I admit it. My name is Josh and I used the term ‘e-blast’
shamelessly and with reckless abandon for several years. Please forgive me.
If you’re a marketing professional and even if you’re not, the
term ‘e-blast’ is one that is probably familiar to you. I’m not sure where I
started using it, probably starting somewhere in the middle ages of e-marketing
(the early 2000s) when I was working for a professional sports team. In the
past few weeks, I’ve realized and learned that the term ‘e-blast’ is about
as archaic as a VCR or those old bag phones that were the granddaddy for the
modern cell phone.
Why is this? Well, take a look at definitions for the word
‘blast’. “A forcible stream of air, gas or steam from an opening…” Yeesh. “A
violent explosion…” Yikes. “A destructive or damaging influence.” Ugh.
That’s exactly what you want to avoid when it comes to
emails to your clients, customers and prospects! However, needless and
unspecific e-blasts can do just that. They can alienate your audience by coming
off as just hot air, thus potentially damaging your brand and the effectiveness
of future emails. Sound bad? Yes, but luckily there is help.
Companies like SendLabs offer solutions like helping target
your email to the right demographics. For example, if you have a special offer
that you’d like to send to two different audiences, you can do that. How great
is that? I can’t tell you the amount of non-targeted emails I get from clothing
companies that already have my demographic information. While I can appreciate
a sale on bikini tops and glittered lip gloss, I’d much rather receive
something that is targeted at me, therefore increasing the chance that I
actually (gasp) buy something I want from that company.
Think of your own e-marketing efforts. How many different
audiences do you have? 5? 28? Just one? In this era of sending out emails, the
words “You can’t” simply shouldn’t exist anymore. Let your mind roam free and
let the results speak for themselves. Quite simply, targeted emails work and
will result in higher open rates, click-throughs and hopefully, results. Let us
know what you’re thinking and we can help.
Just ease up on the forcible streams of air, ok?
-Josh
Your friendly, neighborhood Inbox Expert