Consumer behaviour and attitudes toward pass-along email are particularly important to consider when discussing viral marketing. This is because the success of a viral marketing campaign relies on the audience’s willingness to spread the message.
A study by Phelps et al (2004) examines the behaviours and attitudes of consumers with regard to pass-along email. The study, entitled Viral Marketing or Electronic Word-of-Mouth Advertising: Examining Consumer Responses and Motivations to Pass Along Email, is a unique study looking specifically at this topic.
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Consumer’s attitude toward pass-along email tends to rely on the mood and mindset of consumers at a particular time. Pass-along email was more likely to be regarded as frustrating and annoying when consumers were particularly rushed or were having a “bad day�?. However, consumers who frequently send pass-along email, generally have positive attitudes toward receiving it. These consumers expressed negative emotions at the thought of not receiving and sending pass-along email. Less frequent senders of these emails however were more concerned. They expressed concern about receiving viruses and having their personal information stored in databases.
Phelps et al (2004) also found that people generally viewed senders of pass-along email positively. These people were described as having a desire to share and connect with others. When consumers themselves forwarded emails, they reported feels of excitement, helpfulness and satisfaction.
When deciding to open email messages, consumers were found to consider a number of indicators. These included:
In regards to attachments, Phelps et al (2004) found that consumers were worried about downloading viruses in attachments, and the time needed to download large files.
When deciding to forward emails, customers generally didn’t forward pass-along emails that had old or uninteresting content.
Personalisation occurs when a note written by the sender is included with the message. Personalisation is also achieved when the subject line is changed and emails are sent to individuals one at a time. According to Phelps et al (2004) consumers personalise approximately one-third of forwarded messages.
Viral campaigns often begin by sending content to consumers who have agreed to receive emails from the company. Gaining insight into the attitudes of these consumers, to ensure they remain as company contacts, is therefore also important to the success of viral marketing campaigns.
Quris (2003) has found that consumers generally can only engage in ten to 20 permission email relationships at any one time. This means that if a consumer wants to subscribe to a new permission email list, they will generally drop a relationship with another company.
Relationships which result in email being sent too frequently are also likely to be dropped. Approximately sixty-eight percent of people unsubscribe for this reason. While others unsubscribed because they lost interest in the product, because of boring content, or content that offered little value. (Quris, 2003)
When considering to undertake a viral marketing campaign, marketers must consider the opinions and attitudes of consumers toward pass-along and permission marketing email.
Marketers must ensure the subject line of their emails are eye catching and relevant. Marketers should also place content on the web, rather than including it in the email as an attachment.
Above all, email campaigns should be relevant to their audience and provide consumers with value.
Brenton Doyle 09:39, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)
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