Maybe consumers really do want to read about toothpaste, paper towels, and soda. A new study from ROI Research and Epsilon claims that 62 percent of customers that receive permission- based emails are influenced by those emails, and 75 percent have read company or brand content as a direct result.
The survey was conducted in mid-October and measured 1,517 people. Not exactly a statistically projectable dynamo, (and it is, after all, sponsored) but even if half the numbers are on the money they are significant. They support the continued effectiveness of permission-based email, and they support the concept that content will attract consumer attention, which will increase engagement and then purchase intent.
Nice formula, no? The numbers also make the case that email is an essential element in the glue that bonds customers to brands. 57 percent of respondents said they are "more loyal to CPG companies because of" their email relationship. Some other impressive numbers in the survey include:
- 91% of respondents downloaded or printed a coupon as a result of an email
- 76% tried a new product for the first time
- 67% researched retail locations that carry the product
- 66% ordered a product sample
- 65% shared a coupon or forwarded the email
- 65% purchased the product online
- 34% typed or copied a URL directly into their browser
John Gaffney is US Editor at Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter.
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5:19PM on 5th March 2009
Seeing a name brand in the subjuct line gets me every time as well.
When I see the "you won a prize" I know that it is not true but there is always that small part that gets suckered in and I guess that is where they get you.
Nice post.
9:07PM on 5th March 2009
Can you please let me know what you think a "statistically projectable dynamo" would be.
9:10PM on 5th March 2009
"statistically projectable dynamo" - what does that mean? At 95% confidence interval, a sample of 1517 has a sampling error of +/- 2.5%. How much more projectable do you want it?
US Editor at Econsultancy
9:58PM on 5th March 2009
Without having the total universe of opt-in consumers available, I wanted to give the survey its credit but also let marketers know I understand that the sample size was not huge. Many loyalty surveys top 60,000 conusmers. Forrester consumer surveys exceed 14,000 consistently.
11:36AM on 6th March 2009
I just got a copy of <a href="http://www.emailcharger.com/"> EmailCharger.com</a> and I would recommend to anyone who needs to send out an opt-in email mailshot. Its the best desktop email marketing software I have used so far.