Does your recipient data go the distance?

The Hunt
It's been several years since email marketers combined the power of email with product lifecycle messaging. It's a perfect fit for makers of electronic goods and computer peripherals. I gladly register my products with the brand website and review email offers that help me improve my experience or provide me with special deals to compliment whatever device that I have attached to my computer. The fact that I get a notification from my HP printer to let me know that my magenta ink cartridge is running dry makes me giddy. Supporting promotional emails; however, need to be keyed off of data or information you know about me and the products that I've purchased. If your data doesn't go the distance, neither will your offer.

The Skunk
My little trusty "all-in-one" HP printer, fax, scanner gets a pretty good workout in my home office and for the most part, the emails that HP send regarding the device that I registered with them are very relevant to me and my needs. The email that I received today is not so much a “skunk,” but rather a “you should have done a bit more homework with this special offer.” The promotion arrived with a subject line stating $50 Cash Back - Trade In Your Old Laser Printer Today. This is all fine and good but I've never owned a laser printer and my 3-year old printer is working great!


The Resolution
So there are a few things I would have considered if I was on the sending end of this message. First, does the recipient currently own one of our products, and, in this case, is it a laser printer that is old and may need replaced? Depending on the product, a lifecycle-type message promoting an upgrade or replacement after a year or so may not be a bad idea.

Second, be careful with making an offer that hinges exclusively on the recipient meeting criteria that you can't confirm (or didn't take time to confirm.) If I don't have an old laser printer lying around my office, there is not much I can do with this offer. This email did contain other links to items that would be of interest but the main call-to-action is not applicable to me.

Last but not least, use your data regarding your recipient/user to determine if the offer is applicable or at least tailor the offer so that it will not exclude the recipient if they don't meet the necessary criteria to be able to participate. I'm a self proclaimed gadget freak and am not opposed to the idea of upgrading to a new printer but I can't do anything with this offer. It's a little like inviting a friend over for dinner when you know they are going to be of town.