Retail email over reaching?

WHILE MANY OF US COOKED....... a Thanksgiving turkey last week, there are signs that many retailers have already started cooking the golden goose -- the email goose. Email is a wonderful tool -- measurable, cost-effective, easily deployable and convenient -- all gold in the marketing world. My guess is you agree, or you wouldn't be reading this. However, as the economy falters it is easy to lose track of the fact that while email is a wonderful relationship-building tool, it can do major damage when used incorrectly.

I already see many retailers overburdening in-boxes with what I call RAM (retail spam). RAM messages are from retailers I have either subscribed to or placed orders with, whose approach to using email is to ram so many messages into my inbox that I hate the appearance of their names in the "from" line.

If these retailers are savvy, they have done some testing and have determined that they are driving incremental orders with these messages. However, my guess is that they are not thinking about the collateral damage these messages may be causing.

First, there is the damage to their brand. Every company that sends out a message is communicating with someone who has a perception of their brand. When you RAM, every message that the recipient views as an intrusion rather than a welcome communication negatively tears at that brand perception.

Second, many people you want to communicate with in the future tune you out now. While you may get an additional $22 sale now from one recipient, the mailing was a failure if three potential $500 orders in March were lost because purchasers tuned out your future messages -- either mentally or using email filters -- because of your email RAM qualities.

Third, if you are lucky recipients will unsubscribe because you have damaged the relationship. However, if your messages have really bugged them, they may click the "SPAM" button provided by one of the major email clients, which will damage your digital reputation in the process.

If you are in retail marketing, or send email in any capacity, avoid sending RAM by taking several steps:

Set up a mailing plan in advance that you know is acceptable from your recipients' perspective. If you are going to deviate from it (for example, add one more message because sales are down), seriously examine your motives and determine if doing so makes sense to the overall long-term business plan (not just this week's sales). Make sure that the additional message delivers incredible value and is highly relevant. Sending just another "buy now because it's the holidays" email is neither.

Make it easy for consumers to tell you "I like you... just send me fewer messages" in a preference panel. This way if you RAM, at least you have an opportunity to retain them as subscribers.

When recipients unsubscribe, provide them with an optional area to give you a reason why they are leaving (make this free-form rather than radio buttons and you will get a better view of what your customer is saying). Make sure you periodically review the reasons. If your unsubscribe rate is sky-high and you are in RAM mode, it's probably time to reconsider what you are doing.

Ask customers when they sign up how often they would like to receive messages from you. In some cases, you may find that you could be sending more messages if your base is loyal and your messages are important.

Don't try to hide your RAM in a cute concept. Last year I received email from three separate retailers who decided that by running a "12 Days of Christmas" campaign they could get away with sending messages every day (I unsubscribed from all of them).

So as the holidays approach, don't forget that email is about relationships. One of the best ways you can thank the people who have signed up for your messages is by making sure that what you send them is relevant to them and doesn't RAM their inbox.