One fifth of Americans Have Never Used Email

Did you know that roughly one fifth of the US population has never used email and there are 20 million US households without Internet Access? This is the focus of an upcoming report titled National Technology Scan 2008 by Parks Associates.

“Nearly one out of three household heads has never used a computer to create a document” - John Barrett, director, research Parks Associates

As one would expect, age and education are the major factors with half of those who have never used email are over 65 and about 56 percent "had no schooling beyond high school," according to the report. Only seven percent of the 20 million "disconnected" users plan to get connected "within the next 12 months."



As I pointed in my earlier Internet Trends post, US Internet growth has declined over the recent years.

Gimme Book: Thinking Beyond the Unique Selling Proposition

Gimme! book is an eye opening book for marketers as it touches on the long ignored aspects of marketing: "how human beings are wired and how they work emotionally." For too long, marketers have been taught to focus on unique selling proposition (USP). Now John Hallward tells us about the reality of USP and how it is "not a consumer-centric view."

The "wired" part is especially interesting to me as it touches on the hidden powers of socially targeted advertising and marketing.

“Consumers do not want one characteristic or one USP. Consumers want it all.Why should a consumer have to choose between the longest lasting pain reliever versus the fast acting, or the safest, most gentle, or the cheapest priced? The concept of marketing a USP is not a consumer-centric view. It is not a realistic, relevant reflection of how consumers operate. Furthermore, a USP for a brand is limiting in appeal by the very definition of trying to sell one main benefit to the sub-segment of consumers which most values that one benefit. Consumers want pain relievers to be fast-acting, and safe, and strong, and inexpensive and more.”

I have just started reading the book, "Gimme! The Human Nature of Successful Marketing" and I have already found the "wow" factor that's all over this book. If you'd like to preview the contents of Gimme! check out the "lessons learned" section of the book's website. Highly recommended!