Here is bit of an example of what ‘not to do’ when trying to engage your audience.
I recently received a personally addressed letter in the mail, so far, so good. The letter was from a supplier asking me to ‘like’ them on their new Facebook page. You can guess what happened next, that letter went straight into the bin without even coming close to achieving it’s goal. The reason was it was just too hard. Really, I’m being asked to go to a computer, turn it on, log on to Facebook and then type in a 30 character plus URL address just so I could like someone on Facebook”. There’s not not a lot of WIIFM (what’s in it for me) in their request.
The first mistake was to cross communication streams. Never, ever, ever cross streams…
Dr. Egon Spengler said it could end the known universe and I tend to agree with him. (watch quote below)
If the call to action is based on a certain type of communication format, stay within that format. For a similar expense that the company had spent on stationary, preparing the letters and envelopes and finally postage, they could have hired a student to ring all their customers and create a database of updated contact details. At the click of a mouse they then could of sent out their ‘like me on Facebook’ email to every customer which would of course been received while in front of a computer.
And what would of been the chances of someone clicking on a single link and confirming that Facebook ‘like’? I would say very good, because it was so easy to do. The outcome of the first communication option was a waste of time and money. Yet the outcome of the latter communication option would of been an up-to-date database, a list of customers who are now linked to the companies Facebook page, and another list of customers who may need a bit of extra ‘loving and attention’. All of this for pretty much the same cost as the first option.
This is the sort of thinking that FoundationDesign is committed to.