Permission Marketing

Angela Altevogt

MKTG 331

Exercise 1

January 27, 2005

Permission Marketing

The differences of the three marketing methods featured in these articles can by some be considered both vague and clear depending on what standpoint it is viewed at. Permission marketing, as stated in the article is a method that encourages companies to persuade the audience to "volunteer attention to, to agree to learn more about the company's products" (Taylor). With rules generated to clarify permission marketing it becomes more of a question to others as to what may identify this away from interruption. Permission Marketing is listed as a selfish way that must be granted by the consumer which may not be transferred, yet it is able to be revoked by the user. However some users may view permission marketing as a way of interruption to there personal lives. Interruption Marketing is a more than an irrelevant way to intrude into the consumer's life. Whether it be spam, internet banners, or television advertisements (some promotional and advertising) it is a very unwanted way of advertising in the 21st century. Many internet users are more than fumed when an irremovable pop-up blocks an article that one has spent indispensable time reading. Request Marketing seems to be the nicer of the three methods yet may not be as efficient as short-term to the companies as would long-term if the cards are played correctly. Request includes a more effective target marketing goal providing the information to only those who are ready to give their full attention. In the long term more consumers will realize that their e-mail inbox will have less junk mail resulting in less irritation and cursing words and a have a more genuine concern for what they are missing out on instead of blanking out on. On the downside, the companies that are trying there hardest to gain the attention of every living person in the United States will no longer focus on everyone thus resulting in fewer desired clientele. The upside for those companies is that they can regain their credibility if all guidelines are followed and therefore not releasing any information unless the customer has requested it.

After all of this entire mayhem one asks if there really is a difference to permission marketing versus direct mail or e-mail. Well that could be up for debate. Is the mail or e-mail directly telling what the company is marketing or is that message asking you if you want to find out more information with just in few catch phrases. If it is the last choice then yes it is more like permission marketing. But that should be not a problem because amazingly enough the direct mail system is more courteous than those annoying pop-up ads and the goal of permission is to be courteous [and receive permission].

There are still some traditional promotion efforts that still allow a company to obtain permission to successfully market themselves to the consumer. For example, sales promotions and direct mail can be used but the customer ultimately must give permission for further action. As stated in the paragraph above direct mail can be a form of permission marketing if briefly giving contact information so that the consumer may decide if they want to give the company their attention. Using sales promotions is also a way of permission marketing because the consumer ultimately decides whether or not to challenge the promotion. For example, if a customer is reading a newspaper that they bought earlier that morning to learn