A month or two back I was doing some research for a product.
So of course asked Mr Google what he thought of: “How to build strong customer relationships using email marketing?”
The top result was from a “full service digital agency.” (That shall remain nameless.)
One paragraph from their article said….
“Sending too many emails can make your audience feel like they are being spammed. It’s better to focus on the quality of the emails you send, making sure your content either educates, entertains or is engaging, while of course, it must also be relevant.”
If you’ve been here a while… you might have a fair idea what my response is gonna be.
Let’s just say it it’s somewhere between 😠 and 😡.
If you’re wondering why, let’s unpack it…
First:
“Sending too many emails can make your audience feel like they are being spammed.”
I call BS!
This broad-brush statement is repeated everywhere in the article.
But here’s the thing… every email list is different. And it’s made up of individuals.
Now, what they’ve said might ring a bit more true if the list is full of weak leads — those people who are far from being your ideal clients.
What they say about people feeling like they’re being spammed if they get too much email from you… sounds all nice and good…
But is it grounded in reality?
The thing is…
If you tell people what to expect before they opt-in to your list (yes, even that they’ll get DAILY emails)… and you send content that engages them through entertainment… then are they really going to feel like they’re being spammed?
People who aren’t so committed use the unsubscribe button.
Others who love it… stay.
Sending a high volume of email is actually an EXCELLENT filter… that sifts out those who are less-than-ideal as your clients… and helps the best-aligned people to stay on your list.
They come to know, like and trust you more through the (copious) emails you send. And are the ones more likely to open their wallets for you!
Now, the second part from the article:
“It’s better to focus on the quality of the emails you send, making sure your content either educates, entertains or is engaging, while of course, it must also be relevant. “
I have no problem with the bit about “quality.” But does depend how you define quality. And I see this sentence being rather muddled on that point.
What do they mean “or is engaging?”
Being engaging ISN’T an “or.” It’s a MUST.
Engagement comes through email content being relevant to your audience. And it becomes relevant when it entertains.
Education may also come into it. “Edutainment” or “infotainment” if you will.
So, I’d like to offer my reconstructed version of the original statement….
“It’s better to focus on the quality of the emails you send, making sure your content entertains, then (optionally) educates. Then it will be relevant so it engages your audience.”
Agree/disagree?