Nobody cares about your website’s new look

Your customers couldn’t care less about your new design or whether your dog just had kittens

We sat around and marveled at the ability to produce so many letters automatically and how people would feel that they were receiving individually penned missives. Those letters worked so well.

I don’t think it works quite as well today. When I receive an automated marketing e-mail addressing me by my first name, I don’t go weak at the knees: “”Oh, the software knows my first name! It knows my name!”” Has anyone tested to see whether these so-called personalization techniques are more likely to alienate a customer than impress them?

Anyway, back to the Air New Zealand marketing e-mail that I don’t remember signing up for. (I’ve had pretty good experiences flying with Air New Zealand by the way.)

“”Welcome to the second edition of our new look monthly e-mail.”” There are two fatal mistakes in the first sentence. Welcome? Hello? What’s with the welcome? I don’t want your welcome. If I want anything from you it’s your deals, and hot deals at that. When you think of your customer, imagine Tony Soprano. Nothing personal, just business. Cut the crap. Get straight to the point.