Changes in Consumer Attitudes Resulting from Participation in a Permission E-mail Campaign

Abstract

As permission (opt-in) e-mail is used increasingly for marketing products and services, traditional ideas about persuasive communication should be reexamined in light of the interactivity offered by e-mail marketing campaigns. This exploratory study utilized a longitudinal analysis to assess changes in prospects' attitudes as a result of participation in a company's permission e-mail marketing campaign. The sample of college students at two universities experienced statistically significant improvement in their attitude toward the brand and company, in their feelings of trust, and in their intention to purchase after receiving only three e-mail communications. Implications are drawn for development of permission marketing communications that build trust and ongoing relationships with customers.