Have you ever felt the frustration of receiving emails or text messages that don't interest you? Then you already know firsthand that your marketing strategy shouldn't go that way. 

Permission marketing is like getting a free pass to advertise to people who really want to hear from you. 

It's like being invited to a party where everyone is excited to see you and wants to hear what you have to say. 

And the best part? You don't have to beg or ask for attention because everybody will already be interested!

If this is the first time you're hearing about this type of marketing, don't worry, you'll leave here being properly informed about it.

What is permission marketing? 

Permission marketing is a strategy that relies on obtaining prior consent from consumers to receive marketing communications. 

Permission marketing is opposed to "invasive marketing", which is based on interrupting the consumer's attention with unsolicited advertising. By obtaining the public's approval, a relationship of trust is established between the brand and the consumer. 

In short, it’s an effective marketing strategy because it focuses on the consumer and his or her need to receive relevant and useful information and advertising on a voluntary basis.

Main characteristics of permission marketing

In this article, we will highlight the three main characteristics that define this advertising strength:

1. It’s anticipatory 

The company requests prior permission from the user to send them information. In this way, it avoids losing one of its most valuable assets: time.

2. It’s personal

Advertising is only directed to people who have requested or accepted it, so it’s specific and personalized.

3. It’s relevant 

Users really want to get that information, and it’s tailored to their needs. This leads to greater interest and thus increases the likelihood of becoming a customer.

So, based on its characteristics we could say that it tries to build long-lasting and meaningful relationships with customers by getting their permission to contact them and send them important information.

This can be achieved through a variety of methods, such as offering some kind of incentive, providing useful and relevant content in marketing channels, and interacting with customers in a genuine, creative and personalized way.

Permission marketing methods

Permission marketing methods are important because they give companies the opportunity to interact with consumers in a more respectful and consensual way. Not to mention that it also helps to get much more effective results.

Therefore, we leave you with the following list of methods that can be used in permission marketing:

• Request explicit consent from customers to receive marketing communications.

• Once a certain product has been approved, ask for permission to offer other products that may be of interest: as the business relationship progresses and contacts become more regular, the customer's trust in the company increases.

• Develop the customer loyalty process. The best way to do this, and also the most profitable, is to convince them that the products and services you are offering are something they really need, addressing their needs. 

• Offer incentives such as exclusive offers, discounts and free content that will serve to encourage a higher level of trust and permissiveness on their part. 

• Create useful and relevant content for marketing channels.

• Send email newsletters.

• Engage in social media and other forms of interaction with customers in an authentic and particular way. 

• Have the necessary options for customers to opt out of receiving future marketing communications when they wish to do so. 

• Ensure that the marketing content sent to customers is relevant and useful, so that customers continue to devote their time and attention to the communications sent.

A well-known example of a company that applies permission marketing is Amazon.

Amazon uses permission marketing to advertise products and services on its website. 

Consumers must click a button to view the advertisement, which demonstrates their interest in the brand and their willingness to receive the information. In addition, consumers can unsubscribe at any time.

We see that permission marketing turns out to be very useful, because it allows the marketer to target the customer in a more effective and assertive way. This method is considered much more effective than interruption marketing, since customers who see invasive advertisements end up ignoring or rejecting them.

Benefits of permission marketing

And what are those benefits that can be highlighted in this type of marketing, say no more and check out following list: 

• Personalization: marketing messages are customized and tailored to the customer's specific interests and needs, which increases the effectiveness of the message.

• Relevance: marketing messages are relevant and useful to the customer, which helps build a relationship of trust with the brand and improves customer loyalty.

• Explicit consent: permission marketing is based on explicit consent, which means that the brand is respecting the customer's privacy and building a positive, trusting relationship.

• Improved conversion rate: personalized and relevant messages increase the likelihood that the user will take an action (such as making a purchase or subscribing).

• Reduced cost of customer acquisition: by targeting consenting customers, the cost of acquisition is reduced by having to spend fewer resources on attracting new prospects.

• Reduced complaints and unsubscribe requests: this is because consumers know that they can control the type of information they receive and when they receive it.

• Improved brand reputation: by giving consumers control over information, it shows that the brand cares about their needs and values their privacy. This makes the brand be seen as more trustworthy and transparent.

What about permission marketing tiers? 

Did you know that there are tiers in permission marketing? These were defined by Seth Godin, who mentions the following:

1. IV level

Customers grant explicit and full permission to receive marketing messages from the brand.

2. Point Services Level

Permission is granted to receive marketing messages as they accumulate points or benefits for their loyalty to the brand.

3. Personal relationship level

Permission is now dedicated to receive marketing messages based on a personal relationship with the brand.

4. Level of trust in the brand

Here the focus is on receiving marketing messages based on trust and respect for the brand.

5. Intrinsic marketing level

And finally, permission is granted to receive marketing messages related to products or services that users themselves have requested or initiated.

And just as there are levels, there are also types....

Types of permission marketing

1. Explicit permission

This is the authorization that is obtained directly from the user and that certifies their interest in receiving information. With this, you will be able to know exactly what type of content they are interested in and how regularly to send it.

2. Implicit permission

The user grants permission when registering on a website, whether it’s a blog, an ecommerce, among others. This type of authorization can also grant many benefits to a marketing strategy, since the user has shown an interest in the brand.

What about security in permission marketing? 

Another aspect to consider is the role of privacy and data security in permission marketing, which is of great importance. 

A permission marketing strategy requires the customer to give explicit consent to receive personalized marketing messages. 

Therefore, privacy and security of customer data should be a top priority for brands looking to implement an effective permission marketing strategy.

In addition, data privacy and information security laws, such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act, oblige companies to protect users' personal data and ensure their privacy.

I feel the latter is essential for an effective permission marketing strategy and to comply with data privacy and information security laws. 

This is an essential responsibility that brands must assume when collecting and using customer data for marketing purposes.

Now, the time has come to implement permission marketing. How to do it? See the next point to be discussed.

Steps to follow to implement permission marketing

Understand the basics

Start by researching and reading about the basics of permission marketing, such as Seth Godin's book "Permission Marketing" or online articles about this topic.

Identify the different levels

As mentioned above, there are different levels of permission marketing, it’s important to identify and understand them in order to implement them effectively. One misstep can mean losing a customer in the face of considerable miscommunication.

Know about privacy and data security laws

It’s crucial to understand privacy and data security laws such as the GDPR, the "California Consumer Privacy Act", just to mention one example. However, this should be refrained from the marketing laws of each respective country as the case may be.

If you've reached this point, it's because you're really interested in doing your own permission marketing. For that reason, we don't want you to forget some key points to apply this type of marketing.

Follow each one of them, and your chances of making sales will greatly improve:

1. Create personalized and relevant content

In permission marketing it’s important that the content is personalized and relevant to the audience, which is why you need to research and understand your target audience.

2. Get explicit permission

Get explicit and clear permission from customers to send them marketing messages and make sure they know how they can unsubscribe at any time.

3. Analyze and adjust

Review and analyze the results of your permission marketing campaigns continuously to adjust and improve the effectiveness of your strategy.

Finally, we want you to make sure that the people who subscribe to your project are clear about the type of content they will receive and that it doesn’t cause a negative reaction in the user. 

Also make sure that the terms and conditions are very clear and easy to understand. Always emphasize your focus on ethics and honesty, to generate the necessary level of trust. 

Remember that permission marketing is not only an ethical form of communication, but also an effective way to grow your business and connect with your customers in a deeper way.

If you’ve found this information useful, don't forget to share it with those who need it.