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For more on email marketing go to www.b2bm.biz/digital
Email supplement
5
The over use of email reduced because the perpetrators learned establish a system for its proper
Most observers agree that we are that it didn’t work.” maintenance. And of course ensure you
reaching a point where B2B marketers are Bush continues, “The problem is that comply with data protection legislation.”
over using email. Liz Woodridge is everyone has to suffer the consequences The second aspect is building a
business development manager at list of those rogue operators. Like we saw relationship. Weatherall explains, “Too
provider Mardev, as well as a member of with fax broadcast in the 80s and direct often marketers send out emails to
the DMA’s email council and a member of mail in the 90s, too many people are existing or prospective customers with no
the email council’s best practice and data using email indiscriminately. The big explanation of why they’re sending it, or
hub. She says, “There’s no doubt that the difference with email is that it is both what they expect the recipient to do with
enthusiasm with which B2B marketers highly intrusive and easy to ignore or it. We believe it’s far better to see the
have taken to email has led some to over delete. We need everyone to adopt a more process like a face-to-face meeting. You
use it significantly.” responsible and respectful approach to begin by introducing yourself, explaining
Woodridge adds, “Some list suppliers email marketing, but with the use of who you are, what you do, and why you’re
have seen their unsubscribe rates increase Blackberries and other mobile email contacting them. Then you don’t just
sharply because recipients aren’t devices, the problem will only bombard them with information, you ask
prepared to be inundated by unsolicited get bigger.” them questions, finding out what interests
emails. Not only are marketers turning off them and what they want from you.”
prospective customers by over mailing Getting it right The third aspect is quality of content.
them, they also run the risk of damaging So if there’s so much bad practice around, You can have your data spot on and you
their brands.” what precisely does responsible email can go through the above process
Richard Bush, MD at B2B marketing marketing look like? Experts say this impeccably so that prospects will open
agency Base One, agrees. “Undoubtedly must be a three-pronged approach. The and read your emails, but if what you
email is being over used. To be fair, most of first is data quality. Atkinson offers this send them is either poor quality or
the real spam is coming from outside the advice on getting it right: “Don’t assume irrelevant to them the relationship will
industry, but we all occasionally receive that cheap data will produce the best soon end.
emails from respected brands which send return on investment. You will probably Weatherall says, “Content is king. If
us unsolicited emails with content that is be better off spending more, maybe you send someone an email that isn’t
not relevant and that is poorly targeted. It mailing fewer people and getting a higher interesting to them three times then they
reminds me of the abuse in B2B of direct response rate. Where possible, you should won’t open your emails again. In B2B
mail ten years ago and thankfully that has aim to collect your own data and to there’s a great opportunity to use email to
B2BM JUNE 08 – www.b2bm.biz
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