Are your communications optimised for customer engagement?
Will my communication actually reach and be read / heard by my target audience? Customer engagement is key.
Now that you have decided who you want to target, consider the likelihood that the individual will actually end up reading/hearing your message, as there is no point in creating a well targeted communication if the related communications will never be seen or heard by the target market.
You will need to take this into account when forecasting conversion ratios from effective communication to sale.
For a calling list, the first consideration should be the likely conversion from data received to effective calls.
For example, if you forecast a 50% effective contact rate, based on your dialling strategy, then the forecasted sales conversion ratio from the total list will need to be halved.
For email and mailing communications, you will need to consider deliverability and forecasted open/read rates. Again, these will need to be used as a multiplier when forecasting response rates.
Personalisation can drastically improve the success of all communications.
B2B communications
B2B communications need to navigate the complexities of reaching their market according to combinations of “gate-keepers.” Gate keepers come in many forms, including Personal Assistants, Receptionists, Office Managers and automated voice mails.
For direct mail, having the name and job title on the front of the envelope, instead of a generic term such as “The Marketing Decision Maker” will increase the probability of the communication reaching the target individual, as the letter will appear to be less speculative.
For B2B telephone calls, asking for the individual by name will provide an increased level of familiarity if the call is answered by a gate keeper. The added confidence this will provide for the sales person / telemarketer can make all the difference in reaching the target and having the desired conversation.
Traditional B2C direct communications
These communications will often alienate an individual if they appear to be generic
- For direct mail, there is no easier way to alienate a consumer than addressing a letter to the “Householder.” A personalised letter denotes that the letter is a direct communication to the individual and that they have been carefully selected, based on the relevance of the subject matter to them.
- For telephone calls, asking for the individual by name will provide an increased level of familiarity and relevance, which is likely to result in a higher level of receptiveness to the conversation.
B2B and B2C Email communications
For email communications, SPAM filters will impact how the communication is received. There are 3 types of filter to consider:
- Computer programs designed to filter emails into a “Junk” folder that look to be unsolicited / potentially harmful.
- Gate keepers, in the form of Personal Assistants that review inbound emails before they reach the decision maker.
- The individual themselves, deleting messages that look to be unsolicited.
Therefore, to boost open rates, it is important to ensure that the communication has a relevant and compelling subject line and a “From” address that does not sound like SPAM creation engine.
Clear personalisation and relevance in the opening sentence will then assist in maintaining the targets’ interest after they have opened the email.
Some successful email campaigns utilise third-party senders, where the list provider has gained consent to deliver regular offers to the individuals on behalf of their partners. These carry the benefit of a familiar “From” address, which will resonate with individuals that have opted in to hear from the related third-party.
When planning your campaign, consider how you would react to the communication. If you picture yourself ignoring the message, it is time to change something.
