I could have done without the dozens of emails about campus intramural events.
I also didn’t appreciate the three daily reminders to print my tickets for Saturday’s football game, but I was happy for the original message because I would have forgotten otherwise.
I was thrilled to receive an alert of weekly sales at my favorite office supply store and a notice on new uses for an app I love.
There is a distinction between emails I’m happy to receive and those that annoy me. I bet you find a similar division in your own inbox.
We like messages for which we are the audience. In fact, 74 percent of adults prefer using email for communication.
A third of people 18-34 check email first thing in the morning. We roll over, grab our iPhone off of the bedside charger/alarm clock and click that little envelope before we’re even really awake. It’s our link to the world as it was while we were sleeping.
We love email that is useful to us. We see everything else as an epic time waster.
Useful or not, we spend a lot of time on email. The average person spends nearly two hours a day on email. A business user sends 43 emails and receives 130 each day.
It’s no wonder that email is the most effective form of marketing, both for converting potential customers to active consumers and for relationship building.
The problem, of course, is how to break through all of the clutter in your target consumer’s inbox.
The solution is answering “What’s In It For Me?”
This seems simple enough. I mean there’s a reason for why you identified the person you’re emailing as a target, right?
If you understand your target well, the WIIFM should come naturally. However, so does clicking the “Delete” key.
You have 1.54 seconds, based on your email subject line alone, to convince the target consumer to open your email, according to Lon Safko, author of The Social Media Bible. That’s less than two seconds to convince your potential customer to read your sales message! It probably took you longer to read that last sentence.
Assuming that your fabulous headline convinces the consumer to click the email open, you then have less than 5 seconds to lead your consumer from that initial click to the action you want them to perform.
Your target’s decision about whether to respond favorably to your email marketing campaign happens in 5 seconds – start to finish.
The moment could mean five years or more worth of business for your company.
Let’s Talk Nerdy!
Is email an effective form of marketing to you? How do you decide what to open and what to delete?
Real Nerds Read!
Check out these resources for more information:
- The One Feature Your Social Media Marketing Must Have
- Quit Trying to Sell Me More Stuff: 10 Tips to Add More Value
eayoung says
September 6, 2011 at 5:21 pmFor me, yes email can be marketing. I just started my Scentsy business , and I am building my contact list. I am easily annoyed by too many emails as well. But I plan to send out emails twice a month to my customers. One for the sales I am having and one for my newsletter. This way they can know if I am selling something they will be interested in and any free stuff I am giving away. I do not wan t to send too many emails because I am easily annoyed by pointless emails like the 200+ emails I received from OCU this summer.
I read the subject line to see if I should delete or open the email. I also see who is sending them. If I constantly get junk emails like the one about intramurals sports, I automatically send them to a junk folder.
Ashelihud says
September 7, 2011 at 7:54 amEmail is super effective to me! Like stated earlier, it is the first thing I check when I wake up. Email is where I contact coaches, teachers, and some friends. My Mom knows if I ignore a call or text that she can always count on me to return an email. I only give my address to certain people because it is a safe space to me. If the spam is getting to hot and crazy for me I deactivate or unsubscribe to the company.
After reading WIIFM, I realized a lot of people don’t use the sales funnel when deciding how to attract customers. If the line of the subject looks too spamy, such as all caps and just too good to be true, I delete without even opening. If it looks like there could be hope for it or it sparked my current interest I open it up and browse to see if there is any truth to the email. More often than not I am deleting a message than opening it up to see what ”Panara” has out as a special soup for the week.
It’s a tough job to get me to open an email but if the site is a trusted one and if I have navigated it a lot I tend to not delete as quickly. Maybe it sits in the inbox for an extra week. Then when I am bored I go through and clean my inbox up.
If email is used rarely for business, it in my opinion has a better chance at being effective.
jai.grant says
September 7, 2011 at 12:34 pmI do believe the email is an effective form of marketing. As Professor Griffin mentioned, the majority of people check their emails on their mobile phones. Many of us have a job and personal email as well. We even have student email accounts. Email has been one of the best ways to communicate quickly. Unlike the U.S. postal mail, Emails can reach a wider variety of people at faster rates which is beneficial to any company.
