The strange things Marketing people can't figure out.

Several times this Holiday season I received e-mail "Blasts" which leads me to wonder if the were thought through. Granted e-mail is supposed to be an inexpensive, quick and green way to contact people but when it is a business contacting its customer/clients at some point the way it is done shows how a business really considers you:

As an insignificant one of the masses it can quickly and inexpensively contact you by: "Dear valued member, thank you for your patronage throughout the year, happy holidays and happy new year." What's wrong: it shows the amount of effort that is put in. It is so mass produced and impersonal. They don't even bother customizing it by adding your name. I am of the opinion if you are going to do a "Blast" like that to customers, you'd better put in a gift like a discount coupon because a mass produced impersonal thank you letter isn't really showing any appreciation or return gesture/giving at all. These mails are simply trash and wasted use of bandwith on the internet. Why do individually written, personalized e-mails or handwritten thank you letters work even without a gift? It's because it shows that someone in the business took the personal time to cater to you and thus it shows that you are a live human being to the business.

The use of words like "Blast" or "Viral Marketing": Don't they all have bad connotations? We customers like the perception of being in control. Blast has the connotation of being indiscriminate and hitting everyone in its path. Of course in real life that's what happens, people get hit repeatedly by messages not really intended for them. As for Viral Marketing...that sounds like something out of control and malevolent like a virus. Why not use something more friendly and perhaps clearer.

Lastly I got a message from a non-profit organization which said this basic message (not the exact wording): Hi, Happy Holidays, don't forget to give matching donations to us during this holiday season (note this place hits you up earlier in the year with another funding drive). While I know that this place is a non-profit (it's a university), this is like saying, Hi Merry Christmas - where's my present? All at a time when people's bank accounts are stretched by the commercialism of buying gifts for friends and family.

Addendum: On a funny note the little musical phrase "Every kiss begins with Kay" (Kay Jewelers) has gotten stuck into my head because the commercial has been played so many times. The singer's voice has that vocal fry beginning (for those of you who are singers) and then goes into that late 90's hip-hop pop female vocalist type of voice ... blechhh - it's kind of like it's trying to reach to too many generations at once -traditional jewelry with hip hop! ha ha.