We recently received an email solicitation from Opal Financial Group, the self-described "leading organization in coordinating premier financial conferences globally."
It appears that we are being invited to attend a financial conference. In the banner of the email, set up as a Q&A, Opal explains "Who attends ..." with a list of potential types of attendees. Well, we're sorry to report that we are not a Family Office, Money Manager, Private Equity Manager, Hedge Fund Manager or Pension Fund Manager. Sadly, after the agency's first decade, we are not High-Net-Worth individuals either. (Not yet at any rate.) So, this particular email was not sent to the right audience. Strike one.
In terms of creative, the email breaks a cardinal rule of direct marketing copy. Where, oh where, is the magic word "You?"
You appears — only twice — in the call-to-action: You can also visit www.opalgroup.net, and in the opt-out disclaimer: If you would prefer not to receive any further emails from Opal, please click here. Meanwhile, the email uses an awful lot of real estate promoting the company. The copy doesn't explain the benefits of attending these events. But, that's probably okay because the list of events, appearing in dark grey type on a brown background, is practically impossible to read. Creative? Strike two.
Which leaves us with the offer. The email gives us two choices: Register Now and Information Request. Both drive us right to a form. Unless we were the target audience (we weren't) and/or the creative was compelling (it wasn't), we certainly weren't going to invest the time to fill out a form. More marketing conversation is definitely needed. Strike three.
The b's at B Direct give this email a thumbs-down. Eight events in one email? It's trying to do too much and in doing so, doesn't achieve much at all.
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