permission marketing - definition
ICLP – the global loyalty marketing agency – is an expert practitioner of permission marketing.
Permission Marketing is a new phenomenon of modern business practice. It attempts to provide an alternative means of communication with a target audience, who are now becoming unreceptive to more traditional forms of presentation, the so-called interruption techniques such as television and radio advertising, direct mail, newspaper and magazine slots etc.
Today’s consumers are bombarded by random marketing messages wherever they go and whatever they do. In order to grab the attention of your target audience you first need to obtain their permission via some kind of hook, for example a free sample, a significant discount, a motivating competition. Once your target ‘bites’ you have initiated an interaction that provides the stepping-stone to build a longer-term relationship and hopefully making a sale. By only communicating with this set of consumers, permission marketing guarantees that they will pay more attention to the marketing message.
The principle of Permission Marketing is deployed most effectively in the online environment where operating costs are lower and the medium naturally facilitates such “opt-in” activity. To engage in Permission Marketing people must first ‘opt-in’ as opposed to being given the chance to ‘opt-out’ after the ad has been sent.
The term ‘Permission Marketing’ was originally coined by online promotion guru Seth Godin, author of the Amazon Top 100 bestseller book ‘Permission Marketing’, published in 2002. To quote from the text: “By talking only to volunteers, permission marketing guarantees that consumers pay more attention to the marketing message. It serves both customers and marketers in a symbiotic exchange.”
To find out more about Permission Marketing and how ICLP can help your business, please visit ICLP-the global loyalty marketing agency.