Comments on: The email that cried wolf, deliverability and the unemotionally subscribed http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability.html Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:53:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark Brownlow http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability.html#comment-131 Mark Brownlow Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:08:20 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/the-email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability-and-the-unemotionally-subscribed.html#comment-131 Thanks for the thoughtful comment JohnnyB. One thing I think many of us "critics" are guilty of is highlighting "mistakes" in email campaigns that probably aren't mistakes, but strategies based on a sound understanding of what works for that list / business model. Not always, but I'm pretty sure we sometimes criticise unfairly because we don't understand the model or unique situation or target market behind it.<br /><br />Another issue is we assume a "mistake" is due to a lack of understanding when in many cases it's simply down the resources. I've edited a few studies recently that made it very clear that people know what to do better, but don't have the abiity/resources to do so yet. I'm a perfect example with my own little newsletter. Thanks for the thoughtful comment JohnnyB. One thing I think many of us "critics" are guilty of is highlighting "mistakes" in email campaigns that probably aren't mistakes, but strategies based on a sound understanding of what works for that list / business model. Not always, but I'm pretty sure we sometimes criticise unfairly because we don't understand the model or unique situation or target market behind it.

Another issue is we assume a "mistake" is due to a lack of understanding when in many cases it's simply down the resources. I've edited a few studies recently that made it very clear that people know what to do better, but don't have the abiity/resources to do so yet. I'm a perfect example with my own little newsletter.

]]> By: thecynicalmarketer http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability.html#comment-130 thecynicalmarketer Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:30:25 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/the-email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability-and-the-unemotionally-subscribed.html#comment-130 Mark, thanks for a great piece full of insights and perspectives that I’m sure will win you new friends. I would enjoy contributing some additional perspective. First, the cry-wolf approach is a sound method for commodity products that have frequent transactions. For example, Borders sends weekly coupons on Tuesdays that expire the following Sunday. If you are not in the market for a book you simply ignore it. If you are, the time limited offer is a motivator. This is a similar approach to the Sunday FSIs that so many retailers churn out with specials that end that week. It is an accepted practice and it has been proven to be very effective; not for nuclear reactor sales of course, but for most consumables.<br /><br />The second issue is testing. As marketers, we often like to play our hunches or follow our gut, and it usually works. Testing and measurement are the keys to every effective marketing program. Send too many cry-wolf emails, see your open, click-through, and subscriber numbers fall – which could be bad… unless you get a much higher conversion rate and drive more sales. Here’s an example, my local furniture store has been running a “going-out-of-business sale” for 15 years and counting. Sure, they have no credibility whatsoever, but they do have great prices and they do a ton of revenue, the latter being their number one goal. I think it is important for marketers to stay focused on their corporate goals (for most it should be revenue) and constantly measure against those goals.<br /><br />Thanks again for an insightful and inspiring piece.<br /><br />Best regards, JohnnyB.<br />TCM blog, http://bit.ly/75KkSG <br />http://twitter.com/tcmblog Mark, thanks for a great piece full of insights and perspectives that I’m sure will win you new friends. I would enjoy contributing some additional perspective. First, the cry-wolf approach is a sound method for commodity products that have frequent transactions. For example, Borders sends weekly coupons on Tuesdays that expire the following Sunday. If you are not in the market for a book you simply ignore it. If you are, the time limited offer is a motivator. This is a similar approach to the Sunday FSIs that so many retailers churn out with specials that end that week. It is an accepted practice and it has been proven to be very effective; not for nuclear reactor sales of course, but for most consumables.

The second issue is testing. As marketers, we often like to play our hunches or follow our gut, and it usually works. Testing and measurement are the keys to every effective marketing program. Send too many cry-wolf emails, see your open, click-through, and subscriber numbers fall – which could be bad… unless you get a much higher conversion rate and drive more sales. Here’s an example, my local furniture store has been running a “going-out-of-business sale” for 15 years and counting. Sure, they have no credibility whatsoever, but they do have great prices and they do a ton of revenue, the latter being their number one goal. I think it is important for marketers to stay focused on their corporate goals (for most it should be revenue) and constantly measure against those goals.

Thanks again for an insightful and inspiring piece.

Best regards, JohnnyB.
TCM blog, http://bit.ly/75KkSG
http://twitter.com/tcmblog

]]> By: Mark Brownlow http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability.html#comment-91 Mark Brownlow Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:44:10 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/the-email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability-and-the-unemotionally-subscribed.html#comment-91 Thanks Margaret. I remember someone once saying that if people aren't listening, it's likely because of what you're saying, not how loud you say it. Thanks Margaret. I remember someone once saying that if people aren't listening, it's likely because of what you're saying, not how loud you say it.

]]> By: Mark Brownlow http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability.html#comment-89 Mark Brownlow Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:36:54 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/the-email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability-and-the-unemotionally-subscribed.html#comment-89 Hah! Actually sometimes I do make something simple sound complicated. That's the academic in me. Why explain something in a sentence when you can devote a whole paper to the subject. Hah! Actually sometimes I do make something simple sound complicated. That's the academic in me. Why explain something in a sentence when you can devote a whole paper to the subject.

]]> By: Michael Katz | Blue Penguin http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability.html#comment-88 Michael Katz | Blue Penguin Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:21:13 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/01/the-email-that-cried-wolf-deliverability-and-the-unemotionally-subscribed.html#comment-88 Well said Mark. "Create engagement by actually being engaging." Who would have thought?<br /><br />And you're so right about the special offer phenomenon. As we used to say inside the big company in which I was (now embarrassingly) involved in sending direct mail: "Last chance until the next chance." Well said Mark. "Create engagement by actually being engaging." Who would have thought?

And you're so right about the special offer phenomenon. As we used to say inside the big company in which I was (now embarrassingly) involved in sending direct mail: "Last chance until the next chance."

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