… except parents with babies trying to get them to sleep.  And many dogs and their owners.  And those suffering from trauma where loud, explosive noises are a trigger.  And others.  For them, it’s negative.

Everyone loves ice cream… except the lactose intolerant.  And dieters.  And vegans.  And those who don’t like the taste.  And others.  For them, ice cream is a negative.

Even the nearly universally beloved have that niggly “nearly” in them.  If you are a mass marketer, you round up.  You assume that everyone loves the things that nearly everyone loves and you hope those who don’t bear this fact in silence.

But we are direct marketers.  We can and should be more evolved.  Let’s tick through our list.

Everyone loves ads that are more personalized.  Except when they advertise baby products to you after your child is stillborn.  Or are based on flawed third-party data the data practitioners can’t be bothered to update.  Or the ads reveal what you were shopping for for your partner’s surprise birthday present.  And others.  For them, it’s negative.

Everyone loves thank you calls.  Except people who don’t like to get phone calls.  Or for whom the timing isn’t right.  And others.  For them, it’s negative and hurts retention.

Everyone loves a welcome mat and welcome communications.  Except those who already know this stuff about you and are already bought in.  For them, it’s negative; you are wasting their money and it hurts their retention.

Everyone loves more engagement with your organization if they are committed.  Except for what Sergeant and Shang call the “passive loyals.”  They have no interest in deepening their connection to you, but are fiercely loyal.  For them, engagement communications are negative.  They show you don’t know them and what they want.  You are spending money to annoy them.

Everyone loves being special, with “scarcity” even being one of Cialdini’s six laws of influence.  Except for those who don’t – our testing finds that one of the worse things you can do with some religious organizations is call a special group of donors “elite” or separate them from the humble masses.  Or except for those where you are making them special, but separate from values they hold dear.  On average, the average American likes being called the average American.  For many (not all), that’s a source of pride, as is being one of many worshippers who come from many backgrounds but believe in the same thing.  For them, trying to hold out the donor as special is negative and will backfire.

Everyone loves getting your Mother’s Day or Father’s Day greetings.  Except for those who just lost a parent.

And so on.  And so on.  And so on.

The message here?  Question the things you believe about “everyone.”  If not everyone loves fireworks or ice cream or someone calling to say thank you or a Mother’s Day card, what chance does your communication to everyone have?

Once you question, ask more.  Learn more.  Adapt more.  Repeat.

Like the Union for which the fireworks went off yesterday, you will never be perfect.  But you can be more perfect.

Nick