Just as in the Buggles’ 1979 hit song “Video Killed the Radio Star”, IBM is predicting, “Tech will kill the Junk Mail Stars”. Some of the largest “stars” in junk mail are companies sending credit card applications, coupon mailers, magazine offers, sweepstakes entries and charities.
According to IBM “Junk Mail” will no longer exist because the mail will be so targeted to the needs of the consumer it will look like a ‘solution’ rather than ‘junk ‘. For example, someone who just had a new baby might get a mailer for car seats or diapers. A person who just purchased fishing gear will get a coupon to vacation at a Montana fly fishing resort.
Banks have minimized their costs of mailing the pre-approved credit card offers by targeting their prospects with real time data. Using research from Equifax and Experian on prospects’ credit and spending history, they were able to filter out consumers unlikely to apply or wouldn’t qualify for the credit.
Other companies with junk mail offers are starting to follow suit as more information about consumers becomes available through social networking platforms and other sources.
According to IBM data on consumers will be used ” to make sense and integrate data from across all facets of your life such as your social networks and online preferences to present and recommend information that is only useful to you. “
The top industries that can take advantage of more targeted marketing research include:
Financial Planning : Financial planners are ideal to use the improved research on consumers to target their best clients. The spending habits, ability to save money and the use of credit are all activities financial planners should know in qualify a client.
Attorneys: Lawyers can use information found on social networks, to target anyone looking to file a divorce or looks as they may have legal problems. Anyone saying they want to sue a company on the social network wall could become a prospect for a law firm.
Wedding Industry: Who likes to talk more about themselves than a bride? The research marketers can obtain now include: websites people have visited, time spent on those sites, groups they join in social networks and a lot more. Brides research just about everything when it comes to their big day: Diamonds, Rings, Photographers, Dresses, Cakes, Travel, Banquet rooms and more.
These three industries are ideal for taking advantage of the new marketing research available to advertising agencies and small companies. Instead of receiving a junk mail piece about new car insurance a week after an engagement, now they’ll receive a coupon for the special wedding cake or dress.