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I am not currently a member of eHarmony and they are trying to sell me a Permium Personality Profile that helps me “get the most out of all the relationships in your life, especially the ones you develop on eHarmony. “
After three months of endless come-ons to re-subscribe to the point of negative groveling, they are trying a different approach, which while I applaud their tenacity, falls short of getting me to reach for my wallet.
The good:
Greets me by my first name. Simple but feels like they are talking directly to me.
They know I am a registered member but not paying and they mention that in the email. Acknowledgement and transparency is key.
Nice graphics and layout, besides Yahoo! Personals, the best in the business.
The not-so-good:
The “Save 80%” tag line is a trick. Not quite a bait and switch but once you find out it’s for a premium profile and not a subscription offer your expectations are deflated and you mutter to yourself that eHarmony is up no good.
Anytime something is reduced 80% I run for the hills, but that’s just me, right? It can’t possibly be of any value if you have to practically give it away. Or maybe they sell 100,000 of these every time they do an email blast, but I doubt it.
The overall tone of the copy is usually quite solid, this is mediocre at best.
Weak sales proposition: “Start today to discover more about yourself so you may become more successful in your personal and professional relationships.” NEVER use the phrase “may”. That’s admitting that you’re taking a total leap of faith and have little confidence in the offer.
People learn about themselves at Tickle and OKCupid, not eHarmony. I am willing to be the eHarmony tests are more scientifically valid but
There is no “may” at Adult Friend Finder.” There has to be at Match, too many legal issues and their six month guarantee is a joke. It’s not a set of tires, it’s my life!
Why should I start my new profile today? I’m already a registered member. I’ve rebuked your ever-decreasing price offers for months. Can’t you tell how many time I’ve said no and build that into the offer? THAT is personalization. Pulling my name from a database is stuff we were doing a decade ago. Track my responses and react to them. Better yet, be proactive
Then again, in this age of personalization, perhaps I am the only one that received this email and they are testing something on me and a few thousand other people. Who knows? Try browsing the web with your wife/brother/sister/dad’s computer. I see totally different ads for the most part.
“I want to thank you again” … fluff BS. Dr. Warren is more of a liability than an asset these days. He was a good spokesperson in the early years, trusting Christian grandpa, took singles by surprise and shook up the market with his steady and trusting persona. News flash, It’s 2008, and he’s no Dave Thomas or Jared from Subway. New singles have no idea who Dr. Warren is. Time to get a new spokesperson.
Have you seen the woman from the Mercury car ads? I spent the last 10 minutes trying to remember what brand she represented, which is more an issue with the Mercury ads than that fact that I think she could be the next face of eHarmony. I think she’s a natural for the job, what do you think? If you disagree, who do you think should be the next face of eHarmony? Leave a comment.
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Snip:
For your information, Warren has retired as company spokesperson. Reader’s Digest, in February 2008, said, “Now 73, Warren is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the business, but he is still very much involved in the overall strategy and vision for the company.” A male voiceover has taken his place in eHarmony’s recent TV and radio advertising.