Do you Execute Properly on Your Fantastic Ideas? Learn from Delivery.com’s Mistake.

Posted: January 16, 2009

I recently received what appeared to be a fantastic marketing campaign from Delivery.com. However, the great idea failed in execution due to some very simple fundamentals – lack of targeting.

Consider the timing of this offer?

The temperature in Washington DC is suppose to be 2 degrees this weekend, which is exceptionally cold for DC. Delivery.com is going to give me bonus points for every degree under 25 if I order from them this weekend.

Sound Perfect. Who wants to go out in freezing temperatures to pick-up food?

I’ve ordered from delivery.com before. They have my name, zip code, location of nearest metropolitan area, etc. Enough information to make a truly personal offer.

This great idea failed in execution due to 2 simple mistakes:

Here’s a screenshot of the email:

Failed Reason 1 – Offer Targets Incorrect City

The promotion is based upon the temperature in Central Park (New York City). Why do I care about the temperature in NYC? I live in DC. Just because it’s cold in NYC doesn’t mean it’ll be cold where I live. What do people in Miami think about a cold weather alert email?

If this promotion would have instead shown the upcoming temperature’s in DC and based the rewards points on the temperature in DC – it would have been locally relevant, and the offer would have been personal. Instead, it just says it’ll be cold in some city where I won’t be this weekend.

Failed Reason 2 – Poor User Experience After the Offer

There is an easy to see call to action to browse the restaurants in my area. Delivery.com knows my zip code. Clicking that link should take me to restaurants that deliver to my area. Instead, it takes me to the home page. Search 101 says take someone to the most relevant page for your ad copy. The same goes for email.

The link should have taken me to a page that:

Reinforced the offer (same images at the top of the page)
Displayed the restaurants that actually deliver to me
Had an option for ordering this weekend
Showcased the discount code (reminded me that not only do I want to order because of the temperature, but that I also will get bonus points for doing so)

Never Forget to Connect with Your Customers

If you have information about your customers; use it to target properly.

If you don’t have information, at least make a landing page (for the ad or email) that blends the look of the initial message so that someone is continuing along the same messaging lines.

Reinforce the offer on the landing page.

The premise of this campaign was fantastic. It was a good idea.

The execution was bad due to a simple mistakes.

Take a look at your offers. Are you connecting with your consumers?

Related Information:

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