These vendors also are trying to clean up the negative perception created by unwanted email advertising, also known as spam. If one in a thousand people gets furious, it can mess you up. Thus, most respectable consumer goods companies have been skittish about email campaigns. But through the new crop of vendors, companies are beginning to outsource email solicitations, which can be complex and tricky if handled in-house. Mailings sent to the wrong people not only hurt profitability, they can create a public relations nightmare.
Technical details can also hobble a campaign.
For instance, a slick promotion will use fancy text formatting and graphics. But because not all email recipients' computers have the same email software, a message with Helvetica font may convert to hellish gibberish on a computer with different software. To avoid negative impressions, most vendors will play it safe and send out a plain text message the first time they email a customer, says William Park, CEO of Digital Impact. Mr. Park claims to have three times the click-through rate of less sophisticated mailers. We can track and analyze anything.