How to ensure your e-mail campaign is a failure
November 21, 2007 by Sean McGinnis
I receive a lot of junk mail. A lot!
When you put yourself out there and participate in the social sphere, these things are bound to happen. As a result, I receive considerable amounts of what I would consider to be unsolicited e-mail. Over the years, I have developed a pretty solid sixth sense about why I read certain e-mail solicitations and why I ignore others. Now, I admit, I am no “expert” in this realm. Just an average bloke who knows what he likes and doesn’t like.
It seems to me that if you want your e-mail to be read, that the following is probably not a good approach. I received this e-mail just yesterday.
The incredible irony is that this came from THE AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION!
Now, I know there are programs out there that allow one to emulate how e-mails will be perceived after passing through any number of various corporate e-mail filters. Perhaps someone should show the interns how they work?
In all fairness, I feel compelled to show the beauteousness of the HTML once all images have been released from corporate filter-land.
Nice!
Sean,
Definitely agree on your main point here… but I’ll offer one criticism of that AMA email piece. They used common stock photography. Extremely common in fact - those two people in the photo are on istockphoto.com in like 50,000 different photos that marketers can buy the rights to for like under $5 a pop.
If this was the “association of auto mechanics” that would be fine, as auto mechanics are not familiar with the personalities in stock photography. Even if it were less-common stock that would be okay. But I have to think that a good 10%+ of their membership who receives this email may find those two faces familiar. Not sure what that does for them in terms of branding and positioning…
- Jon Payne