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03:52 May 18, 2009
English to English translations [PRO] Bus/Financial - Human Resources
English term or phrase:a sentence
Context:
Sarah is working with a marketing team based in the United States on an e-mail message to customers about an exclusive merchant offer. The team realizes that the marketable base of customers is actually smaller than they expected. They really feel this is a great offer and more customers should be aware of it.
Sarah comes up with the idea to treat the e-mail as a servicing message, so that no opt-outs will apply.
My questions:
1.Why does the marketing team feel it a great offer when the marketable base is smaller than they expected?
2.How does treating the e-mail as a servicing message help in preventing opt-outs?
Explanation: I agree with Yasutomo Kanazawa about Q1.
Q2 I think refers to the fact that customers can opt out of various types of messages they receive from suppliers/service providers. Typically when a customer is filling in their contact details on a form (physically or online) there is a section which says, as two separate options, "I would like to receive information about service upgrades ..." and "I would like to receive information about new products and offers". More people are likely to agree to the former than the latter, so if the message you refer to, Mark, is sent out as a "servicing message" it will reach a greater number of recipients.
The Offer on the table is a great offer and the customers need to be aware of this, they are a bit disappointed they didn't get as many customers as they thought they would, and they have to work harder to get a better base of customers. So their new task is to find out how to get more customers in their marketable base as in their opinion it is a great offer and it should have a better pulling power for customers.
You can prevent Opt-outs by following up initial contacts/customers with an email, as there is usually a cooling off period of 7 days, emails reach them in seconds, snail mail takes a few days and these few days gives people time to think and say no. you keep the customer warm to your offer if you are in contact to them.
I will post this as an answer...as the ones below are difficult to understand.
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Answers
1 hr confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
answers
Explanation: Regarding Q1:
There are two possibilities for interpretation:
1) Like you said, the marketing team feels that this is a great offer when the marketable base is smaller than they expected.
2) The sentence "They really feel this is a great offer and more customers should be aware of it." has nothing to do with the market size, but rather saying that for the team, this exclusive offer itself is a great opportunity regardless of the size of the actual customers.
Based on your question and assuming that my first answer is correct, my interpretation would be that if the marketable base of customers is actually smaller, then it would be easier to target the potential clients, since the numbers are small, plus they could add extra value when making an offer and coaxing their customers telling them something like "you are the chosen ones", plus it would be easier for the team to oversee what's going on. If the number of potential clients are large, it would be difficult for the team to oversee.
Regarding to your second question, I have explained partially in my first answer above, and if one is told that you're the chosen one and no mass-mailing, it would be easier for the team to provide the offers to a smaller group than a larger group, and if the customer really finds out what they're saying is true, there would be less opt-outs.
It's like being a Gold Card member of a credit card. If you are a gold member, it would be easier for the team to target those members, and it would be difficult for those gold card members to turn down the exclusive offer made to them, since those offers are made ONLY to them, and those members feel that they are treated in a special way.
Explanation: I agree with Yasutomo Kanazawa about Q1.
Q2 I think refers to the fact that customers can opt out of various types of messages they receive from suppliers/service providers. Typically when a customer is filling in their contact details on a form (physically or online) there is a section which says, as two separate options, "I would like to receive information about service upgrades ..." and "I would like to receive information about new products and offers". More people are likely to agree to the former than the latter, so if the message you refer to, Mark, is sent out as a "servicing message" it will reach a greater number of recipients.
Samantha Payn United Kingdom Local time: 20:00 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: 1/
The Offer the company is putting out is a great offer and the customers need to be aware of this, they are a bit disappointed they didn't get as many customers as they thought they would from their first marketing campaign, and they have to work harder to get a better base of customers. So their new task is to find out how to get more customers in their marketable base as in their opinion it is a great offer and it should have a better pulling power for customers.
A buying Customer base is slightly different to your actual customer base, sometimes ad campaigns miss the mark, and only catch a small percentage of your perceived customer base.
2/
You can prevent Opt-outs by following up initial contacts/customers with an email, as there is usually a cooling off period of 7 days, emails reach them in seconds, snail mail takes a few days and these few days gives people time to think and say no. you keep the customer warm to your offer if you are in contact to them.
(Additional information)
Small markets for products are difficult to sell in, (I have to sell in a market of 40,000 customers myself nationally) you generally get your first 20% of customers interested in your product in a ad campaign, so my customer uptake is fairly small, the next 30% of customers costs me 100% more in advertising and give-a-ways (which are very good offers like plane travel, holidays etc) The next 20% is word of mouth and on a needs basis. Some of my customers want to opt-out by trying before buying, I email them and phone them the next day after purchase to make sure they realize all the benefits, if I do this I have minimal drop outs
So my offers are usually very good but my uptake is low.
I will post this as an answer...as the ones below are difficult to understand.
Gary D Local time: 06:00 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
The translation workplace 
