One of the interesting things about email marketing is that
while many people say it is past its prime, studies show that email is still the
most preferred method of receiving information about products and services that
customers trust.
The truth is email is still a valid and viable medium for
communicating with your preferred audience.
While the methodology changes, the basic message stays the same. It is the most cost effective means of
marketing available to small and medium sized businesses.
Gone are the days, however, of the “weekly newsletter,”
though. If that is still in your bag of
tricks, my advice is to throw it away, or at least revisit what you do with it. With the advent of smart filtering and
auto-prioritizing of inboxes, your bland newsletter will likely never be
seen. What you need is a new trick or
two.
Event triggered emails are 71% more likely to be opened
rather than newsletters, according to Maciej Ossowski of Marketing Profs. These also generate on average five times the
ROI of the standard newsletter. Event
triggered emails are those emails sent after someone has failed to convert on
the landing page, or has filled out a form or taken some kind of action.
Another key to making sure your email is read is to make it
even more personalized. It’s not enough
to greet by name anymore. You’ve got to
know who they are, and your recipient has to feel like the message is meant
specifically for them. Use the data in
your CRM to personalize to an even greater extent. Know their name, yes; but also know what
they’ve purchased or downloaded, know where they live and what they like to do,
their gender, their reason for knowing you and your company.
Finally, use proper cross-channel strategies. Your customers will have multiple
opportunities and multiple touch points for your business or organization. Make sure the message is clear not only in a
personalized email, but utilize where your customers are spending their time;
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pintrest, and the myriad other social media
platforms your contacts use and connect with you.
Email marketing is still strong, and continues to be the
most cost effective way to communicate to your customers, clients, and
contacts. Use the right strategy and the
right tools, and you can ensure a higher open rate, response rate and more
success.
