So we know the postman always knocks twice, and that the USPS will deliver your mail through rain, sleet, or snow, just not on Sundays.  But as snail mail has been replaced by email, email has been increasingly replaced by its cooler cousin: Facebook messages.  As the number of users has exploded, so too have the number of transmissions through Facebook messages.  Which leads to the latest hiccup in the world’s most popular social network.

Last week an undisclosed number of private messages were misdirected by Facebook’s servers to unintended recipients, originally reported by a Wall Street Journal writer who fell victim to the server snafu.  While spreading general confusion, these messages also offered snapshots into the lives of other Facebook members. Messages ranged from teenagers lamenting their sweetheart not asking them to the prom to even death threats.

A Selection of mis-delivered messages:

1.“Until I start hearing some thank yous from you, I will be unable to give you rides home after dance.”

This raises great questions over modern parenthood.  Are today’s adolescents so plugged in their parents need to Facebook them in order to garner a thank you?

2. “The jealousy, the vibes, and what I hold dear to me made this whole weekend hard. The cuddling, truth or dare game, the texting back and forth for long periods of time, and the whispering back and forth for a long time got to me.”

Unrequited love and intrigue has never seemed quite so titillating as when it’s delivered through a Facebook message, where you can simultaneously poke the object of your affection.

And finally,

3. “I took my stuff off don’t want to ruin your life for you. So you can continue to cheat on facebook I don’t care anymore. I have asked you please not to do things but you keep on and on. So you are listed as married but that is because my status is gone. Too bad everything had to end over a f*****’ website. Wow that was worth it to you I guess.”

The age of question of who gets to keep the circle of friends has only gotten messier in the digital age, wherein, it appears, all record of a relationship must be cleansed from that “f*****’ website.” The question remains whether a post-marriage restraining order will mandate these two be defriended.

In the online world with the growth of Social Media,  continued need for Natural Search and Paid Search, email marketing is becoming the red headed step child of online marketing.  Email Marketing should be considered as much a part of the online marketing family project as any other piece.

In general, Email is one of the easiest and simplest ways to reach out and engage your customer with your brand. According to a recent study by E-marketer “Spending on email marketing by businesses will increase by $16 million  ($472 million in 2008 to $488 million in 2009) this year.” Also, E-markerter reported by 2011 online spending for email campaigns will increase to $677 million. Those are huge increases over the next few years. So the next time you think Email marketing is second to your SEO and SMO efforts, think again. Otherwise, you might be missing out on an easy and cost effective way to reach your customer, that your competitor is doing and taking away business from you.

Email Marketing Tips

• Always keep your email message simple with 1-2 direct calls to actions to engage the consumer
• Cut down on the images in the emails (looking pretty doesn’t matter, if no one can see your email)
• Keep your subject line short and to the point  (According to MailerMailer (2008) “Emails with shorter subject lines out performed emails with long subject lines by a significant margin)