On the upside, at least they’ve kept this email simple and the the point. It’s clear what they’re selling, and *they* have original content… (click to view a larger image)
I was so dismayed to see this email in my inbox today that I initially thought it might be a joke.
The subject line of “New Email Marketing Tool Eliminates the Need to Write Your Own Articles,” drove me to open the email, only to find that it was, in fact, not a joke. MailerMailer is completely serious when they suggest that you use boxed, stock content for email marketing.
Feel free to check out the promotion video on vimeo… as long as you keep in mind that this is a HORRIBLE idea. I don’t say this just because I hope that my current and future clients will ask me to help them create content for email marketing (that is one of the areas where BIPI shines!). I say this because I am a consumer and email audience member and I HATE it when people waste my time.
Now, it is just my opinion. I’m pretty sensitive to big-brand BS. I don’t have cable, I buy organic produce and I’m a generally all-around cynical person.
This is a big part of why I own my own business now, after salaried employment with big, publicly-traded companies for 4 years. It didn’t fit me.
This is why I choose the clients I do, because I like working with small business owners who are passionate about what they do and have a real stake in the product they produce or the service they provide.
Canned content for email marketing is the opposite of that.
No matter how helpful those articles might be, they have no place in an email you send to your audience. Your audience signed up for your emails because they want to hear from you or about your product. Canned content is worse than elevator music… it is the email equivalent of the never-ending loop of generic sales patter that the bank makes you listen to while you’re on hold.
It’s worse than silence.
While I recently lamented over some rookie mistakes I’ve seen clients make, ALL of those mistakes are preferable to using canned or plagiarized content for email marketing.
So. Please, respect your email audience. I promise you that it will pay off in good vibes AND in sales.