Why are users still running away from your cross-channel messages and how to fix it?

Most of you would have missed my last blog, somehow Linkedin didn’t want to publish it to subscribers and not even on the feed. I'm not sure why. So here is the link.

As an extension to the above blog, going deeper into this point around sending personalized messages to each user to drive higher repeat purchases.

It's surely a question for all marketers to introspect and realize the fact that just because the user is available on a particular handle doesn’t mean you spam his Inbox. That’s exactly what is driving users away from these owned media channels and getting them to spend more time on paid media channels like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X.

Marketing folks need to start respecting user time and preferences when they are sending out messages to users and also measure the negative impact of sending unnecessary messages. Here is a quick glimpse of the impact of

• WhatsApp block rate easily ranges between 10% to 20%.
• Uninstalls are 0.2% same day & 1% over the week of notifications being delivered
• App notification blocks after sending are between 3% and 5%.
• Email Unsubscribes on every campaign revolve around 0.1%-0.3%.

All of this also leads to a dropping performance across all channels which I am sure most marketers are experiencing. Also, as per a recent e-commerce report released by Netcore cloud, users don’t want to receive more than 3 messages across all their communication channels. Netcore Cloud

I strongly feel having a clear Campaign policy in your organization which acts like a guiding principle for everything you do as a CRM team is a must. Here is what that policy could look like:

Enhanced Campaign Policy for Matured Marketers

1. Communication Frequency & Channel Optimization

• Channel-Specific Cadence: Establish weekly communication limits per channel, here are some recommendations on what could be for brands:

Also, it’s important to have an overall communication cap across channels.

• Dynamic Frequency Adjustment: Utilize machine learning algorithms to personalize communication frequency based on individual user engagement patterns and preferences. Some users who prefer email over WhatsApp can have a different frequency.

2. Segmentation & Targeting

Say No to Batch and Blast - No generic message should be sent to the entire user base unless it’s approved by some authority. Exceptions to be accepted not beyond once in 90 days. ??

Advanced Segmentation: Every campaign should be sent out to a segment of users and segments to be created based on user preferences, RFM, predictive affinity, and propensity models.

3. Content Strategy

Users are hungry for valuable content and brands instead are delivering ads to users' message boxes.

• Information/Utility-based Content - Focus on providing at least 50% of your communications as valuable, non-promotional content. Share educational resources, tips, or community insights to build long-term relationships, rather than focusing solely on short-term gains through offers.
• Strategic Quiet Period: Implement a post-purchase "cool-down" period of at least 15-20 days, but allow for exceptions based on high-value transactions or time-sensitive offers.

4. Performance Measurement & Optimization

• Revenue Per Message: Measure the CRM team's performance based on revenue per message, rather than a percentage of revenue contribution. This encourages teams to be strategic about message frequency, preventing list fatigue while driving sustainable results. Aim to maintain revenue per message around Rs.0.05 to Rs.0.1, ensuring that every 10 to 20 messages generates Rs.1 in revenue. This approach promotes quality over quantity in communication, leading to more meaningful user engagement and long-term success.
• ROI from CRM campaigns, setting clear targets on how you stay upwards of 5X returns for every dollar spent.
• Advanced Analytics: Go beyond open and click-through rates. Track customer lifetime value, churn rate, and other key metrics to measure the long-term impact of your communication strategy.
• KYC - With every passing month you need to know your existing customers better – how many new derived attributes, how many new preferences or interests captured etc.

Hope this helps and please do comment with your thoughts on what more can we add to this campaign policy. The coming blog will explore segmentation and content strategy with specific examples.