Issue 41  August 18th 2021

Which of these is worse?

You walk into your favorite restaurant. The one that you've been going to for years.

The one you've made an effort to support during the pandemic.

You walk in, see the owner, and he:

1. Calls you by the wrong name OR
2. Greats you like you're a total stranger. Never met you before in his life.

One of the enormous advantages small business owners have over the big box boys is the ability to KNOW their customers.

And yet, I see this advantage squandered all the time in marketing.

Particularly in email marketing.

I'm not talking about the occasional "Dear |FNAME|"

That's an easy mistake to make. Sort of like getting someone's name wrong. It's embarrassing, but it happens.

Personalization is much more than just sticking someone's name at the beginning of an email.

It's about creating messaging that is relevant to the reader.

Here's an example - one of my BIG PEEVES.

I belong to an organization that sells training courses. I've been a customer for over 3 years. I've spent thousands of dollars with them.

And yet, they continually send me emails trying to sell me courses I've already purchased.

It's maddening.

I know they know about segmenting their list. They teach it in several of the courses they sell.

They have the info - they know what I've bought.

I know they have the tools to do the job.

But they continue to make me feel like you would if your favorite restaurant owner treated you like a total stranger.

And so...

I find myself paying less and less attention to their emails.

And I buy from their competitors.

Automation tools can make us feel like we're efficient.

But when it comes to communicating, effectiveness beats efficiency.

'Til next time.

Yours for smarter marketing,

Bill

913.962.9261