Re: ClickZ's Delivering on Email - The Battle Over Permission
DONNA STRYK WROTE:
> The debate seemed to end in a consensus that opt-in and
> opt-out were both legitimate forms of email marketing.
> Duwaik maintained his position that if all legitimate
> email were opt-in, it would be easier for users and
> legislators to distinguish it from outright spam. But
> what did the audience think? At the end of the session
> the audience was polled and the results indicated that
> 50% of them were split down the middle on the issue.
This is not surprising, given that the people polled
were marketers and other industry people. I bet if
actual customers were asked, the numbers would be
heavily in favor of opt-in. I conduct usability
testing, and I've never seen a user respond favorably
to an already checked box. They often don't even read
the text, they just uncheck it right away. Of
course, I suppose the customer's experience is not
really the point in this case, since the bottom line is
the issue -- which gets a better response. But I tend
to think the long-term value of the customer as a
repeat visitor is more important than the short-term
response rate. So why risk the irritation? In my
experience, educated consumeres read this strategy as
manipulation. Given that all marketing is based on
manipulation of consumer desire, then maybe that's the
point. But, I don't think customers appreciate the
gesture. For whatever that matters.
Kelli
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K e l l i C o v e y
Usability Analyst -- Information Design & Analysis
Fry Multimedia
Phone: 734-741-0640, x7429
Fax: 734-944-6888
kcovey_at_frymulti.com
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Received on Wed Apr 26 2000 - 09:33:21 CDT
