EightBlack.

Perry outlines 10 critical steps.

And obviously, we agree - especially given the fact that TaguchiMail helps even further with this process.

Any marketer who is emailing and doesn’t know what his or her sender reputation is, doesn’t have a suite of reporting and delivery tools and cant dynamically optimise the content of their email broadcast, falls even further behind.

Perry’s one of the smartest online marketers I know. And for good reason. His clarity of thinking is way above the majority of the market.

We’ve just taken on our second round of private equity finance. Interesting space this whole VC market. And not without its challenges.

The words that keep ringing in my ears about the whole “building a software company” crusade caper are the words of Eric Schmidt last year at one of the Web 2.0 gigs in San Francisco when he said “If you want to win on the web, you need to have the ability to scale”.

Given that TaguchiMail is now around 12-months old - I wouldn’t say that funding was the hardest part. Not easy. But not insurmountable.

Recruitment of talent. Now that’s the toughest part in this climate. Especially for start-ups.

So if you hear of any good programmers or business analysts, I’d be grateful. There are currently 2 openings in our Melbourne office.

Details here.

I don’t know about you - but now more than ever, good people are hard to find. Especially to fill this slot. If anyone has someone they can recommend, there’s a $2500 finders fee attached.

The tone of the conversation with a few of our TaguchiMail clients is changing rapidly.

Let me point out that these folks are not new to email marketing. They’ve all got significant sized lists, they broadcast often and they understand email marketing well.

I think new words like “trigger-based email” and “push email” will start to become common-place with serious marketers. Maybe not new words as such, but a much higher level of importance.

The challenge with broadcast emails (where you simply send the same message to your whole database) is that conversion rates are slowly but surely on the decline. Assume that a marketer has a “call to action” offer within the email - then he/she will be happy with a conversion metric of anything north of 2%. And thats being generous.

We were recently in a conversation with a company who said that database growth wasn’t the priority - but database interactivity and engagement was. Which was interesting. It’s the first time I’ve actually heard someone want a higher focus on interactivity than raw database growth.

Being in the music industry, their database is fickle. Young. And changes tastes and their mood often. They want to be able to have the user decide what content they want. And when the want it. (Trigger based email, where based on certain “trigger-points”, content is pushed to them).

It makes perfect sense. But it is extremly difficult to pull off. Most companies either don’t have the technology or the resources to make it happen.

A lot of people we talk to simply roll their eyes when the conversation moves to “list segmentation” But this is where all the gold is.

If you have a large list - you simply have no choice but to break it down. Pull it apart. Analyse the hell out if it. I would also stop this nonsense of referring to your list by total size.

The only important metric is the active portion of your list.

For example, we have another client who has a list of around 70,000. But the active number is more like 10,000. The other 60,000 don’t count. They don’t respond. They don’t interract. In fact, what I’d do is simply write to them and let them know that their name is being removed unless they choose to stay. The inactive people on your list simply cloud the numbers too much and make it harder for segmentation to occur.

I’ve only seen one marketer do this - and do it well.

I’m convined “trigger based” email and “push email” is the way of the future. Broadcast email will become too ineffective. The spam filters are getting smarter, corporate firewalls are wound up tighter than a fishes bum and there’s a lot happening in the sender reputation and delivery efficiency areas. Email is far from dead - especially in the business market. But it is far from good. And change needs to happen.

Segmentation, throttle rate, and dynamic optimisation are some of the key reasons we went out and built TaguchiMail. It handles push based and trigger email easily.

My question is this though - if you have a list, are you courageous enough to remove the 90% who don’t do anything? Or do you still believe that there’s value in getting the “brand” out there with mass email marketing? (that noise in the background is me vomiting…)

Over to you.

Sometimes you have no choice but to laugh.

Take for instance our current search for a new geek. We think we are an ok place to work. Cool projects. Meals provided, transport paid for and your choice of PC to work on (as long as its a Mac). There’s a constantly stocked coke fridge and if you want, we’ll fit an intravenous drip from the espresso machine to either arm.

We also pay above standard.

You don’t even have to send a CV or Resume. We just want you to follow some simple instructions. Like this.

But do you think the people who have applied have bothered to read our ad. Well, let me share with you just one of the responses…

“HR Manager,

Dear Sir / Madam,

Application for the post of web Developer

I have been delighted to be made aware of vacancies for Java Developer at your reputed Organization and hereby wish to make my application to join your team.

I graduated in September 2005 with a Second Class (First Division) in BSc (Hons) Information Systems from the Manchester Metropolitan University, U.K. My educational background has covered aspects of programming, systems analysis and design, database systems. Apart from that I have studied concepts of communication networks, concepts of operating systems and practically implemented some artificial intelligent techniques.

From my final year dissertation and working experience during the industrial placement, I developed a strong interest in software development and developed the competency required to handle software projects. My previous experience in software development, combined with my interest in software development will enable me to work as an effective team member of your Organisation.

I have hereby attached my CV for your perusal. I would be glad to appear for an interview at a time of your preference for further discussion.

I hope you would find a position in software development in your organisation, where I can serve to the best of my capabilities based on the skills I possess and with great dedication to be a partner of the future successful endeavours of your organisation. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours faithfully,

“xxxx”

We specifically said no CV. No letter. And if you really did want to write, we even let you know who to address the letter to (I didn’t even know we had a HR department until this person wrote to it).

In the 3rd paragraph of their letter, this person states: “I have studied concepts of communication networks, concepts of operating systems and practically implemented some artificial intelligent techniques”.

It’s a pity that they didn’t “practically implement some artificial intelligence into their own tiny brain…” instead of working out how to perform this manouvre on an unsuspecting farm animal.

Or something like that.

Safe to say that we haven’t been overly impressed with the candidates to date. I for one think that maybe we placed the ad in the wrong section (like the one for the visually impaired or people with severe learning disabilities). It’s the only explanation.

But those recruitment people are something else. They’ve been calling the office like someone who has just been told they’ve won tattslotto (or to call their doctor urgently).

Man, are those guys persistent.

So if you know of anyone who can read and follow instructions (like the ones in the ad), will you let them know we’re looking for someone. Preferably someone who can stand upright, speak english and is smarter than the average kitchen appliance.

I sure would appreciate it.

I thought I had better keep true to my word (and recent post) about websites not needing to be perfect in order to launch. So be it.

Here it is. And it’s about 50% there.

But the good thing about “going public” is that we as a team are well focussed on ensuring the content will be written, the images sourced and the web analytics tracking code is installed right from the start.

If you see glaring deficiencies (or we have missed anything) I would love to know. You can email me here anytime.

This has taken some time to get off the ground. These things always do.

But I’m pleased to say we’ve done it. And now we’re happy to talk to people and to consider “beta” applications. Head over here to learn a little more.

Stay tuned.