As mentioned in the book The Social Media Bible, my decision to open an email is based on the question “What’s in it for me?”. The first thing I look at is the phrase in the subject line. If it relates to what I am interested in that day, I will open it. I regularly open emails that contain information about my school or job. I do not normally open junk mail, unless it has an interesting subject line that is related to a store or item I like. What causes me delete emails is when a message is repeated over and over. Like Pam Moore mentioned in her blog “Quit trying to Sell Me More Stuff”, I do not like it when a company sends me emails every other day about a product I am not interested in. Just because I have visited your site to purchase a few items, doesn’t mean I want to be told about every item that is similar to the one I brought (Amazon.com does this).
Nik T says
September 7, 2011 at 2:42 pmE-mail is definitely an effective form of marketing, because as Safko states there are 1,802,330,457 people using the web and i’m sure most of those using the internet effectively have some sort of e-mail address. Another good point he brought up in a previous chapter that you can forget about is how inexpensive e-mail advertisement can be, and also how easy it is to mass produce or send to lots of people at once. However the last point is also to me an big downfall of e-mail. Since it is so easy to send mass e-mails and so inexpensive, people do it A LOT. OCU is the best example of this since we all receive the average 25 OCU related e-mails a day. It has gotten to the point that e-mail is no longer an effective form of communication to me personally. Like many others i roll over and click the envelope on my iphone, but i barely even read the from line and subject line i merely open and close just to get the annoying little red number to go away. The only e-mail I will even look at is one pertaining to ESPN fantasy football, from a coach, or from a professor.
Nik T says
September 7, 2011 at 2:45 pm@Ashelihud It’s interesting that you would miss a call or text from your mom, but are more likely to answer an e-mail. I would consider myself the exact opposite. Also I agree with your reference to the sales funnel because you can tell a lot about the e-mail through the from line and subject line and usually they don’t do a very good job of disguising if it really is spam. I also remember from previous discussions you stay in contact with people you meet from e-mailing back and forth. Was that a recent development or have you always been an “e-mailer”.
Nik T says
September 7, 2011 at 2:46 pm@Ashelihud ?**
Lnkeesee says
September 7, 2011 at 6:12 pmI feel as though Email is both effective and ineffective because a lot of people do not read mail that are advertisements, because they assume it is junk mail. I do not like receiving emails advertising something, but at the same time it is nice to see a discount at a store I like. It is different for a lot of people though. Email can be effective depending on how the title is written. I hate those random emails that trick people and say they have $109876573837 that someone offshores wants to store in your bank account. The title is always something appealing and sometimes from an actual person which is why a lot of people are tricked when the see the word “money”. Making sure the receiver sees something of interest with something in it for them is very important, especially if you even want a chance of them opening it. Email is my “go-to” for school. I am on my school email at least every 4 hours during the day. I can be forgetful sometimes so it is nice to have that to fall back on. It is also seems more professional to email a teacher rather than call them. It tends to be more organized and the conversations are always saved just in case I need to go back and review something. As far as reading emails, I read them if they are from an actual person, class name, marked important, or if it has a message of interest in the title.
aschexnayder says
September 7, 2011 at 8:36 pmIf it weren’t for e-mail marketing, I would never know about sales at some of my favorite clothing stores. Those e-mails that I, more often than not, end up quickly scrolling through on my iPhone also remind me that the brand still exists and that they might have a great sale that I could take advantage of. Even if I don’t read the e-mail, it’s a good way to keep the brand at the forefront of my mind, and encourages me to go there first when I have a clothing need they could fill. Sure, I’m not their ideal- I don’t read every e-mail completely. But I at least glance at it, and I’m reminded of their brand, which is important in its own right.
I decide to open an e-mail if I believe I can glean useful information from it. For example, I’m signed up to receive Real Simple’s (a magazine) Daily Thought. The quote gives me a nice way to start off my day, and something to continue to reflect on throughout the day. I open the (more often than not) annoying OCU “Alumni/Faculty Noted for Their Achievements” e-mails if I’m bored and I want to know who has won what. But if an e-mail says something in the subject line that crosses me off of its market- for example, “International Students Meeting”- I never read it. It’s a waste of my time. Furthermore, if there is a sale at a store that I like and I receive an e-mail from them, I won’t read the e-mail further if the sale is stated in the subject line- what’s the point then?
