Two days ago, I shared why it’s a bad idea to rely on automated flows during BFCM.
I got a lot of questions on this contrarian insight:
“But… would it be better if I could send personalized, RELEVANT emails to the right person, with the right offer, at the right time… so that everyone sees the most compelling deal?”
On the surface, this sounds like a perfect scenario.
~ you segment the customers based on their interests and engagements
~ you use AI to customize a dozen different messages for each segment
~ you sell the most compelling offer to the right prospects
~ you make a ton of sales while building great relationships with your list
yadi-yada
FIRST
People are smart.
Automated email flows emerged in the early 2000s, spreading across brands like a plague. Your prospects have been exposed to these “sequences” for decades.
In addition, with the rise of AI tools –
People’s BS alarm at getting sharp.
That’s why –
Most customers can smell an automated email within seconds, and most people do not like to be “spied upon.”
(This is also why when I help my clients write automated flows, I always respect the readers’ intelligence without hiding the fact that we are using flows. Instead, I just use humour to soften the resistance.)
SECOND
Let me show you a real, personal experience…
A few days ago, I just put the baby to sleep after a long, exhausting day.
I could barely keep my eyes open, but I wanted to clean my inbox first. So, I popped open the mail app, scrolled through the unreads, and…
I accidentally took my finger off the screen for a split second.
Klaviyo: “Huh, I think you just clicked!”
Me: “NOOOO, no, I didn’t. STOPPPPP…”
But it was too late.
A website popped up… a product page took over my screen… and…
Me: “AHHHH, forget it. I’m too tired for this BS.”
I shoved my phone onto the desk, closed the light, and went to bed… without even bothering to close the website.
In the meantime…
Klaviyo: “Gosh, you LOVE this product so much because you spend so much time on this website. I need to send you MORE ABOUT THIS PRODUCT.”
For the next 3 days…
I kept getting emails about a product I have no interest in… which was nothing but a too-sleepy oopsie.
Now, imagine you’re doing a 3-day flash sale…
…and you just wasted your whole promotion trying to “hyper promote” something I don’t want
…thinking you are being smart using AI segmentation.
This happens. A lot. More often than you believe.
Because technology isn’t perfect.
(Most) AI is still pretty dumb.
And that’s why I do NOT rely on “smart segmentation” during BFCM. Send live emails. Watch the data. Optimize the strategy on the fly.
That’s the best way to do things.
To be continued…
– WYH