CAN-SPAM Act

You may or may not  be familiar with the CAN-SPAM act but I for one am appreciative that it exists. Marketing companies and merchants use email marketing to solicit more customers and to allow current customers the opportunity to purchase more products. The emails I receive typically have the unsubscribe link right at the bottom of the email in fine print. However, have you ever felt that when you click on the unsubscribe it makes you answer several questions before you can in fact unsubscribe?

Why do I have to answer why I'm unsubscribing? I don't want the emails anymore (and here I thought that was implied when I clicked the link). I used to receive emails from Toys R' Us (yes, I'm the mom that signed up for one coupon and lived to regret it). Toys R' Us made me remember a log in password prior to be able to unsubscribe. That forced me to keep the subscription longer than I wanted. I definitely would eliminate the need to jump through so many hurdles to unsubscribe.

One of the companies I follow is Amazon, they are using the internet to the full advantage becasue the use techniques such as web 3.0 and other strategies to keep customers interested and engaged.

Utility Model Explored

We're studying business models in my current Marketing class and I'm looking more into the utility model. In short this model is a pay as go type feel. Some current companies who participate in this type of model are Skype and Google Voice to name a couple. When exploring if this has been a profitable business model I reviewed Skype's 2016 annual report. "We generated $85.3 billion in revenue, $52.5 billion in gross margin, and $20.2 billion in operating income this past fiscal year... revenue was $92.0 billion with $27.9 billion in operating income (Microsoft, 2016)." Based on that initial statement this model is profitable. However, when exploring further, Skype has actually seen a decrease in profits across three years. Productivity and Business Processes is actually down $489 from from 2014 $29,976. With exploring this one company we can surmise that this business model doesn't show a positive trend in all three areas consistently. 

Conversely, if Skype were to pivot to a subscription model ( a fee based model based on subscribers as opposed to pay as you go) they may be able to see more of a profit. Subscriptions would at minimum allow Skype's customers to predict the revenue of the company on a more consistent basis. With Skype I think their current business model would serve them best and will continue to see them as a relevant company.  

Creating Value Week 1

AT&T does a great job of reaching its customers on and offline. There is targeted marketing to consumers which explains the detail of what the company has to offer. With AT&T shifting to an entertainment company, they really showcase what they have to offer by using multiple platforms to grasps a customers attention. AT&T utilizes interactive and offline channels to draw customers. For example, the flagship location hosts' special events for its customers like the cast of Empire of having a Cubs player visit. AT&T also has a strong website presence, making it easy for potential customers to learn more about the advantages.