New World E-mail

Is the iPad a game changer in identifying your e-mail list’s responsiveness?

We’ve lived through the MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter phases already. Seeing people who post more and targeting them as influencers has been fun. And, recognizing people who love the brand by giving them unanticipated rewards has also brought many smiles and dollars into the world.

But now what? Now, we have a whole new way to look for our most profitable, passionate, and active customers: through devices. The iPad is one, the Android tablet will be another. Smartphones that share features most of us haven’t dreamed up yet will roll into the marketplace soon. Yes, the device world will get big fast – and those of us in the e-mail space who take the time to maintain databases for segmentation purposes will be very, very happy.

Why?

Why does a device purchase signify high response on your e-mail list? Here are a few characteristics of device buyers and reasons you should consider them as key targets for your next e-mail campaign. Device owners are:

• Adventurous fun people who like to try new things – this translates to impulse buys and trials. Cool!
• They are technically aware. Any new device owner can navigate a website with ease and is not skittish about putting their personal information online.
• This group loves to seek out novelties. The devices we buy when they first come out are as much entertaining novelties as they are business and lifestyle tools. People who love being entertained, typically love learning about new things. So this group could very well be a highly targeted prospecting tool.
• They are socially connected. Device owners typically like to share their experiences and have a broad reach. Give them an e-mail offer they can enjoy and rest assured you will see it on blogs, social networks, and more.

Is this the beginning of new world e-mail – e-mail 4.0? I sure hope so. It’s a very exciting time to be an e-mail marketer. And, when you consider the convergence happening between customer convenience and technological innovation, e-mail marketing’s time to shine may just have gotten a bit brighter.