Marketing-Fix: 100-Words-On

“I’d like to add you to my professional network.”
– Rachel L.

“Do I know you? Who are you?”
– Kirk

Are we too lazy – or speed obsessed to optimize social media by personalizing?

Let’s not forget the vintage advertising mantra: show me you know me.

If we haven’t spoken in years, met in passing, or never, a generic note won’t motivate me to connect.  Sell me on the value of being linked: you’re fun, we have history, our networks mesh…

Skip ‘faux personalization.’ Personalized subject lines do work – we’ve tested and re-tested for clients*.  But, few of us write ‘Kirk, it’s so exciting…’ ‘Kirk, you’d be surprised…’ in personal communication.  You don’t know me.  You’re marketing me.

Un-friending, un-linking or unsubscribing is like breaking up. It’s personal – and sends a clear message: don’t contact, recommend or refer you to my network.  Remember, few of us can’t be replaced by someone who’s more personal…

* We see about a 15% increase in open rates when leading with your first name – it still gets your attention.

“What’s worse then email spam?  Bacon”

-    Dave Spur, Future Fundraising Now

Dave Spur – always intriguing – recently wrote about the increasing level of unwanted opt-in email we receive.  Bacon he calls it.

He suggests only 18% of commercial opt-in email is wanted/opened and fully 61% deleted.

We’ve moved from spam overload to inbox overload.

Industry leaders like Coremetrics propose sophisticated solutions, but our in-bin suggest that many could start by stepping into customers’ shoes and testing simple options:

Be relevant – take a page from Amazon and tailor your messages to what you know about your customers.

Deliver the right frequency – I mean, does anyone want “exciting offers” from TheatreMania 2 or 3 times a day before tuning out?

Get to the point – how much information do people need?  Williams-Sonoma promotes ‘last chance’ All-Clad sales with a subject line and a link.  That’s direct!

We’ve quoted it often:

“Give them what they want and when they want it.  That’s how you keep them satisfied.”
—Waller and Schell

Facebook, Twitter and similar social sites focus on community and connecting. So, many worry that selling here risks violating a social contract that says: we’re just ‘friends.’

Still, many of us ponder how to make direct marketing work in these environments.

Quidsi’s – soap.com / diapers.com – Facebook app offers a brilliantly simple solution:

Current customers can purchase directly from their ‘My List’ without leaving Facebook. And wouldn’t many soap.com purchases be ‘re-fills?’

Seems real simple and widely applicable. Why not start with:

• What do you most want from your customers?

• What do they most want and expect from you?

• What do you do to deliver on their expectations – simply, quickly and cost-effectively?

There’s no need to make things complicated – or grab every sale.  Why build a jet fighter if a kite will do the job?

Do not expect an immediate call back

Do not expect free advice

Do not expect the answer you wanted

—Consulting Firm Landing Page

Ouch—but, thought-provoking.

Is this firm:

* So ballsy that you’ve got to know more?

* So honest that you might get great insights?

* So self-involved that you should avoid it at all costs?

We applaud ‘being true to yourself’—but at what price?

Three wise-men came to mind:

* Danny Meyer suggests hiring only empathetic people—for every position in the company.  Technical skills can be taught, being welcoming and caring not.

* Seth Godin suggests giving things away—after qualifying the ‘lead.’  A little ‘free advice’ might be worth it, if there may substantial benefits down the road.

* The Dalai Lama suggests that when you want something—give it away.  Period.

We’re there: Why not put it out there and see what comes back—before telling us what you won’t do?

100 words on:
Targeting, targeting, targeting

“A personal offer for…

Mr. Smith or
Current Resident”

As 2010 approached, “special” year-end offers and charitable solicitations
increased dramatically—as expected.

Less expected was how many communications overlooked  proven, effective
direct-response tactics.

- Segment: tailoring whom to communicate with is as important as the
message.  Is a “beg letter” from a foundation I’ve barely heard of asking
for five figures in cash or appreciated stock (cheeky) wise?  Ask
appropriately—or not at all—until there’s a relationship.

- Quantify: specifics matter, particularly as the economy hinders
spending—or donating.  Am I going to buy pricey headphones “significantly
quieter” than earlier models?  Not unless you prove it.

- Personalize: addressing the recipient directly improves results.  Does a
generic brochure to lease a Jaguar motivate me?  Nope.  We want to feel
special—personal notes, relevant facts or customized offers convey that
you know me.

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Philanthropy gurus Kay Sprinkel Grace and Phyllis Freedman propose that:

Donors aren’t institution loyal.

Donors are Issue loyal.

Building lasting relationships requires keeping donors involved in their interests and issues vis-à-vis the institution with stewardship.

We’d suggest these truisms apply to business too.

Customers care about what you deliver for them–not who you are. They want customized experiences.

Consider how firms from Target to Dell struggle to keep customers in this downturn. Or how little pricing leverage airlines have by delivering only a commodity: cheap seats.

We wonder: how many firms really look through customers’ eyes and practice commercial stewardship by addressing their issues with meaningful products and services?

No chic high-heels

No must-have bags

No seductive lingerie

With today’s super-powerful data mining and the low cost of creating and delivering emails: why aren’t there more well-targeted, relevant offers?

For example: we’re guys. We may buy at Neiman’s or Saks, but we’re not cross-dressers. They have our behavioral data. We want men’s messages — so why not integrate your systems? Or just ask us?

It’s easy to ignore emails—it’s also easy to alienate customers.

With today’s resources and the need for better results, we’d encourage thinking harder, “slicing and dicing” more and testing segmented offers.

You’ll get better results–and everyone will be happier.

P.S. Take a look at what Sears–yes, Sears–has been doing with testing personalization.