For marketers, making assumptions about your target audience is easy. But is it always accurate? It's tempting to look at a person's buying history, or review gender and age demographics, to help customize marketing messages. However, you should do so with care, as assumptions can just as easily backfire on your good intentions.
Just because someone buys a tricycle, don't assume they are married with young kids … it could have been purchased as a gift.
That's the point of Loren McDonald's message in a recent Email Insider article. (Loren is a "he" not a "she." And he doesn't have an ounce of Irish or Scottish in his genes.) In his article, "My Name Is Loren. BTW, I'm a 'He,'" McDonald warns of awkward and costly mistakes when you bring stereotypes and assumptions into your marketing efforts.
"The downside of wrong assumptions about your customers and prospects goes beyond potentially annoying them and even hurting your brand," he said. "It can also hurt your bottom line by continually sending subscribers offers and communications based on 'bad' data."
To steer clear of these situations, keep these tips in mind:
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No one argues that the role of email is changing as social media gains popularity. The debate lies in whether that's good or bad for the future of email.
According to an Oct. 12 online story in the Wall Street Journal ("Why Email No Longer Rules …"), email's glory days are over. Email, while still used and still growing, is best designed for "the way we used to use the Internet" - checking online messages in chunks of time. But today, more people stay connected using real-time, on-the-go communications through the likes of Twitter, Facebook and instant messaging. And social media is growing at a much faster pace than email, the article suggests, making it challenging for the "king of communications" to compete in today's online world.
Not so fast, argues an Oct. 12 online article in Fast Company ("Why Twitter and Facebook Will Never Kill E-mail"). Email is not down for the count, suggests the article - despite its faster and more convenient social media competitors. Email offers many advantages over other messaging methods, especially in business settings:
At DigitalMailer, we expect email to remain a dominant force in the e-communication marketplace. With its simplicity, low-cost and wide-spread access, email easily holds its own in the online messaging world. It's still a strong contender.
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Net Promoter® Score, a loyalty measurement, has been adopted by organizations and asks the question: "How likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend or colleague?"
Dan Schoenherr, an experienced credit union consultant, recently shared a story on how credit unions are using DigitalMailer's Net Promoter Surveys to ask one more question and are "Closing the Loop". Ready to ask the question and close the loop? Our Net Promoter Score Survey tool can help you get the job done! Click here to learn more on our website or send an email to info@digitalmailer.com with the subject "tell me more about Net Promoter"
For more information on how DigitalMailer's Automatic Relationship Builder certified email system can benefit your organization, call (866) 994-4900, visit www.digitalmailer.com/arb.html or send an email to info@digitalmailer.com.
Should Online Acquaintance Be Forgot? We Think So.
I came across this story the other day from Usability Post which asks "Is it time to make 'Remember Me' the default for password protected websites?" This question comes as the result of a few articles about password memory, one which asks if it's time to do away with the option of "Remember Me" and go with automatic login. Another article by web-genius Jakob Nielsen suggests we get rid of the "dots" in the password field (i.e., "Password: ******"), because doing so would increase confidence in those who have trouble with passwords and save them the trouble of copy-pasting passwords.
Click here for the full article.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & COMPANY:
Ron Daly is President/CEO of DigitalMailer, Inc., a firm that provides clients the power to reach their customers across multiple digital channels. The firm combines its technology know-how and online communication tools to create an affordable way for clients to drive profitable growth. For more information, contact DigitalMailer at (866) 994-4900, go to www.digitalmailer.com or you can email Ron at rdaly@digitalmailer.com if you want more information on any topic found in our newsletters or web site.
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