Hi there. I am using this valuable medium to reach out to you collectively, as that seems more efficient than writing to you individually.
Let me start by saying that I am a great
believer of marketing, advertising, as well as paid, owned, earned, borrowed, hijacked and all other forms of media. I have been so all my life, and I owe my somewhat agreeable existence to it. So
don’t take this as “a hater is gonna hate” indictment.
But I have reached a point where I feel a couple of issues require your attention, because, frankly, they should no
longer occur, given today’s technology and a few decades of experience.
Number one: You should be able to link what I have bought or accessed in your universe with what you are offering,
pandering and dangling in front of me. Yes, you, airline that offers me destination emails to places I have just booked. And you, hotel chain, offering me reminder emails to complete bookings that I
have already completed on your website. And you, home improvement store, sending me emails wondering if I still want those items that have already been delivered to my home.
Number two: You
should know my buying habits. I am a loyal customer, and you know that, coffee chain whose name rhymes with “sucks.” I am a member of your loyalty program and have linked my debit card to
your program. You (should) know I have never, ever bought a coffee from you because I do not drink coffee (I can hear the collective gasp from my readers). I do enjoy your English breakfast tea, your
breakfast items and on occasion some other food items. You know that because I buy them and pay for them with your app. Yet you keep sending me coffee offerings instead of reminders about new food
items or iced tea variations.
Number three: You should at the very minimum know my name. I am glad you think of me as “Dear valued customer,” but I have bought stuff from you and I
have a log in on your website or app. So use my name – it is right there in my customer profile you asked me to complete when I registered.
Number four: Be smart. If you have my birthday
information, dear online music store and dear office furniture and supply store, do something more than sending me a “it is your birth month and look at all the special offers we have”
email. I have a birthDATE and you know it from my profile. So send me a special message on my special day. And would it kill you to actually GIVE something instead of polluting my inbox with
meaningless advertising for things you are trying to sell but I am not in the market for to buy (see point 2)?
Props to the coffee store that rhymes with ducks, because they do give me
something and I can only redeem it on my birthday. See -- that is how you do that!
In short, you all should do better because you know better. Your systems are (I think) capable of addressing
these issues. If they are not, it is time to invest in a little exploration of what is out there to make you better. I bet you it will pay back handsomely. I will check back with you next year to
examine what progress you have made.