How do you know when your company has crossed the line into – Spamville?!
Consider this recent case study. (We’ve changed the names of the marketing guru and the company.)
Company X, like many out there, sells a variety of products and services via several departments. And like those many companies, they depend heavily on email marketing.
Some weeks they can send tens of thousands of email. They don’t share the email addresses of customers (ie., one-time buyers or long-term clients) between departments.
But over the years, a sizable percentage of customers had purchased a variety of services. So that meant the company’s multiple divisions were emailing some of the same folks.
Marketing guru John had just joined the company. He wasn’t there long before he sensed the potential problem. He asked himself a simple question: “Are we bombarding people with email?’
‘Show, don’t tell’
John figured the only way of knowing for sure was by making himself a “customer.”
So he started “opting in” on a handful of email campaigns. He deliberately chose some that he knew different divisions had a hand in.
Then he kept an eye on his inbox for the next few weeks. Lo and behold, the problem was worse than he thought.
Most days he received at least one email from the company. On the busiest days? Five or more emails – often promoting the same or similar products!
John had already tried warning department heads about the problem, and he’d recommended that they reduce the overload. Partly because he was the new guy in the fold, his warnings were falling on deaf ears.
So John asked the CEO for two minutes of his time. He quickly explained his concerns and how he’d tested his theory. Then he flipped open his laptop and showed the CEO what his email inbox looked like.
If a chief executive could actually blow steam out of his ears, this one would would have.
The CEO then called a meeting with all of his managers, and let them know in no uncertain terms, “This can’t go on.”
Fast forward: Company X is working at reducing overload and they’re focused on not spamming prospects and customers.
