Ever heard of a small movie called… what’s it again? Oh yes, Star Wars!
What if I told you that becoming a communication expert is pretty much the same as becoming a Jedi? It may sound a little far-fetched, but so did the idea of a young boy from Tatooine overthrowing the villainous Darth Vader, didn’t it?
Here are 4 lessons from Yoda that will help you to become either a Jedi Master or communication expert:
In Star Wars, a select few know how to use the Force. And the same can be said for a database. Often people gather as many contacts as possible and send out bulk messages, completely disregarding the relevance of the message. It’s important not only to increase the number of people in your database, but also to gather relevant data about each of your contacts. Not only will this help you to build a strong relationship with each individual, but your strategists and sales team can use the data to increase revenue.
Not only is technology constantly changing, but so is customer behaviour. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you know what will work best. Just because something worked well five years ago, it doesn’t mean that it will work again today.
More and more companies are using email to market their business, so you need to think outside of the box and be creative in order to capture the attention of your target market. Ensure that you send relevant, useful, engaging communication at all times, and don’t be afraid to try different strategies
The more relevant your communication is, the more effective it will be. A lightsabre can be a useful tool, but you could also lose a hand if you’re not careful! Decide which segment of your database is most likely to respond to the message that you’re sending, and then target them with a personalised, relevant message. You’ll be surprised at how responsive people are when they feel like you’re talking directly to them about their interests.
Can you guess who said this? Was it Yoda or a spam filter algorithm? Email marketers have such a bad reputation when it comes to spam owing to the few black hat marketers who choose to spam their databases. And thanks to these marketing Siths, those of us who abide by best practices also have to contend with spam filters.
Be sure to test your email thoroughly before sending it out to ensure that you have done all you can to avoid being caught in spam filters. If you’re ever unsure ask yourself, “Is this an email that I would like to receive?” To quote Yoda one last time: “Hmm. In the end, cowards are those who follow the dark side.”
