World's Worst eMail Marketing Strategy?

[MikeRogers]

I just received an email from a marketer whose list I was on...

Now, bear in mind that this list is for Internet Marketers; people who know their way around the niche. So, one would think that a little care would be in order when mailing them.

Not so in this case, however.

The marketer sent out an email that said simply, "... here are some more products that I think you might enjoy" and then went on to slap a list of about 15 ClickBank hop links, one atop the other, down the page without even bothering to disguise or hide the link.

Initially, I found that amusing. But, the more I thought about it, the less amused I became. What could this person be thinking? Does this marketer think that everyone on the list is intellectually challenged or brain dead?

No doubt, eMail marketing is very lucrative IF, you treat your list like you have some respect for them.

Number one rule: Only send out eMails that you, yourself, would like to receive. Read 'em before you send them.

Number two rule: If you are at a loss for what to say, then it is far better not to mail your list than to make yourself look foolish.

OK, end of rant.

Mike

[Sean A McAlister]

Originally Posted by MikeRogers

Number two rule: If you are at a loss for what to say, then it is far better not to mail your list than to make yourself look foolish.

OK, end of rant.

Mike

that right there is priceless. It is simple but yet so many people attempt to throw a bunch together and mail it out ...not realizing how important it is to provide substance.

Sean

[Michael Dominic]

Not providing any value in your e-mails is really bad. If I got an e-mail like that I would simply view it as spam.

[Takuya Hikichi]

Useless content either way, but maybe he meant using Aweber's click through tracking links to hide those ugly links.

Probably he realized it after he saw surge of unsubscribes from that one mailing.

I was on one guy's list who once sent three different product links in one email (nothing wrong with that, but this is all he said) saying "There are new products just came out this week, check this out".

It was a boring email to read.

[Chipt]

Hey, Mike -

Being the natural skeptic I am, I first see the 'arrogance angle' here in that person emailing you [us] saying, "Go see these and buy them just because I tell you to."

No list is a perfectly stereotypical or homogenized mass of humanity.

I also fail to see the WIIFM aspect of the email's suggestions/demands.

I think we all know that there are more than a few so-called 'gurus' with the "They'll do what I tell them to do" attitude. I see it in their emails every day... don't you?

[And perhaps enough of them do it because it works.]

But perhaps these emails are little more than UCE, too...

Another failing attitude that leaves money on the table is the presupposition that the people on a given list are so narrow-minded that they are only interested in one thing.

That's ridiculous to me... IM is a many faceted game, as is life in general.

Examples:

People who are on a SEO list are not interested in taking vacations for half-price...

People who are on a copywriting list don't care about SEO...

People on a generic IM list don't care about saving money on gasoline...

People on an AdWords list don't care about organic traffic...

People on a website building list don't care about saving 50% on their mortgage...

OK -- enough is enough. I could give plenty more example... and I have already heard pseudo-arguments to the contrary...

Some people pigeon-hole others on a given list to their own detriment and opportunity cost to themselves and the people on their lists, so the mailers leave mountains of money on the table because they never 'trained' their list properly to trust them.

I know that close to 100% of people you don't ask to buy something typically won't.

Nevertheless, the WIIFM prerequisite is always germane to any email IMO.

Chip Tarver