Do you enjoy being constantly interrupted by marketing messages? Traditional marketing and advertising often rely on interrupting consumers, bombarding them with messages. However, in an era where we are overwhelmed with information, many individuals suffer from interruption overload and simply tune out. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if companies asked for your permission before marketing to you? This is the strength of permission marketing, a strategy employed by smart and ethical marketers who seek success through engaging their audiences honestly.
Permission marketing takes various forms, and you have likely experienced it firsthand. By subscribing to newsletters or opting to follow businesses on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, you grant them permission to market to you. Once you become a prospect by opting in through email or social media, you become a valued target audience. This provides businesses with a direct opportunity to market their products or services specifically to you.
If your business is considering adopting permission marketing, it is crucial to adhere to four fundamental rules:
- Permission Must Be Granted: You cannot assume you have permission to market to individuals without their explicit consent. Purchasing names and addresses and sending unsolicited direct mail is not permission—it’s spamming. Smart business owners refrain from such practices.
- Permission Is Selfish: Prospects will grant you permission if they perceive that there is something valuable in it for them. It is essential to effectively communicate the benefits and value of what you have to offer within a limited timeframe.
- Permission Can Be Revoked: Just as easily as permission is granted, it can be withdrawn. On the other hand, through quality interactions, permission can intensify over time. The key is to continuously engage and provide value to maintain a positive relationship with your audience.
- Permission Can’t Be Transferred: Think of marketing as going on a date. You cannot give someone else the authority to go on a date on your behalf. Similarly, permission is granted to you as a business, and it cannot be transferred to another entity.
Once you obtain permission from a prospect, it is crucial to handle it with care. Provide valuable information to your readers and avoid bombarding them with excessive messages or irrelevant content.
One final note on the subject of legislation is for the long-term. Europe’s GDPR has been in place for a while now and Canada WILL get there eventually. Many website plugins claim to help with this at the push of a button. Almost all failed when we consulted a lawyer. Need help understanding the differences between Europe and Canada at the moment? We’ve got the answers.
By embracing ethical marketing, you can establish meaningful connections with your audience, gaining their trust and engagement. Remember to seek explicit consent, provide value, maintain ongoing interactions, and respect the boundaries of permission. This approach will optimize your digital marketing strategy for success, ensuring that you engage with your audience in a way that resonates and builds lasting relationships.