Chapter 9 - Email Marketing: A Constant Drip - by Cheryl Baldwin

[Paul Terlemezian]

This chapter describes what you need to know in order to get the most out of your investment in Email Marketing. As I continue to read for disruption the following came to mind from the perspective of the consumer:

1. This all began with door-to-door "cold calling." If not for the cost of shoe leather and threats of legal persecution we would never have needed technology to bring us to the era of email marketing!

2. With the advent of mail merge technology it became less expensive to send unsolicited items in the mail that included my name (instead of being addressed to occupant or Dear Sir or Madam.) The hint to the "wise consumer" was the bulk-rate postage. Sometimes the sender would try to "trick me" by using a first class stamp or a hand-written envelope - but I eventually got savvy at detecting - Junk Mail. We still need this service - it helps defray the costs of running the Post Office and fills recycle bins.

3. As the technology to integrate databases and phones became more prominent the number of unsolicited phone calls increased. We've gone from someone who did some research and then called; to smile and dial telemarketing; to robo calls - we needed the government to help us so the "Do Not Call Registry" was invented - that has helped consumers - but business are still under attack by automated calls!

4. And thank you technology (which I adore when used effectively) we have progressed to the era of email - junk mail and robo mail. And the advent of viruses and the threat of hackers has emerged as well. So thieves may still knock on our doors or send us packages or call us - but know they can take our property via email too. Again we needed government help - anti spamming laws - and commercial help - anti-virus software. But we are still human so a lot of bad stuff gets through - and this really damages the potential for email marketing. We invented another new word - malware!

I can only imagine what kind of marketing innovations will emerge with IOT. Mobile innovations were delayed for years and the costs rose significantly as government and commercial entities collaborated to protect the consumer from mobile intrusions while still allowing us to all benefit from the great potential of mobile commerce. The potential for IOT is immeasurable and I am eager to see it realized.

One would think that no trespassing signs, junk mail, do not call lists and malware would have been enough for someone to get the hint.

The disruption will come when someone (will it be Digital Marketers) focuses 100% on helping the consumer.