Brands which try to get closer to their consumers with the promise of targeted offers in exchange for their data are barking up the wrong tree, according to a new study which lifts the lid on consumer attitudes to email marketing.
And the YouGov survey, commissioned by Emailvision, confirms what many people in the industry have long suspected – companies tread a fine line between regular email contact and being seen as bombarding customers.
Some 75% of those surveyed would resent a brand after being bombarded by emails and 71% cite being sent unsolicited messages as a reason to become resentful.
Listing their name incorrectly (50%) and getting gender wrong (40%) viewed as equally heinous crimes, and are key factors that would make consumers online resentful towards their once favoured brands.
The study also reports that 40% would not share any of the personal details listed with a brand in exchange for better targeted offers; emphasising the need for brands to provide value through personalised communications. In those aged 55 and over, this figure rose to 49%.
Emailvision’s survey questioned what personal information consumers online would be willing to share in exchange for better targeted offers.
A mere 28% of adults online indicated they would be willing to share their name; 37% would be willing to share their age and 38% their gender with a brand. This lack of sharing demonstrates that consumers online don’t yet see the value of exposing their personal information to brands, said the report.
Emailvision director Neil Hamilton said: “When a customer purchases from your in-store business, they give you money in exchange for a product or service. When a visitor interacts with your online business, they are giving you their data in exchange for a relevant experience with your brand. If a business doesn’t choose to make use of this data correctly, they are missing out on important knowledge that could positively or negatively impact business for years to come.
“It’s imperative that a customer never becomes ‘just a number’ even in a database of millions. Technology enables all businesses to treat their customers to a personalised experience across multiple sales channels.”
There is, however, a small percentage of online consumers who seem willing to over-share, as 8% of consumers online will go as far as to share their underwear size in exchange for better targeted offers from a brand.
Tim Watson, an email marketing consultant at Zettasphere, added: “The key to success for marketers is not in the content; it’s in the intelligence and actionable information that comes from customer data. Think of it this way, when picking the perfect present for a close friend, it’s your knowledge (data) about the person that’s the starting point in the search for the ideal gift. After you consider the person and their preferences, then your search for the actual gift (content) begins within the range of ideal gifts already identified by data.”
