We’ve all received those rather irritating cold calls from various banks, mobile phone networks and even double glazing salespeople, and cold calling has become something of a hot topic of things to complain about with us Brits, so is it really any surprise that people have started to have the same extreme reactions when it comes to emailing?

The truth is, that whilst cold calling has perhaps proved successful in some ventures, the dangers of internet ’spam’ seem to flag up a warning to all of us these days and the risk of viruses or fraud seem all too frightening so most e-mails are deleted without ever having been opened. In some instances, emailing can have the opposite effect to the one initially intended, that is, that potential customers or partners complain vigorously about the “unauthorised” use of their e-mail addresses.

So Why Do It?
The realities of many online endeavours these days require some form of initial email approach. Link building is a classic example. Short of buying a very large megaphone and yelling from the top of the office, there are no viable alternatives in approaching a potential link partner than an email. Whilst most people accept that such emails are “common currency” on the internet and will either respond favourably or simply delete the email, a few will react very strongly indeed.

Handling Complaints
Handling complaints about email in a professional and courteous manner can make a big difference; not least because so few internet marketing campaigns ever respond to user complaints at all. If the recipient does reply with a request to be removed from any emailing list then this should be immediately honoured. In fact, there are regulations managed by the Information Commissioners Office stating that electronic mail marketing messages should not be sent to private individuals without their permission unless the following criteria are met:-

1) That the marketer has obtained the recipient’s details through a sale or negotiations for a sale.

2) That messages are about similar products or services offered by the sender.

3) That the recipient was given an opportunity to refuse further marketing communications when their details were collected, and are likewise given a simple way to opt out in every future communication.

However, the above regulations do NOT cover electronic mail marketing sent to businesses; this in part is because a business is more likely to have a website that openly publishes contact email addresses and accepts the need for emails relating to business opportunities of one form or another. Most businesses will be used to receiving daily cold emails and accept that it is perhaps just easier to delete them or to put a block on the sender. However, in those instances where a complaint is made, then marketers should readily and rapidly apologise for any inconvenience or annoyance caused in the first instance, regardless of the tone of the complaint.

Aggression
Cold emailing may well bring out the more aggressive side of people who are generally frustrated with the high volume of ’spam’ they receive but even those with “more to say” should be handled with great care. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT AS THE MARKETER, YOU STARTED THE DIALOGUE!! Keep any replies to aggressive responses both friendly and courteous at all times, regardless of provocation. Remember at all times that your own business’s reputation may well be called into question – the threat of negative blog postings is a very real one and can result, if nothing else, in considerable management time to defuse the situation.

As with any ‘complaint handling strategies’, the aim should be to defuse any anger or irritation caused as soon as possible. This can only ever be achieved effectively with a simple apology and whilst some marketers may well feel that an opportunity for a conversation has been opened, continuing to overtly ’sell’ is generally a bad idea and may well cause further damage. That said, a friendly and professional response may well, in its own right, distinguish you from the herd and result in a profitable relationship.

Threatening behaviour from recipients isn’t unheard of either, and whilst some people are naturally able to dismiss this as ‘unprofessional’ and ‘unkind’, others may find dealing with severe complaints rather stressful. It is therefore important to ensure that any staff likely to be handling these complaints are well versed in handling such responses, and that they are also given the opportunity to express their own concerns and stresses about aggressive calls – internally rather than in “right back at you” style at the complainant!

Getting it Right
We would all hope that there is a general understanding that many businesses rely on cold emailing, particularly newer businesses that need to get their voices heard and products seen. This can make it all the more frustrating when complaints are lodged because it would be simpler for everyone if people just politely declined to open the email. However, getting the targeting right in the first place will make a huge difference. Cold emails are one thing but irrelevant cold emails are seen as being far worse and are far more likely to provoke aggressive responses. Try to ensure that any targeting exercise is as accurate as possible and that the communication clearly explains why the recipient was contacted.

Always remember that whilst it is sometimes SO tempting to reply to a complaint in the same aggressive manner in which the complaint was made, remaining professional at all times is a must. Even if a recipient continues to respond in a negative manner, the marketer must accept that it is they who have initiated contact in the first instance and that the recipient is entirely within their rights to reply as they see fit.

Finally, opt-out clauses on any mailings sent should be easily accessible and simple to use. In fact, it is when choosing to opt out that people are more likely to open up the email and so first impressions should be better than good if you only have a few short seconds in which to grab the attention of someone who is otherwise intending to delete your email and any further communications for good.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

You might also like to read...