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Although e-mail remains one of the primary reasons for people visiting the internet, it remains one of the most popular motivations for utilizing on-line services. Opt-in email or permission based marketing remains a dynamic means for advertising on the internet. Targeting your customer in a way that is meaningful, whether demographically, geographically or by using psycho graphics profiles will provide the optimal response from perspective consumers. The focus on making that relevant connection is the key to success with internet marketing.
Most people are familiar when visiting web sites where an occasional question is presented asking visitors for responses about buying activity, personal preferences, household income, career responsibilities, type of business, what pet you own or how often you enjoy traveling. These are but a few of the many variants on personal probes proffered by companies seeking to learn more about you than translate that information into a relational connection to what it is that will motivate you into buying.
When you surf the web and register yourself on any site, you have often be solicited with an “opt-in” question to receive more information, thereby giving the site the permission to be communicated to via email. You most likely have just provided permission for personal information to be sold to 3rd party companies that are compatible with your demographic profile.
Consider this:
An email is similar to direct mail when it comes to gauging its effectiveness through the response rates it generates from advertising.
When either are sent to a prospective consumer, the most important ingredient is that the solicitation must go to the right person (the list), followed by a relevant “offer” and than delivered by good and dynamic creative.
Scenario:
A Pet Food Company purchases an email list of pet owners so that it can target animal lovers to purchase their products.
The company than sends out an email blast for a free 100 pound bag of dog food (a terrific offer if ever there was one).
The program fails miserably
Reason: Upon review of why redemptions were not taken, the company learned that 60% were cat owners.
The ability to understand a consumer, what turns them on, what makes them tick and what they respond to, increases your ability to make a connection and a sale. To know any of this information allows you to speak more relevantly about their needs. The biggest test of any on-line campaign is the click-through rate; the initial click through rate depends on the customer?s affinity to the product or the brand. With opt-in email, converting that initial click-through to a sale ranges between 1-20 percent depending on the offer. Email has become so popular because it can be precisely targeted, it can garner an instant responses and it is less expensive than other marketing vehicles.
With this new found level of intimacy with your customers, you must now know what an acceptable level of contact is. If you don?t know those metrics and when you are spamming your target, the impact you may has will be more negative than positive. If done right and respectfully, your opportunity to build a long term relationship becomes more concrete. After all, repeat purchases are the lifeblood of most businesses whether brick and mortar or on-line. With so many options available to consumers today, making the initial link is only the beginning of your marketing challenge.
Gaining permission in an email relationship is a key strategic tool for driving site traffic, facilitating transactions, attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. The reason for continued growth on the internet is that we as consumers desire immediate gratification and will continue to respond to opportunities that make our lives easier. It is up to you as a marketer to make that relationship a worthwhile one.
About Alan Brooks Design
Rocco Iacobellis is the CEO of Verge180 formerly Alan Brooks Design. Rocco offers more than 25 years of experience in the areas of business development, sales, marketing and strategic planning. Established in 1981, Verge180 is a creative communications firm specializing in building brand alliances for its clients. They help companies to create and strengthen their image or brand, launch new business ventures, launch new products, promote special events or advertise their services. Under the direction of President and Chief Creative Officer Alan Brooks, the marketing communications firm has become a leader in graphic design work, corporate identity programs, strategic business planning, innovative logos and targeted sales support tools. For more information, contact Rocco at 609.924.3838, or send him an email at riacobellis@verge180.com |
