Tuesday, May 5, 2009

How much is too much?

There is a fine line between aggressively promoting your business or products and spam. We recently promoted a Resume Kit along with job hunting resources. Prior to our promotion, we emailed our customer database and then continued the promotion on Twitter. Needless to say, our message was out there repeatedly. Our intention was to help, not to bother.

As you know, we run an inkjet and toner company that sells over the internet. We send out emails to make sure that our customers are aware of our latest and greatest promotions. From my perspective, I feel like we are making sure our customers have a great offer in their inbox if they happen to need some ink this week. If not, it is pretty easy to delete. I am not just a sender of emails but a recipient just like everyone else. Maybe because I am a sender I appreciate an inbox full of offers just in case I need to use one…

If you want to opt out of our e-mail, that is pretty easy to do too (unlike the ones you get from “yourself” and are like an infinite loop when you try to opt out). However, recently, I received a letter by snail mail telling us to quit sending emails. The sender was rather irate that we were polluting his inbox and even wanted to sue us if he could. Well, it takes all kinds! But I got to thinking that maybe everyone doesn’t appreciate frequent emails so that they have a fresh deal at hand when they need to reference one.

So, it begs the question, “How many emails are too many?” What do you think?

1 comment:

Internet Strategist said...

If you just keep suggesting those who see your messages buy from you they will quickly consider them spam after about the second time. There IS a better way.

Make your messages 70% interesting, entertaining, or useful content and 30% special offers. You could use quotes, stories, or how-to do something commonly done. Use your imagination because the more unique the better this will work.

That way those who receive them will be happy to read them when they have time AND be more likely to have your URL handy when they're ready to buy - or decide to buy based on one of your special offers.

Many people are extremely busy so mailing too frequently may result in unsubscribing. Once or twice a month is plenty. More than once a week and your mailings will probably run them off.

P.S. Give even more thought to the Subject line of your emails as you do to their content. It is the Subject line that will determine whether they ever get opened!