JKA says
September 7, 2011 at 8:54 pmWithout a doubt Email is very effective way of marketing. Because know a days the internet is being used by everyone almost, as Safko says close to 2,000,000,000 used the internet. Making Email a big way to communicate. For me I use my Email everyday if it deals with the school events or sending papers to my owe email to upload on a different computer to communicate with my Coach or professors as we do in this class. Even tho Spam mail is so annoying there is on is a blue moon that grabs my attention and I atleast read it, showing that the email is very effective for marketing if some people just read the spam mail. I mean how else do we know right away when school is closed during those winter storms.
KoriCasey says
September 7, 2011 at 8:59 pmI think email marketing is more ineffective. Most people, including myself, ignore the ads that pop up in their inbox. People have email accounts to communicate with friends and family or they have it for educational or professional purposes. I check my email several times a day, and I find most email ads more annoying than anything. Now there are the occasional ads that I will click on from stores that I shop at that have a really good deal going on, but those are few and far between. I will usually only open an email if it’s from a person or if it’s from a service that I signed up for like AdAge Daily. Many people don’t have the time to look at email ads, and thanks to the Delete and Spam buttons, it’s easier to ignore them and go on. In print ads or commercials, companies have a better chance at getting the attention of their target audience because they are usually reading or watching television on their own time.
I think another reason email ads are more ineffective is because of the chance of getting a computer virus. I know a lot of people who say they don’t open email ads because of the risk of getting a virus.
malexander says
September 7, 2011 at 11:00 pmTo me, email marketing seems rather ineffective. Although, I am more inclined to read emails from people that I know and from organizations that I legitimately enjoy. For example, I delete Jonathan Triplet’s emails without even reading them because he sends emails too frequently. When I get every email twice, I tend to ignore them. Additionally, when I get twelve emails about the same event, it is very off-putting. I am probably less likely to attend things because I am constantly getting spammed with emails from OCU.
When we send emails for the Young Democrats of Oklahoma, we try to make them as few and far between as possible. When we send emails, it is for legitimate reasons and we always send it from our personal accounts, rather than an account belonging to the organization. That seems more personal and relative rather than just a general broadcast email.
Emails from OCU generally get deleted because they aren’t important (unless the title relates to videos of cats from President Henry). Those OCU Alumni emails seems like a waste of time, even though I should, in theory, care about what OCU alumni are doing. I decide what to delete based on the title and the first preview line on my iPhone. If it seems important, I will read it. If not, I just delete it.
FReyes says
September 8, 2011 at 12:00 amI think that email marketing can be very effective. I check my email throughout the day and end up deleting most junk emails. I do, however, receive emails from specific stores I shop at, such as Coach or Saks. These emails will be updates, sales, and discounts the stores are having. I usually go shopping when I get these coupons and promotion emails. It is very convenient for me. Also, some of my emails are notification reminders for a bill that is due or a receipt of payment. To me, email is an effective way of communication. It is also an easy way for marketers to advertise their product and reach a large number of customers.
Sir-Roderick says
September 8, 2011 at 12:26 pmAs far as email goes, I look at it as more of an effective form of communication more than for marketing. My experience with email marketing has been true with Lon Safko’s idea about the 1.54 seconds rule. I check my email multiple times a day and if I see an advertisement for an organization I recognize I will just delete it or leave it unchecked for awhile. I am usually a very curious person, so if a company can grab my attention within a few seconds with the subject line than they are doing a good job up to that point. My opinion, selling things via email is not effective. I stated earlier, if email is used for communication and for customer service purposes, than I agree with it being effective. I loved the way I receive a bill reminder or a reminder of an appointment. Email is just a great way to send quick information to people. That is my small view on email.
