"Spray and Pray" vs. Targeted Marketing

Making one huge undifferentiated offer to everyone in the database is easy.

It also has a downside.

It’s wasteful because many people who receive the offer have no intention of buying in the near future.

It also has potential backlash.  Continually contacting customers who aren’t ready to make their next purchase can be irritating and generate a feeling that “these people are wasting my time and their money” -- not a good brand message.

Targeted marketing makes offers to people who have a high likelihood of making a purchase soon.  It recognizes what they’re likely to buy next and makes the right offer.  It may also feature items the customer has not bought before but has a high likelihood of buying now.

Targeting this way spends marketing dollars most effectively.  It also sends a brand message that the marketer is smart -- that he understands his customers’ needs.  Targeting is not only efficient; it builds loyalty.