Podcast Summary: "Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson | Ep. 236"

Episode Title: STOP!🛑MARKETING Tactics that NO LONGER WORK!🎁DON'T SEND ME HOLIDAY CARDS! Ask Us ANYTHING
Release Date: December 11, 2024
Host: Jay Schwedelson
Presented By: Marigold

Introduction to "Ask Us Anything"

In Episode 236 of "Do This, NOT That," host Jay Schwedelson introduces the "Ask Us Anything" segment, where he addresses a variety of listener questions ranging from work-related inquiries to more unconventional topics. This episode focuses on identifying outdated marketing tactics and discussing the relevance of traditional practices like sending holiday cards.

1. Outdated Marketing Tactics: What to Sunset Now

Jay delves into several marketing strategies that have historically yielded positive results but are now losing their effectiveness. He emphasizes the importance of regularly evaluating and updating marketing tactics to stay relevant in a constantly evolving landscape.

a. First Name Personalization in Email Subject Lines

• Issue Identified:
  Personalizing email subject lines with the recipient's first name, once a proven method to increase open rates, has now become counterproductive.

• Insight:
  Jay cites research from World Data Research indicating that first name personalization can decrease email open rates by approximately 5%. This decline is attributed to the oversaturation of this tactic, making it less effective as recipients become accustomed to it.

• Notable Quote:
  "If you think personalization, the subject line is first name, that ain't it."
  — Jay Schwedelson [02:15]

b. Use of Stock Photos in Marketing Materials

• Issue Identified:
  The reliance on generic stock photos for emails, social media posts, and websites is negatively impacting engagement metrics.

• Insight:
  Jay references data from Edis Journal and Referral Rock highlighting that natural, authentic photos outperform stock images significantly. For instance, Facebook posts featuring natural photos achieve three times higher engagement rates compared to those with stock photos. Additionally, stock photos can reduce social engagement by up to 40% and lower email click-through rates by over 30%.

• Notable Quote:
  "When I see a genuine photo as opposed to a stock photo, I am much more likely to engage."
  — Jay Schwedelson [04:50]

• Actionable Advice:
  Marketers should transition to using authentic, high-quality images that resonate more effectively with their audiences, thereby enhancing engagement and interaction.

c. Purchasing Cold Email Lists

• Issue Identified:
  Buying cold email lists, especially for B2B marketing, is becoming increasingly ineffective and can harm email deliverability rates.

• Insight:
  Jay explains that purchased lists often contain incorrect or outdated contact information, leading to poor performance and potential damage to a company’s email infrastructure. Moreover, relying on cold lists can create a false sense of comprehensive account coverage, as the contacts obtained may not align accurately with the targeted demographic.

• Notable Quote:
  "The biggest issue with cold lists is that it's giving a false perception that you have coverage for the categories and the accounts that you're going after."
  — Jay Schwedelson [06:10]

• Actionable Advice:
  Marketers should prioritize building and maintaining their own high-quality, opt-in email lists to ensure better deliverability and more meaningful engagement with their audience.

2. The Holiday Card Dilemma: To Send or Not to Send

Transitioning from professional marketing tactics to personal practices, Jay addresses the question of sending holiday cards—a topic that blends personal sentiment with marketing strategies.

a. Personal Anecdote on Holiday Cards

Jay shares a humorous and personal story about a failed family photo shoot for holiday cards. The experience left his family with unusable photos, leading them to abandon the tradition of sending out personalized holiday cards.

• Notable Quote:
  "We did a family photo shoot... it was a disaster... we look stupid, so we never mailed them out."
  — Jay Schwedelson [07:40]

b. Critique of Traditional Holiday Cards

Jay critiques the traditional approach to holiday cards, highlighting that they often end up in the mailboxes of secondary or tertiary connections rather than core, meaningful relationships. This practice results in recipients being surrounded by images of acquaintances they don't closely interact with, which can feel impersonal and insincere.

• Notable Quote:
  "If the picture card that we get is not somebody that we really are into, they don't get primary positioning."
  — Jay Schwedelson [08:20]

• Insight:
  The effectiveness of holiday cards is diminished when they fail to target genuinely meaningful relationships. Jay suggests the need for a more strategic approach, distinguishing between primary and secondary connections to ensure that holiday greetings are both meaningful and impactful.

Conclusion and Takeaways

In this episode, Jay Schwedelson underscores the necessity for marketers to continuously evaluate and adapt their strategies. By identifying and sunset outdated tactics—such as first name personalization in email subject lines, overuse of stock photos, and purchasing cold email lists—marketers can enhance their engagement and effectiveness. Additionally, the discussion on holiday cards serves as a reminder to balance traditional practices with thoughtful, targeted approaches to maintain meaningful connections.

• Final Notable Quote:
  "Things are always changing. Whether you think that or not. Things are not going to always work forever."
  — Jay Schwedelson [03:00]

• Overall Actionable Advice:
  Stay vigilant in assessing the performance of your marketing tactics. Embrace authentic and personalized strategies that genuinely resonate with your audience, and be willing to pivot when certain methods no longer yield desired results.

Recommended Next Steps

• Evaluate Current Tactics: Review your current marketing strategies to identify any that may be outdated or less effective.

• Embrace Authenticity: Transition from stock photos to authentic imagery that better connects with your audience.

• Build Quality Email Lists: Focus on building and nurturing your own email lists rather than purchasing cold lists.

• Strategize Holiday Communications: Develop a more targeted approach to holiday communications, ensuring they reach and resonate with your most meaningful connections.

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