Sir-Roderick says
September 8, 2011 at 12:34 pm@Lnkeesee
It is so funny that you mention the off-shore people wanting to put money into your account. I get those scams all the time. You are right at the fact that you do think that they are a regular person emailing you, so me being the curious person that I am opens it and reads their ridiculous stories. So that does prove the point in, if the subject line gets hold of your curiosity, than they at least got you in!
Sir-Roderick says
September 8, 2011 at 1:40 pm@aschexnayder I do thing same thing you do as to just glancing at the email. I rarely read it throughly unless it was from what a deem an important source. I also agree with you about the sales coupons or discounts some companies send via email. I loved to receive them as well. Usually I know what I have signed up for and I am aware of that company sending me things. The companies that just send random things out, I barely open them.
jai.grant says
September 8, 2011 at 5:36 pm@FReyes I agree with you. I think email is a great way to advertise products and reach a large number of customers. I too use some of the coupons sent to me from my favorite stores. A discount on any item is beneficial right as a student. Many of my emails are bill reminders too, which can be a very helpful email when im having a busy week.
jai.grant says
September 8, 2011 at 6:00 pm@Sir-Roderick @aschexnayder I have quotes sent to my email as well. I agree with you about viewing emails with useful information. I do keep up with my OCU and job emails, even the annoying ones. I also look over emails from my favorite stores even if i am not buying at that moment. The email does stay on my mind when it comes time to shop though. Since i check my emails everyday, sales will always stay on my mind.
eayoung says
September 8, 2011 at 11:51 pm@FReyes I started a separate email for my emails from places like Coach and Fashion Bug. I do like the idea though of receiving notifications on bill, especially since I check my email at least once a day.
eayoung says
September 8, 2011 at 11:53 pm@aschexnayder I agree, Fashion Bug constantly sends me coupons through email. And clearly the email marketing is working, because I always seem to go buy something once I see the email!!! lol
Ashelihud says
September 9, 2011 at 7:59 am@Nik T I have always loved email. I wish more of my friends did it because it really in my eyes in a longer text message. Email is my secret addiction. Ha
RichGriese says
September 9, 2011 at 11:05 amSounds very narcicistic.
Cheers!
Ashelihud says
September 9, 2011 at 1:15 pm@aschexnayder True the sale offers are nice but do you read them every week? I find that to be a bit too much? Unless it is actually a sale worth looking at. I feel that my iphone has lead me to more purchases than I would normally do. It notifies me when a sale occurs and to sometimes hurry. I kind of like that part. You have an interesting way of decoding what a good sale is! 🙂
Ashelihud says
September 9, 2011 at 1:16 pm@Sir-Roderick@Lnkeesee Don’t you get spam! ??? Haha I don’t think it gets you in unless you purchase, play along or decide to keep coming back.
AustinClarkEnnis says
September 9, 2011 at 3:15 pmTo me, I decide what emails to open and which to delete in a pretty simple manner; my personal email is relatively new, so that being said not many people (especially spammers) have that email address so when I get something in that inbox, I typically find whatever is sent to me there to be useful. I even tell my professors to contact me at that address.
My school email? Another story. I can’t tell you how many times a day I get emails about inter mural sports or international student activities or other stuff I honestly don’t have a use for and it’s quite annoying.
But apart from my own experiences, I do believe that email is a very important form of marketing–if it is done correctly. You definitely have to grab the reader’s attention to even get them to open it. I can use an example from today when I needed to get a hold of a councilor of mine I entitled the email “URGENT”. Now that didn’t have to do with Marketing, but it still got them to read it and respond quickly.
RichGriese says
September 9, 2011 at 3:18 pmI would make all marketing email illegal. I would also make the penalty for breaking that law the death penalty for the CEO of the marketing company. All email problems would be over in less than 30 days.
Cheers!
BruceSallan says
September 9, 2011 at 3:36 pmI love e-mail, I write a lot of ’em, and I get a ton. The SUBJECT is key!!!! Just like a title of a book, movie, or most anything else!
