[Re: Loose Cannon: RFM and E-Mail Make for Strange Barfellows, DIRECT Newsline, February 3, 2003]:
Among the better reasons for segmentation and targeting of e-mails is to reduce attrition (opt-out) by sending the most relevant messages possible. Unless marketers are careful, they can “burn-through” their lists very quickly.
Part of the problem with e-mail is the ease of opt-out from an e-mail list. Managing an e-mail list is more challenging because mailers insist on CPA/CPC payment terms, hence the incentive is to just blast out the e-mail to everyone. Therefore, e-mail lists are, at best, “leaky buckets” compared to postal mail lists.
Charles R. Hammerslough
President
DemoMetrics Corp.
Oak Park, IL
Just because it’s inexpensive does not make something right. Just because it can be done, does not mean one should do it.
It is not convenient for me to receive unsolicited email, or even email on an opt-in basis, if it comes too frequently or messages depart from areas of major interest to me. Relevancy and proper timing counts, not volume.
I see the Internet as a venue started by engineers who thought they were marketers, followed by marketers who thought they were engineers. But, with some enlightenment for us “old-timers,” it seems to be sorting itself out — with or without drink.
I think us “old timers” are being enlightened by Internet marketing opportunities. Conversely, we, with our years of database-target-marketing experience and knowledge, enlighten the uninitiated, misinformed and often misguided net-marketing generation.
I’m with you all the way, Richard. Another point to be made is that RFM will help one determine how frequently a contact/customer should be e-mailed. Too often and even opt-in can look like spam.
Robert S. MacArthur
Cambridge, MA
[Re: With War Looming, Expert Says to Keep Mailing]
Excellent article! One caveat that direct marketers should consider: Putting a date certain expiration on offers could lead to a drastic drop in orders if the date happens to coincide with the start of a war with Iraq or some unforeseen disaster. Instead of saying something such as “Offer expires March 30, 2003” say something such as “Offer expires in 10 days.” Consumers tend to count forward from the time they see an offer, so the “10 days” gives them some time to recover from any troubling news.
I recall one instance when an offer with a date certain deadline for an international business directory arrived on prospects’ desks in the same week that there was an airline hijacking in the Mideast. Result: Only six orders — when we were expecting 400 orders, based on the results of earlier mailings.
Dan Breau
Creative Director
Horah Direct
New York, NY
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