I just ended a relationship. No, the break-up was not painful at all- it took only a couple of clicks and it was done. Now, I will no longer receive the almost daily emails you have showered me with recently. I like you, but your barrage of messages turned my impressions of you from a trusted source to seeing what you could extract from my wallet.
Why did I break up with you? Was it because you closed 2 out 3 stores in my area, making it harder for me to come visit? No, that did not factor into the break-up at all. I understood your need to leave. You had become too pushy, always wanting me to buy. Oh, you were nice and usually offered me a coupon. In the end, I felt sorry for you because you had to try to bribe me to be your friend. I know you are hurting right now, and that you need as many customers… I mean friends, as possible.
We have grown apart. It’s not you- it’s me. No wait, it is you. Perhaps you know it is you because when I left you asked me if it was because you sent me too many emails. Apparently, I am not the first to leave you under these circumstances. I wish you well, Borders- no hard feelings.
Permission-based email marketing is a valuable tool for connecting with customers and strengthening relationships. But, it is imperative that customers’ “space” be respected and not overwhelm them with email messages. Research shows that one of the main reasons consumers end permission email relationships is that the frequency of messages received is too high. Use email to deliver information and facilitate sales, but do not annoy customers to the point that they break up with you.
