How To Lose ( Get Rid Of) Customers...Fast!

How would you like it if one the brands you haven't used for a while turned tried to re-activate your usage?

I'd imagine you'd think that was par for the course.

So when I saw this subject line from Ladbrokes, I thought they might be trying to encourage me back for the odd flutter

So maybe not the catchiest of messages but I know what they meant. I haven't indulged in that little vice for a while

But what would you think of a brand that then said, we are going to charge you if you don't come back?

Which is what they are saying here

''It's been a very long time since you have used your Ladbrokes account and we are writing to inform you of the choices that are available on how to manage the credit balance that remains on your account. If you do not take action then after a minimum period of 28 days from the date of this email we will begin to charge an Inactive Account Fee''

Now I know every customer comes with a cost. From the tiny data storage element to the cost of sending me an email. Both, in the grand scheme of things pretty tiny to be honest, especially when you consider that they are actually holding some of my money in a bank account of their own, receiving interest.

Apparently this inactivity fee is stipulated somewhere in the T's and C's..but still, it does seem a little over the top.

Anyway, time to try BetFair

The Future of Email Infographic : Courtesy of Lyris

What's In It For Me?

I came across this email sign up page for US company uncommon goods , and although I'm not keen on the branding and layout, it does seem to tick a few boxes when getting people to sign up for newsletters

What is the bare minimum you need to be able to send them an email ?



Value Exchange.
Give the subscriber a list of benefits to signing up.







What should I expect?
Let me see examples of previous newsletter













I also like this incentive banner from retailer JYSK. You see the value exchange to get you interested.
It would be interesting to see the conversion numbers in any test they did without the incentive, however, and subsequent purchases from subscribers

Measurement

“Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.”

― H. James Harrington

Timing and Email Marketing Infographic

Part 1 on Social Timing can be found here

Part 3 on blogging can be found here