In a word, content. Are you sending out
newsletters with content that is relevant to each and every recipient?
Or, do you take the batch-and-blast approach? If it's the latter, you
may end up turning off the recipient with too many or the wrong
messages.
Now, don't be mistaken: you will have people unsubscribe. In fact, in
one survey by Epsilon and ROI Research, 55 percent of email subscribers
in the US and Canada unsubscribe from opt-in e-mails occasionally--and
14 percent do so frequently.
How do you stem that flow of
customers who are saying, effectively, "I'm just not that into you"?
Well, like any good relationship, you have to give as much as
you get. Your audience is willing to listen--and even part with their
cash or loyalty (buy-in)--but only if you give them content that is
interesting, well-written and, most of all, relevant.
"North Americans are receiving a lot of content, and at the same time
they're getting more and more selective about the kinds of emails they
want to receive," Kevin Mabley of Epsilon told Advertising Age
recently.
They are getting more selective.
Think about
walking into a candy store. The sheer volume of wonderfully sweet treats
is almost overwhelming. You know you can't have it all so you take only
your favourites, those candies or chocolates that deliver what you like.
Maybe you like chocolate-covered cherries but not licorice. Although the
store is full of licorice of every size and flavour, you simply don't
want it--it's irrelevant.
Your newsletter content is exactly the same. They will choose
the "flavour" of content based on what's in it for them.
So,
don't just load up the newsletter and fire away. Choose your content
carefully to ensure it truly fits your audience.
For me, I'll
take the chocolate-covered cherries.
