Don’t annoy your customers with the wrong marketing

March 29th, 2008

Lately I’ve been noticing any annoying trend. Companies like Netflix and Disney are forming this habit of constantly marketing services to already paying customers. The method Netflix is using being a little more wasteful than what Disney is doing, with neither less annoying than the other. And frankly, I find both methods a great waste of time and resources.

The biggest reason I’m annoyed with Netflix and Disney would be their constant marketing to me, one of their paying customers â€” though I’m certainly not the only one. Netflix’s offense is constant direct mailers asking me to join their service. Disney, on the other hand, seems to think that the best way to sell Blu-ray DVDs is by advertising on Blu-ray DVDs â€” nevermind the fact that I obviously have heard of Blu-ray due to the fact that I’m viewing a Blu-ray DVD on a Blu-ray DVD player.

Right now these companies are spending a lot of time, effort, and money on trying to convince me to spend money to join their service or buy their product. It seems to me, they would probably be better off putting that marketing to use elsewhere, so they might get new customers â€” usually the goal of marketing.

Offer something useful

If you’re going to market to me, and I’m already one of your paying customers, give me something I can use. A two week free trial for joining is no benefit to me when I’m already a member paying a monthly fee. Instead, offer something I can use like a plan upgrade for a month for being a loyal customer.

As for the advertising on Blu-ray DVDs, it would be easier to show those commercials on TV instead of adding another couple minutes to the time before I can actually watch the movie I’ve rented or purchased. Since the company has already made money off of me, use the marketing to gain more customers and let me enjoy my movie experience.

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/mike