In 2021, a client raised the "a bunch of people are complaining" flag regarding an email marketing campaign.
When I asked for further details, the response was, "people didn't know there was a link in the email" The "complainers" suggested we put 'click here' next to the email link.
The client sends the next email with "click here" next to the link, and the results aren't that great.
Ironically enough, when tested, "click here" has made a noticeable difference in marketing campaign response. Primarily when used sparingly!
Am I suggesting you slap "click here" next to every link in an email or on your website? Negative.
It would be best to be careful using "click here" on your promotional emails. Because there is a chance (based on several combined factors), your email could be flagged as SPAM.
With the client example from above, there are a couple of shall we say, conveniently omitted details. If ever you receive a complaint, always dig deeper!
When pressed on complaints, use this initial question, "exactly how many people are complaining?"
Consider the following complainer's scenario:
Client: "A lot of people are complaining!"
Eugene: "Exactly how many people are complaining?"
Client: "A lot!"
Eugene: "What's a lot?"
(Client gets slightly annoyed and then finally answers.)
Client: "Two"
Eugene: "Two out of 30,000+ sent emails?!?!" (Yes, 30K emails sent and two complaints.)
Follow-up question: "Who is the person complaining?" (Are they a customer or event attendee?)
Here's the icing on the cake regarding the example above. The two complainers were client vendors who fancied themselves marketers.
In the next email, I recommended that the client remove "click here" from their email and write more persuasive copy. They accepted the advice and implemented the suggestions. The result was a 71% increase in email click-through-rate.
Yes, customer experience is paramount. But at the same time, focusing your limited time and resources on a wild goose chase is a waste.
Next time you receive complaints, find out exactly how many and if the people complaining are even your customers. You'll be surprised what you find!
Want to get more info on event customer service? Check out the articles below:
- Event Web Sites: Saving Money and Time with a FAQ
- What to Do After You’ve Sold a Ticket to Your Event . . .
- The Mystery of Online Customer Satisfaction
- Dealing with Harsh Event Feedback
- Your Event Web Site as a Customer Service Portal
- Event Marketing: Do You have an Online Champion for Your Event?
- Event Promotion: Are You Interacting with Your Target Market?