No sale: Avoid transaction-focused messaging
Jinfo Blog

By Ann Marie Plankey

Abstract

Percent-off offers are tempting to implement but rarely deliver the sales hoped for. Account manager Ann Marie Plankey explains why... and what to try instead.

Item

When vendors include an email blast in their sponsorship packages, they often suggest that they want to focus on a special sales offer in the mailing. These offers may be "25% off your next purchase" or "Purchase this package for special pricing". 

We always advise against these "transactional offers", however. They usually deliver open rates, but very low action rates (clicks on links, let alone actual sales).

The difficulty with transactional offers is that they depend heavily on the recipient having a relevant need at exactly the time of receipt. Not last week, not in two days, not even in two hours. Right when they're looking at the message. 

If there's no relevant need right then, what happens? Delete.

A better use of a mailing is to capture interested leads, regardless of their readiness to buy. To do so, a sponsor needs:

• A compelling offer that is not related to immediate purchase: ebooks, white papers, and webinar registrations all work very well
• A "nurture" programme: a way to stay in touch with leads over a period of time until they are ready to buy

Used appropriately, email blasts can generate hundreds of targeted leads for a sponsor -- a far better outcome than "no sale" and delete.

Want to see some examples of successful email blasts? Contact me at annmarie.plankey@freepint.com and I'll be happy to send you some to give you ideas for your next mailing.

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