Comments on: Cash or credibility – The ethical dilemma http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/ A Top 20 ranked Australian marketing blog Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:37:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Duthie http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-444 James Duthie Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:08:11 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-444 Thanks for the input Jenn. I'm sure you've seen it a few times over at SEP. In our case the client is indeed stubborn. But testing has been the agreed outcome. So I guess it's the best out of a bad situation. Thanks for the input Jenn. I’m sure you’ve seen it a few times over at SEP. In our case the client is indeed stubborn. But testing has been the agreed outcome. So I guess it’s the best out of a bad situation.

]]> By: Jenn Osborne http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-438 Jenn Osborne Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:21:23 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-438 I love this post! I think every Internet Marketer has been in this position where a client is dead set on doing something that makes no sense. With some clients you have to take a stand - otherwise they'll try to micro- manage you. But other times it's just a situation where the client is stubborn and has to learn that it's a bad idea for themselves. That's where testing is a great solution. I've never had a client refuse to do a test. And once they see the data they can see for themselves that the idea wasn't a good one. Great post James! I love this post! I think every Internet Marketer has been in this position where a client is dead set on doing something that makes no sense.

With some clients you have to take a stand – otherwise they’ll try to micro- manage you. But other times it’s just a situation where the client is stubborn and has to learn that it’s a bad idea for themselves. That’s where testing is a great solution. I’ve never had a client refuse to do a test. And once they see the data they can see for themselves that the idea wasn’t a good one.

Great post James!

]]> By: James Duthie http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-435 James Duthie Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:08:41 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-435 @ Marsello - You are correct. Numbers resonate with most business people. The challenge is finding a documented case study, because we have never made such a switch with a client before. @ Marsello – You are correct. Numbers resonate with most business people. The challenge is finding a documented case study, because we have never made such a switch with a client before.

]]> By: Marsello Oentoro http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-433 Marsello Oentoro Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:57:49 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-433 Interesting topic, business people sometimes do not translate into sensible marketers, especially once greed takes over. But they would normally listen to past examples as to why a certain email marketing campaign would fail, if you would be wise enough to attach figures to the argument. Interesting topic, business people sometimes do not translate into sensible marketers, especially once greed takes over. But they would normally listen to past examples as to why a certain email marketing campaign would fail, if you would be wise enough to attach figures to the argument.

]]> By: James Duthie http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-432 James Duthie Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:27:26 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-432 Rest assured Ken that I am such an awful dancer that an I-told-you-so-dance is completely out of the question :) Rest assured Ken that I am such an awful dancer that an I-told-you-so-dance is completely out of the question :)

]]> By: Ken Jones http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-431 Ken Jones Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:15:37 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-431 @ Matt - Thanks for the back up mate. @ James - Good luck with the test dude. You know it makes sense. Gives you and the client the best of both worlds. Just promise you'll try to fight the urge to do the I-told-you-so-dance when the group on daily email all unsubscribe :-P @ Matt – Thanks for the back up mate.

@ James – Good luck with the test dude. You know it makes sense. Gives you and the client the best of both worlds.
Just promise you’ll try to fight the urge to do the I-told-you-so-dance when the group on daily email all unsubscribe :-P

]]> By: James Duthie http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-430 James Duthie Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:40:06 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-430 @ Ken & Matt - Thanks for the input. And of course I am totally embarassed that the thought never crossed my mind. It's email marketing 101 people... :) A testing process would protect a portion of his database and demonstrate we were willing to at least give his idea a go. Looks like we have our solution. @ Ken & Matt – Thanks for the input. And of course I am totally embarassed that the thought never crossed my mind. It’s email marketing 101 people… :) A testing process would protect a portion of his database and demonstrate we were willing to at least give his idea a go. Looks like we have our solution.

]]> By: Matt http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-429 Matt Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:09:41 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-429 I agree with Ken, Testing, measuring and analyzing the open-rates, click-rates, unsubscribes, etc. is a crucial element of a successful e-mail marketing campaign. A/B test the two campaigns for a few weeks. How can he disagree with the numbers? If he still wants to convert the whole list to a daily frequency, even after you're evidence presents itself, then I guess you have to let him dig his own grave! Keep up the good work, -Matt Tender-Thoughts.com I agree with Ken,

Testing, measuring and analyzing the open-rates, click-rates, unsubscribes, etc. is a crucial element of a successful e-mail marketing campaign.

A/B test the two campaigns for a few weeks. How can he disagree with the numbers? If he still wants to convert the whole list to a daily frequency, even after you’re evidence presents itself, then I guess you have to let him dig his own grave!

Keep up the good work,

-Matt
Tender-Thoughts.com

]]> By: Ken Jones http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-428 Ken Jones Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:55:53 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-428 Maybe you could suggest a split test of the new email schedule. Divide the list and send one group the daily shots, while keeping the other half on the original weekly shots. Quantify what, if any, effect the change has. Does the new group show a marked increase in the take up of offers? Do more people end up opting out of recieving the mails? Give your client the option of having a trial period where you can assess the effectiveness of his plan. If it works then you can switch the whole list over. If it doesn't then at least he hasn't burnt all 40,000 subscribers. He's a businessman, numbers and dollar signs will say a lot more to him than the ethical quandries of "that guy from the digital marketing agency" ever could. Besides, I know how much you love your statistics, this gives you an excuse to crunch some numbers ;-) Maybe you could suggest a split test of the new email schedule.

Divide the list and send one group the daily shots, while keeping the other half on the original weekly shots.

Quantify what, if any, effect the change has. Does the new group show a marked increase in the take up of offers? Do more people end up opting out of recieving the mails?

Give your client the option of having a trial period where you can assess the effectiveness of his plan. If it works then you can switch the whole list over. If it doesn’t then at least he hasn’t burnt all 40,000 subscribers.

He’s a businessman, numbers and dollar signs will say a lot more to him than the ethical quandries of “that guy from the digital marketing agency” ever could.

Besides, I know how much you love your statistics, this gives you an excuse to crunch some numbers ;-)

]]> By: James Duthie http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-425 James Duthie Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:42:50 +0000 http://onlinemarketingbanter.com/cash-or-credibility-the-ethical-dilemma/#comment-425 I think that's the likely approach Pete. There's only so much we can do when he refuses to listen to our advice. But it still feels a little unethical to me... Money talks I suppose. I think that’s the likely approach Pete. There’s only so much we can do when he refuses to listen to our advice. But it still feels a little unethical to me… Money talks I suppose.

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