Marketing Opportunity in the Bacn?

There's a new name circulating for the email you get that isn't quite spam, but isn't from somebody you personally know. Bacn is email you get confirming the transfer you just made from savings to checking, or the e-ticket for your trip to Naples, Italy.

A report from the email marketing company Silverpop states that people really like getting bacn - even to the point where they don't mind marketing messages that are contained inside.

Amidst the noise, sophisticated email marketers have discovered that transactional messages—those that confirm a purchase, notify customers of shipping dates, deliver warranty information, account status messages, etc.--are the kind most eagerly anticipated by recipients. In fact, eMarketer has reported that six out of 10 consumers say they don’t even mind if a sender tucks in a marketing message alongside their transactional information in an email.

According to Silverpop, JupiterResearch is estimating that by including promotional elements within bacn, companies can add as much as $500,000 in annual revenue. Such a precise number seems silly to me, but needless to say that the concept makes sense.

It's important to think about every communication you have with your customers - even things like newsletter signup confirmations, "forgot my password" emails, etc. Every single touchpoint is an opportunity to promote yourself or communicate the value of your brand.