Missed Opportunity for Marketing and Branding

Funny you bring this up now, as I just finished writing this "auto-response" e-mail for when people inquire about my online advertising design services at ivadvertisingdesign.com.
I left it just how it was before I read this post... so lets see how I did:


(Subject line reads - "Thank you for choosing IV! Let's get to work!")

Thank you for your inquiry.

An IV representative is already working on your request and will respond, via the
method you have provided, as soon as possible (within 48 hours, excluding weekends
and holidays).

Also, remember to take advantage of our website's "Instant Quote" feature. It only
takes a few seconds to answer the questionnaire and an accurate quote, based on the
information you provide, is only a click away! Best of all it's FREE!

Follow this link to receive your Instant Quote:
http://ivadvertisingdesign.com/IVADGinstantquote.php.html

Thank you

IV Advertising Design Group
www.ivadvertisingdesign.com
ivadg@ivadvertisingdesign.com


Personally, I think that the letter starts off well with a lot of energy in the subject line. The phrase "Let's get to work!" lets people know that they are working with a company that wants their business and are eager to see the results. I thought it was important to let them know that "a representative is already working on their response", because it shows that we are taking immediate action and mean business. I gave them a time frame within which to expect a response which shows respect for their time, sets a reasonable expectation, and keeps them informed. I also take the opportunity to remind them that if they want a faster response for a quote, they can visit our Instant Quote page, which empowers them by giving them options while they wait... and it brings them back to the website or to it for the first time, if they heard about IV another way. I didn't sign it because it is afterall an auto-response.

Trent,
I am not a copywriter by training so I don't want to edit your copy (maybe another reader will take that on). I like the way you integrate you tag line with the message. If possible I would try to add personality to the note it still feels automated to me. I recommend sending the copy to a few friends to get their impression.

BTW- your free quote feature is a good but I would ask users to add some contact info before starting or before revealing the price (you need to decide what that should be) to allow you to follow up with price/window shoppers. As in all decisions price is only one consideration and you might be closing the doors on opportunities if all a visitor does is get a quick quote.

Agreed Josef! A wise Madison Ave. marketer once reminded us we rarely get second chances to make first impressions.

My all time favorite example of effective operational email is from independent music retailer CDBaby.

Check out the automated message below my order confirmation- this thing oozes with so much personality, human touch & appreciation for my business. A little over the top, sure- but it beats the monotony, & I'm excited to purchase from CDBaby again just so I can re-read their funny letter.

Matt

---------------------
Matt -

Thanks for your order with CD Baby!

Shipping Address
================
XXXX

# Description Price Total
=== =========== ===== =====
2 THE SIPPY CUPS: kids rock for peas $12.00 $24.00

Sub Total $24.00
Shipping $5.00
Grand Total $29.00


Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with
sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.

A team of 50 employees inspected your CDs and polished them to make
sure they were in the best possible condition before mailing.

Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over
the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money
can buy.

We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party
marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of
Portland waved "Bon Voyage!" to your package, on its way to you, in
our private CD Baby jet on this day, Monday, December 24th.

I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did.
Your picture is on our wall as "Customer of the Year." We're all
exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sigh...

--
Derek Sivers, president, CD Baby
the little store with the best new independent music
http://cdbaby.com cdbaby@cdbaby.com (503)595-3000

Matt,
Thanks for the comment. CD Baby's email is exactly what I was looking for. I saw one of their emails a while back. This is a prime example of a great operational email with personality.

Saturday, May 17, 2008
I adore all those emails from outside the country- they amuse and entertain me-
The ones that inform you that you have just "won a lotto"- are my favorite, I must
be the luckiest girl on the planet I get about 20 a week!
My conclusion about those e-mails :
"If you believe everything you hear in America right now the, would you believe you have won 20 lotto’s in a week?"

My sarcastic reply to those e-mails is coming along nicely- if I do say so myself-
I am getting rather good at crafting them actually, I recently wrote one-
It reads "Hey not all Americans are absolute DUMB ASS SCUM BAGS and no
We will not STAND in as you’re next of KIN, or pretend to be dead relatives
To help you scam your government or ours, we are too busy at the moment figuring
Out how to keep our own country from the going under after 8 years of fear based rhetoric, and bull**** e-mails like this going out to the American public setting them up for fraud and screwing up their banking accounts!
Thank you very much for the offer, and by all means keep sending this out, sooner or
Later I am sure you will find another dumb ass desperate or scared, or angry enough to take your bait.
It is sad, that more of us here in America do not ask the Questions like,
"What" or "Why?" I can see your point, but you know sending this e-mail out
Will only fall on many greedy and deaf ears, moreover this marketing idea may never wake AMERICA UP!
However, I do want to wish you the very best of luck in all your future endeavors to overthrow OTHER governments, I regret to inform you this one has failed, and I am aborting your attempt. Sorry, but this is my country, and you cannot HAVE the USA- **** off ****S!
PS
HAVE A NICE DAY!

By Tammie Anderson Coffey
author