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How well do you know your prospects?
- By Cisco Adler
- Published 04/30/2008
- 1:1 Personalization
- Unrated
The piece features an Ohio woman, Pamela Meyers, whose Amazon
recommendation emails are better than her own husband’s choice of gifts
for her. According to the article he “bases his gift-giving choices
primarily on what is needed around the house, what he would like to
own, and, most notably, what objects are nearby.”
The Onion writes that Amazon, on the other hand, “…picked up on my growing interest in world music so quickly, [sic] but I absolutely love this traditional Celtic CD," Meyers said. "I like it so much more than that Keith Urban thing Dean got me. I'm really not sure what made him think I like country music."
Now, you should know that The Onion is arguably one of the more irreverent spoof sites around. A bit too irreverent for my taste; but, this was a funny article. And, it really isn’t as far off as you might think.
The more you understand your customers’ needs and wants and develop communication strategies and tools to reach your customers with targeted relevant messaging the better. This messaging extends across multiple channels including print and online. The more you learn about your customers, the better you can connect with them by providing the content they want and the products and services that they are likely to purchase.
Amazon has been leading in the area of 1:1 marketing and dynamic messaging for years and has paved the way for others. Now, tools exist for smaller organizations to build marketing plans allowing for this type of customization and your company needs to take advantage of them.
A multi-article email newsletter template can easily include thousands of combinations of content. All which is based on the unique demographic and personality traits of the recipients. While it may seem like a lot of work up front, it is worth the effort to stay relevant to your subscribers, just as Amazon did to our fictitious wife. The last thing you want is to send irrelevant and unwanted information or to send the wrong information. That is a recipe for brand erosion, and if nothing else will have recipients hitting the unsubscribe link.
Market leaders must be relevant in all communications. As another example, relevance featured prominently in a custom direct marketing solution for a national medical organization. This mailing, sent to physician specialists features variable copy so that they are addressed by name and their specialty. Even the design and photography is dynamic and changes based on the physician’s specialty so that they are spoken to as individuals.
While technology is great, content is critical. One vital component of successful direct marketing communication is a clear offer and request for action. In the physician example the piece can offer a clear call to action with online response vehicles such as allowing the respondent to log into their own Personal URL (PURL) and provide information to receive an incentive or information. Providing this direct and simple response mechanism is vital to converting your list from recipients to respondents and ultimately into lifelong customers.
Regardless of your company’s product or service, the basics are universal: be relevant, be targeted, and always make it easy for your customers to respond to your communication. By doing so, you move away from a marketing monologue and instead create a customer dialogue. Who knows? By doing so you may ultimately understand your customer’s needs better than their spouse!
Contact us to learn more about your prospects and improve your lead generation and revenue.
The Onion writes that Amazon, on the other hand, “…picked up on my growing interest in world music so quickly, [sic] but I absolutely love this traditional Celtic CD," Meyers said. "I like it so much more than that Keith Urban thing Dean got me. I'm really not sure what made him think I like country music."
Now, you should know that The Onion is arguably one of the more irreverent spoof sites around. A bit too irreverent for my taste; but, this was a funny article. And, it really isn’t as far off as you might think.
The more you understand your customers’ needs and wants and develop communication strategies and tools to reach your customers with targeted relevant messaging the better. This messaging extends across multiple channels including print and online. The more you learn about your customers, the better you can connect with them by providing the content they want and the products and services that they are likely to purchase.
Amazon has been leading in the area of 1:1 marketing and dynamic messaging for years and has paved the way for others. Now, tools exist for smaller organizations to build marketing plans allowing for this type of customization and your company needs to take advantage of them.
A multi-article email newsletter template can easily include thousands of combinations of content. All which is based on the unique demographic and personality traits of the recipients. While it may seem like a lot of work up front, it is worth the effort to stay relevant to your subscribers, just as Amazon did to our fictitious wife. The last thing you want is to send irrelevant and unwanted information or to send the wrong information. That is a recipe for brand erosion, and if nothing else will have recipients hitting the unsubscribe link.
Market leaders must be relevant in all communications. As another example, relevance featured prominently in a custom direct marketing solution for a national medical organization. This mailing, sent to physician specialists features variable copy so that they are addressed by name and their specialty. Even the design and photography is dynamic and changes based on the physician’s specialty so that they are spoken to as individuals.
While technology is great, content is critical. One vital component of successful direct marketing communication is a clear offer and request for action. In the physician example the piece can offer a clear call to action with online response vehicles such as allowing the respondent to log into their own Personal URL (PURL) and provide information to receive an incentive or information. Providing this direct and simple response mechanism is vital to converting your list from recipients to respondents and ultimately into lifelong customers.
Regardless of your company’s product or service, the basics are universal: be relevant, be targeted, and always make it easy for your customers to respond to your communication. By doing so, you move away from a marketing monologue and instead create a customer dialogue. Who knows? By doing so you may ultimately understand your customer’s needs better than their spouse!
Contact us to learn more about your prospects and improve your lead generation and revenue.
Cisco Adler
If so, call me. I integrate dynamic offline messaging and design and a trackable online response system to achieve higher response rates and build better customer relationships in less time.
Here's a little about my background:
An accomplished marketing strategist, designer, and photographer, Cisco has over 15 years of experience in developing and creating unique communications solutions.
Recently, he served as Vice President for Marketing and Communications at Belmont Abbey College, just outside of Charlotte, NC. Cisco was responsible for redesigning, redeveloping and repositioning the College’s identity and served as one of seven advisors on the President’s Executive Cabinet.
He has served as Vice President of Marketing for the legendary fitness company, York Barbell, where he was responsible for all product development and design including: product function, aesthetic attributes, retail packaging, and presentation of new products to business customers.
Cisco also designed and patented private label programs, such as a state-of-the-art fitness equipment merchandising system for Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Cisco is also an award-winning, photographer, ranked one of the top three in a seven-state region. He has been contracted by the AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous other publications.
Turbocharge your direct marketing response by contacting Cisco at http://ExtremeDirectMarketing.com or by emailing Cisco@AdlerDirect.com or calling 704-248-7622
Shaq and Cisco during a photo shoot at the player's home. Still one of my favorite photos!
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