Shawn Blanc makes a great point today about companies that spam their current customers. Shawn’s contention is that companies targeting their current customers often do it with little relevance and no desire indicated by the customer.

I couldn’t agree more and there are a couple points that Shawn makes that stand out to me.

Want to double-down?

The first scenario that Shawn mentions is one that I’ve found myself in multiple times.

I’ve been with my bank for a decade. I run my business finances through them, my personal checking account, a savings account, and my home mortgage. About twice a week I get a letter in the mail from them trying to sell me a new credit card or insurance package. Last week I got an application for a debit card rewards program that I am already enrolled in. Alas, as a customer, I’ve been told I cannot opt out of this junk mail.

Why would a company not wash their mailing list against their internal list? That seems like the easiest step.

• Step 1: Create a list of people to send a promotion to.
• Step 2: Find out which of those people are already paying for the thing you’re promoting.
• Step 3: Take those people out of the list.
• Step 4: Move on.

How much more wasteful can a company be? If for no other reason than to reduce your mailing costs, please don’t try to sell me something I’m already paying you for.

Don’t look behind the curtain…there’s nothing there.

Another point that Shawn makes is one that I’ve been frustrated with multiple times…with the same company.

My wife and I have been AT&T customers since 2007. We have a family plan with unlimited texting, and the expensive data plan for our iPhones. For years they sent me junk mail trying to get me to sign up for their U-Verse services. One day I finally called to look into it only to find out that it wasn’t even available in my neighborhood. (emphasis mine)

I don’t know if this is easier than the first fix, but it’s up there. When you create your list, filter out those people who can’t buy what you’re selling.

Simple as that.

If you don’t serve the 53535 ZIP code, don’t mail there.

Spend five minutes in Excel to make sure that the people you’re mailing to meet the absolute bare-minimum requirements to receive your mail piece.

Put at least one bit of thought into it.

The concerns that Shawn highlights aren’t even difficult things. They’re not even challenging segmentation issues. These are the basics.

There’s nothing beneficial about doing what he outlines. These practices frustrate and annoy your loyal customers. They waste marketing dollars unnecessarily. They deflate your campaign’s ROI. They’re just dumb.

Shawn’s final point is good, but I’m not sure it even applies here. He says,

Relevant marketing, however, is hard because it requires thought and planning.

Well said, but I don’t think that to solve these problems we even have to get to any real thought, planning or difficulty. This is just dead simple stuff that should be the cost of entry for marketing, but, sadly, isn’t.