• Business Card Exchange Tools -- OK Or Not?
    Dear Email Diva: Recently a number of my marketing colleagues have been discussing the use of business card exchange tools. What's the harm, it is business info, not personal data -- but ethical and ultimately practical issues (like being reported as a spammer and recipient backlash if I have to explain I got their info from such a tool) have stopped me from hopping on the bandwagon. Do you think is it fair business practice to use such tools?
  • How Long Is A Customer Lifecycle?
    If you are a legacy brand that has evolved in the 20th century, you have likely reinvented yourself several times over. I wrote an article on the "The Generation Changes" that spoke to the differences in the generations and the influence of technology in their lives. What makes this such a fascinating topic, along with lifecycle management, is that each product or service on the market caters to each of these generations, yet many support a linear view of a customer lifecycle.
  • Retailers Ready For Narrower Opt-out Windows
    There's no serious talk of revising the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, but one of the constant fears is that Congress will narrow the window during which companies must honor opt-outs. The buzz has been that lawmakers will reduce the current window of 10 business days (14 days) down to three days. While I've heard several marketers fret about that possibility, the Email Experience Council's latest research indicates that most marketers will be able to comply with that narrower window should it be enacted.
  • More On Holiday Emails
    OK, maybe folks just weren't in the holiday spirit this year. After all, it has been a rough one for a lot of people. But it was surprising just how tame the holiday emails were this year. The alcoholic beverage sector, which usually fills the inbox with clever holiday greetings and recipes in December, was surprisingly quiet.
  • Hispanic Email Marketing
    Dear Email Diva, Have you seen a lot of retailers doing Hispanic email marketing? Do they also have Spanish-translated Web sites? Any tips and best practices for marketing to this segment online?
  • What Really Makes An Email Program Click
    Happy New Year to all! Since this is my first column of the year, I thought I'd lay out the fundamentals of what I think will make email programs click in 2008. I'd normally lead with "based on the best I've seen," but in the email space there is no "best" or "worst," just instances of greatness and instances of, well... not well-thought-out implementations. One program is not perfect, but all programs that have evolved have a few common characteristics, their perspective on the following subjects.
  • Tracking Holiday Cheer From The Politicians
    The holiday season, in the business world, is often the time you send cards and gifts to your customers and thank them for hanging in there with you. I was interested in seeing what kind of holiday cheer was sent out be email this year on the political front.
  • My 2008 Email Wish List: Grasp Reality
    The Christmas wish lists at my home have been fulfilled: a Wii for my daughters, a remodeled kitchen for my wife, Guitar Hero for me -- er, the girls, I mean. Now, here's my wish list for the email industry in 2008.
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