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Number
1: May 7, 2003
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This week in Katydid:
Eating Spam for Breakfast
Unsolicited e-mail is a pain. For a while,
I wondered if my wife signed me up to some list because my inbox is
clearly trying to send me a message.
I have filters, I practice good e-mail policies, and I'm quick with
the delete. I can handle it. Like most, I worry about explicit content
and try to protect my children against receiving it.
I've seen commentary on all sides of the issue. Some say we need
laws. Some say we need technology. Some insist on policies – white
lists. I'm concerned the point is moot. Spam is already training people
to tune out e-mail marketing.
We need to educate our consumers that there's trustworthy e-mail. The
subject line and the from name are your most powerful tools right now.
As consumers select groups of e-mails to delete in bulk, you want your
name recognizable and your subject clear. Be a familiar face in a crowd
of e-mails screaming out their name.
Save personalization for the truly personal content. Have clear calls
to action in your marketing e-mails. Keep the message short – enough to
move them to your web site for targeted content. This way, you show that
you respect their time.
Most importantly, stay targeted. Buy the more expensive, highly
targeted lists to reduce spillover (you get better response rates
anyway). Always use double opt-in lists and build your permission-based
lists.
Show integrity and you can win over consumers, and you make it easier
for them to filter you in.
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What message do your handles send?
A company I visit frequently has
beautiful glass entry doors, which have brushed aluminum handles mounted
vertically on both sides of the glass. The handles give the door an
elegant, balanced appearance. They probably cost a pretty penny but they
are a pain to use.
You see, the doors only open one way and noone remembers whether
they're supposed to push or pull to get them open. You'd think that
after awhile people would remember; they'd get used to it, but it
doesn't work that way because the handles look like handles. You want to
pull them.
I've stood apart and watched (because I'm weird that way) and no
matter the side they're on, everybody starts by pulling on the handles.
I don't think anyone gives it a second thought because half the time the
door opens for them. The other half of the time, they quickly adjust and
push on the door instead.
I'm not going to build an ROI model for how many calories are wasted
in the subtle shift of weight it takes to compensate, or for the
nanoseconds lost in confusion. I think the biggest impact is the slight
look of humiliation on the faces of those who get it wrong – especially
those ready to escort guests into the building.
If this were a web project, everyone would have a solution. Customer
support would suggest putting up a 'push' sign on one side and a 'pull'
sign on the other. Programming might install automatic doors that open
as you approach. Engineering would have the doors swing either
direction. Marketing might take advantage of those extra nanoseconds of
attention and place an ad on the door.
Me, I'd replace the handle on the 'push' side of the door with a flat
plate. From long experience, people know without having to think that
they pull on a handle and they push on a plate.
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How to Educate Your Consumer
SpecialTeas, Inc knows how to develop a
customer. In America, most people know little about tea or how to
prepare it. For that reason, most have tasted only poor quality tea
prepared improperly – a bitter experience.
Tea is as varied as coffee or wine and the SpecialTeas web site
clarifies the complexities. Just a glance at the home page gives you a
sense of the variety available. Their Tea Library provides simple enough
preparation explanations so that anyone can be an expert. And for
experts, there's a sophisticated search utility.
The site uses uncluttered visual design. Their product images follow
a consistent visual style, and help the user to see the tea in both
brewed and leaf form. The writing is active, informative, and strongly
sensual. It helps the visitor to get a sense of the tea before they've
even sampled it.
Most importantly, they make it easy to purchase. The process is
intuitive and encourages the purchase of multiple products by
maintaining the shopping cart state throughout the session. For new
customers, they have reasonably priced samplers. For returning
customers, they remember past purchases.
Finally, this site is a great example of usability not having to be
expensive. This site likely did not cost a great deal to produce. The
shopping cart is third-party software and could benefit from some co-branding,
but they make great use of it. They focus on great content delivered in
the right context and that's a strong recipe for success.
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Thanks for Reading
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If you have suggestions of web sites to review, writing that buzzes,
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Kind regards,
Kevin Troy Darling
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