A few years ago, when I was in the market for a new digital camera, I went to Cnet to research my options, then I went to Pricegrabber to find the best deal. I found the camera I wanted for a good price (plus free shipping – woot) from an online retailer. I was so happy with the whole transaction that, a couple years later when I wanted a new camera, I went back to the same retailer.
Again, I got the camera I wanted at a very good price. I also started getting about four marketing e-mails a day from the retailer. Yes, I had opted in to receive news of special promotions, etc., but I had no idea that meant signing on for a deluge of irrelevant noise.
Making matters worse, when the second camera malfunctioned within the warranty period, and I e-mailed the customer service address at the retailer with a question, I never got a response. That afternoon, I did get a handful of “special” promotions for products that weren’t related to photography or cameras in any way.
I unsubscribed. And I decided that my next camera will come from another retailer.
I’m not alone, either. A recent study by the CMO Council and InfoPrint Solutions Company found that 41 percent of consumers say they would consider ending a brand relationship due to irrelevant promotions, and an additional 22 percent say they would definitely defect from the brand.
E-mail marketing efforts can be enormously powerful. When approached correctly, they have the power to engage your constituents in a lasting and personal way. Done incorrectly, however, they have the power to actually repel the very people you’re trying to attract.
The key is relevance and valuable content. Sometimes that means a coupon or sale promotion, but not necessarily. In the case of my online electronics retailer, no amount of screaming e-mail promotions would convince me that I needed to order a 46-inch LCD television.
Why couldn’t they send me real information that I could have used, such as tips and tricks for using my new camera, links to amateur photography contests, an invitation to share photos I have taken with my camera … the options are limitless.
When brands deliver that kind of value, they create more than repeat customers – they start building a community of fans.