“E-mail is Dead”… according to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook at the time of the quote
“The Internet is Dead”… according to Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine 2010
“Digital Marketing is Dead” … Marc Pritchard, P&G, speaking at Dmexco 2013
None of them are actually dead. In fact, e-mail as an engagement tool is fantastically effective when properly planned and executed. For prosepcting? E-mail is the best drip tool available. And even today we continue to devise products and strategies for highly targeted direct mail that deliver terrific results.
Inbound marketing is no exception.
What people tend to forget, and the fact a recent article in The Drum reinforces, is not to get too hung up on distribution tactics. Many people gravitate to whatever is new, with less thought put into the quality, timing, or measurability of what they are distributing. I despise the term “blast” but it is associated with e-mail constantly. But that is what many companies did to e-mail and they are doing the same thoughtless distribution of unengaging diatribe on social networks ansd inbound marketing as well.
They can’t help themselves!
They have to; they have crippled peoples impression of print direct mail, negatively impacted e-mail efficacy through spamming and lack of sound content creation, and have to move on to the next great marketing “thing”.
Gary Vaynerchuck spoke volumes to this phenomenon at the Inbound 2012 conference; “Marketers f**k up every new, good idea”. Is he really that far off the mark?
Would you like to be effective with your next, say, direct mail campaign (it could easily be a social media or inbound marketing campaign as well)? Craft a quality message, design a beautiful look and feel, and understand who the appropriate audience is and send to them alone. Creativity, word smithing, unique photography are all art forms and combine to create interest generating touches.
“Fresh creative ideas that are powered by insights, that are powered by the way people think and feel and are inspired by creativity, always have and always will create great campaigns”. – Marc Pritchard, Proctor & Gamble.
What a great building block for your next marketing endeavor!