Nik T says
September 9, 2011 at 3:50 pm@JKA Haha sending papers on your own e-mail.. Classic. I can definitely relate to that one because you never know when a printer will just shut down on you.
aschexnayder says
September 9, 2011 at 5:58 pm@Ashelihud I do actually read them every day- I really hate having unread e-mails in my inbox, so I’ll at least click through it to make it say “unread”. But, I’m not particularly motivated to shop just because of an e-mail. I have to have another reason to buy- if I’d recently thought, “Oh, I could use some more sweaters/jeans/etc.”. I guess that’s just a part of how I shop- I think of the need first and then buy, rather than say “Oh, what a great deal!” and buy.
In that way, I suppose the marketing is not as effective- I am not actually motivated to shop unless their e-mail appeals to a need I already have.
aschexnayder says
September 9, 2011 at 6:05 pm@Sir-Roderick You make a good point- e-mail is far more useful as a communication medium than as a marketing medium. I really appreciate the fact that I can just e-mail a coworker if they are out of the office, or even if I just want a record in writing. It’s also a great first means of contact- I would always prefer to send an e-mail than make a blind phone call. It’s interesting how a text-based communication medium with speed has overtaken the phone call, despite the phone call’s more personal nature.
Your post has also made me start reflecting on how much e-mail has changed marketing strategies. Before e-mail, the way to get coupons was through snail mail- but that takes time, and is fairly costly. I wonder if more sales or more coupons are released solely to keep customers more engaged now that the process is much faster than it once was.
JKA says
September 9, 2011 at 8:37 pmYea im not going to lie im kinda getting sick of Trip’s intermural emails coming 4 at a time, just kills my inbox. And even in the beginning when replying on this website I got an Email for everyones comments, I fixed that real quick. @AustinClarkEnnis
JKA says
September 9, 2011 at 8:48 pmYea i like how the school email saves the conversation that your having with the person. Makes it more personable and also helps what we already talked about in previous Emails. @Lnkeesee
Lnkeesee says
September 9, 2011 at 10:06 pmEven when the school is closed that have an app that you put your number in an OCUPD sends you a message when school is closed or tornado warnings. I always send a copy to my email as far as papers go because the printers at this school aren’t the most reliable. @JKA
Lnkeesee says
September 9, 2011 at 10:08 pmYes! the conversation saver has helped me out numerous times as far as assigments are concerned and too prove to a teacher that I actually did send something that they said they never received. @JKA
malexander says
September 9, 2011 at 11:04 pm@aschexnayder I do the same thing with emails from stores. If a store states the sale in the subject line, it will automatically delete it if the sale isn’t something I would like. Also, I find myself checking my email more on my iPhone because I can delete emails from multiple accounts. If an email is actually worth reading, I will log in on my computer to read it and reply to it. I have 5 email addresses for personal, school, and work. My iPhone has definitely changed the way I use email and what emails I read.
malexander says
September 9, 2011 at 11:08 pm@Sir-Roderick I definitely agree that email is more useful for communication than for sales. Selling something via emails seems like it would be less effective. Email, in my opinion, should be used for communication rather than marketing.
@aschexnayder You make a good point about coupons in email. I find myself shopping online more frequently because I got a coupon code in an email. I can’t remember the last time I printed out a coupon and took it into a store.
FReyes says
September 9, 2011 at 11:45 pm@JKA I also think email is effective for marketing and communication as well. Since almost everyone uses the internet, it is a great way for advertisers to reach a large number of customers. These advertisement emails might be junk mail to some, but it could be interesting and get the attention of others.
FReyes says
September 9, 2011 at 11:52 pm@aschexnayder I feel the same way. If I didnt receive emailed coupons and promotions for certain clothing stores, I would never know when these stores are having sales. I usually only shop when I receive these updates. I never read the email entirely just the dates. But, overall I think email marketing can be very effective.
lonsafko says
September 11, 2011 at 10:45 amI love email as well! I get as high as a 34% open rate! And, I love the quotes above! Thank you!
– Lon Safko, author of The Social Media Bible
AustinClarkEnnis says
September 12, 2011 at 4:03 pmFor some reason since posting my response, I’ve seemingly gotten more spam emails! Haha. And I usually read/delete my emails as I get them throughout the day, but yesterday I decided to not delete them or read them and just see how many I got in 1 day. It was a scary number.