When I’m teaching new marketers on digital communications, a key learning that I bang on about repeatedly is that every communication matters. This holds true whether it’s an email to one person or a large scale marketing program. It doesn’t matter what audience you are addressing or how much they spend, all are equal in a democratised, digital world.
You are your brand and how you communicate is fundamental to the perception the wider world has of you as a company. Do you care? Are you engaged? Are you a pair of safe hands or edgy and new? This matters.
So, today, we’re starting a new series of critical reviews where we highlight communications we come across while doing our jobs that we think could be so much better.
We know we’re not perfect ourselves. We know it’s hard to maintain a consistent voice every day, for all days. However, only by seeing what could be better can we all start to become better. From this week, we are publishing a series of articles entitled, ‘When email goes wrong’, to showcase the poor cases we see – or you submit.
I’m starting with the less obvious. An email to suppliers from a large agency network. The email is about credit control and invoice protocols – both important and dry, so I don’t expect the world’s most crafted communications. But I do expect to be treated with some respect and like a human being. Also, I would expect clarity and purpose. Sadly, none of these attributes were forthcoming.
This is your brand, especially if you are a communications agency with thousands of ‘partners’ who help and assist your business every day. Word travels.
As it happens, I have no current invoices outstanding with this company neither have I ever broken the rules they refer to. I’m just trying to be a good partner based on an exchange of value.
My advice to them would be: ‘I would be more than happy to make sure that, if we do do work in the future that we follow the processes you would like to the best of our ability. Just ask nicely.
‘As a long-term partner, it would also be great if you could say my name. Just once!’
What do you think?
Is it OK because it’s only an email to a bunch of suppliers . . . or is it more a case of: ‘WTF! How did this happen?’
Get involved – submit your awful emails for our critical review and a potential place in our Room 101. Email: craig@the-gma.com
Read also:
Using personalisation and contextual marketing to transform email marketing campaigns
Email research reveals need for dynamic marketing, relevant content
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