Why this? Why now? Why here?

Every message LEDRAN looks at gets the same three questions. They're simple on purpose. The messages that get ignored usually fail at least one.

Why this?

Is the message about something this customer cares about, based on what they've done? Or is it about what the business wants to say this week?

“Your beans run out on Friday. Want your usual sent Wednesday?” passes. “LAST CHANCE: 20% off ends midnight” usually doesn't.

Why now?

Is there a reason it arrives today, for this person? A delivery, a renewal, a run-out date, a match on Saturday. A campaign calendar isn't a reason the customer can see.

Why here?

Is this the right channel for it? A delivery update belongs in a push or a text. A longer story belongs in an email. The same offer in email, SMS and push within a minute of each other belongs nowhere.

Using them

Put a month of messages on one page, side by side, and ask all three of each one. The ones that pass are usually the ones customers already open. The ones that fail tell you where to start.

A former colleague put it better than I can:

Ash has a knack for asking ‘why’. Why is the customer seeing this? Why now?

Ciaran Macdonald, worked with Ash at two agencies

It's where every CRM audit starts, too. And it's why quiet leavers leave.