.
Surely they can't be that slack?
Well I thought I would do my own little bit of research to see if now that we seem to be in a proper build up to an election, they have cranked up their email marketing in any way? So last night I registered for all main political parties..and I am still waiting my welcome!!
Lets see who decides to speak to me first.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Permission Marketing is Efficient Marketing
Let me start by taking a view on Permission.
In my opinion, there are 2 levels of Permission. The first is probably the most obvious, which is where a consumer actually gives the brand the opportunity to talk to them. This may very well be because they are an existing customer or have an interest in getting information about a product or service. By having this level of Permission, the brand can be hopeful that the piece of marketing that arrives in front of the consumer has a greater chance of being read, and not just ignored
A second way of looking at Permission is to view it as means of engaging with the consumer at a time that resonates with them
There are many examples of where timing plays an important role in getting a message read. Brands such as SKY or Virgin know full well that the chance of getting new subscribers are increased if they hit at a time when a new source of entertainment is wanted, such as moving to a new home, or with a new baby in the family.
Insurance companies are well aware that many policies are bought in line with the purchase date of a new car, and car manufacturers can ramp up communications in line with a potential replacement for a new car..usually before the end of the 3rd year.
Timing provides relevance. If it's relevant I'll be more likely to engage with it. And engagement is a proxy for permission
So how does Permission translate into efficiency?
Well,
1. Permission gives increased response rate because the offer made is relevant and made in the right time scale.
2. The offer made in many instances can be sent pretty much automatically, which drives efficiency.
3. Permission has been given to sent the offer through an appropriate channel, which saves cost.
If they want it...they'll do it
In my opinion, there are 2 levels of Permission. The first is probably the most obvious, which is where a consumer actually gives the brand the opportunity to talk to them. This may very well be because they are an existing customer or have an interest in getting information about a product or service. By having this level of Permission, the brand can be hopeful that the piece of marketing that arrives in front of the consumer has a greater chance of being read, and not just ignored
A second way of looking at Permission is to view it as means of engaging with the consumer at a time that resonates with them
There are many examples of where timing plays an important role in getting a message read. Brands such as SKY or Virgin know full well that the chance of getting new subscribers are increased if they hit at a time when a new source of entertainment is wanted, such as moving to a new home, or with a new baby in the family.
Insurance companies are well aware that many policies are bought in line with the purchase date of a new car, and car manufacturers can ramp up communications in line with a potential replacement for a new car..usually before the end of the 3rd year.
Timing provides relevance. If it's relevant I'll be more likely to engage with it. And engagement is a proxy for permission
So how does Permission translate into efficiency?
Well,
1. Permission gives increased response rate because the offer made is relevant and made in the right time scale.
2. The offer made in many instances can be sent pretty much automatically, which drives efficiency.
3. Permission has been given to sent the offer through an appropriate channel, which saves cost.
If they want it...they'll do it
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Better data 'would boost mobile marketing'
A survey by O2 suggested that 58 per cent of senior marketers would devote more of their budgets to the medium following the launch of the Mobile Media Metrics tool
The research by O2 also found that 47 per cent of senior marketers indicated that better targeting would make them invest more in mobile.
That all seems very encouraging especially as to many the future is Mobile.
But lets not forget what the customer wants. We need to make sure that Mobile doesn't go the way of Direct Mail, Telemarketing, Email. They were all the future once, but marketers have abused their use so much that there has been some level of rejection by the consumer.
If the future is Mobile, then it really does need to take into account the privacy issues that will become more prevalent as we go forward
The research by O2 also found that 47 per cent of senior marketers indicated that better targeting would make them invest more in mobile.
That all seems very encouraging especially as to many the future is Mobile.
But lets not forget what the customer wants. We need to make sure that Mobile doesn't go the way of Direct Mail, Telemarketing, Email. They were all the future once, but marketers have abused their use so much that there has been some level of rejection by the consumer.
If the future is Mobile, then it really does need to take into account the privacy issues that will become more prevalent as we go forward
Monday, 8 February 2010
Monday, 1 February 2010
The one page ALL CUSTOMERS see?
There seems to be no end that supermarkets will go to to make sure that your checkout is as smooth and as quick as possible.
First of all, we generally know exactly where the checkouts are. Then:
Queues getting too long..we'll open another
Want to do it your self..go to the self scan line
Need help with your bagging to ensure you make a quick exit..we'll help.
So why don't the rest of the retail world take note. I abandoned some shopping in BHS the other day because I couldn't find the tills. Surely the most frustrating experience for a customer is having a basket full of goodies but with an experience that causes me to give up and go elsewhere.
So why on earth do online retailers make it too difficult to do this sometimes.
I regularly shop with Ocado and I know they are held in high esteem for the work that they do. In general I think they are great. But why is it that every time I want to check out, they have to lengthen the process by 3 or 4 pages by reminding me of things I bought last time but didn't buy this time. Or encouraging me to buy more because of the current BOGOF. Can you imagine how annoying that would be in a Waitrose store? Could it be that I didn't buy the Lazy Garlic because I don't want it?
If I want reminders, I'll remind you
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