Worst Welcome Email Ever?
March 10th, 2010See that image up there? It’s a screen grab of the email I received from PR Week when I subscribed to something or other a few months ago.
“Dear Craig Peters. Welcome to PR Week.”
Well, okay. So you got my name right. And you welcomed me. But … um … is that all ya got?
Seriously, a welcome email is a golden opportunity for making a real impression in the mind of the recipient. After all, this is a person who has just subscribed to your newsletter — do you really think there’s a time when they’re likely to be more receptive to your messaging?
Sure, it’s nice to call someone by name and welcome them. But this email from PR Week is the equivalent of my high school junior son picking up his date for the prom and saying — and only saying — in an emotionless, perfunctory voice, “Nice dress. Let’s go.”
Whatever you say, Mr. Roboto.
How about thanking me for signing up? Or telling me what to expect from my subscription? Or pointing me to a few valuable resources on your site? Or reminding me to whitelist your email address so your stuff doesn’t flow into my spam folder? Or giving me some sort of a signup bonus like a special offer or a free download? Or including some instructions for how to unsubscribe in the event all your mailings are this mechanical and soulless?
Hey, PR Week: You’re doing a lousy job of PR for yourself. You want to learn a thing or three about email communications? Take a look at how Despair does it right.
Takeaway for marketers: Focus on delivering a positive experience at every touchpoint between company and customer. Yes, even in those administrative email messages.