How you communicate matters. The flood of emails, webpage banners and other messages that appeared at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the importance of choosing an appropriate method for urgent communications. Text, email, a letter in the mail – what’s appropriate when? Getting the answer right is a big deal to consumers.
“With Amazon and Google delivering convincing personalized experiences, today’s customers are ultra-savvy – if a gesture is insincere or not applicable, they’ll see right through it” (thefinancialbrand.com). People expect personalized messages, which means sending the right information to the right person at the right time. And here’s another consideration: sending information in the right way. This is how you earn trust and loyalty and avoid annoying your recipients.
Here are a couple of consumers’ top annoyances, based on a study by Twilio, a cloud communications platform provider:
- Content that is not relevant (56%)
- Being contacted in the wrong communication channel (33%)
This study, published in the Credit Union Times, also provides a roadmap for the decision-making process when financial institutions are preparing electronic communications:
- Consumers prefer receiving information via email or text over a mobile app.
- If the message is urgent, they prefer a text. Examples of urgent messages include change of plans, delivery notifications, appointment reminders and preselected account alerts.
- The majority prefer receiving messages in the afternoon.
Even in our digital world, let’s not forget the significance of direct mail. The average response rate is 9% for direct mail house lists and 5% for prospect lists, a higher response rate than any digital direct marketing medium (themailshark.com). In addition, during a merger or a core conversion, direct mail plays a significant role in the communication strategy, along with digital messaging as a reinforcement, due to the amount of information to be relayed, the need to hold onto it for a time and the importance of ensuring the message is received by everyone affected. For more about the continued relevance of direct mail, check out our blogs about merger guides, core conversions and direct mail.
Here’s the takeaway: Choose your channel of communication based on purpose and urgency, and ensure your message is relevant to your recipients.
If you’d like help getting it right when it comes to your consumer communications, count on image.works. We have more than 25 years of experience determining the most appropriate method for reaching a target audience to achieve the desired outcome. Our creative team delivers content that grabs attention, and our strategies have proven effective time after time.
Sources:
https://www.cutimes.com/2019/11/08/consumers-say-email-or-text-me-mostly-ignore-mobile-apps/?kw=Consumers%20Say%20%27Email%20or%20Text%20Me%2C%27%20Mostly%20Ignore%20Mobile%20Apps&utm_source=email&utm_medium=enl&utm_campaign=dailynewsalert&utm_content=20191111&utm_term=cut&slreturn=20200408115522
https://thefinancialbrand.com/95752/banks-personalization-data-cx-database-ai/?edigest
https://www.themailshark.com/resources/guides/how-to-track-measure-direct-mail/