A group of marketers got together last week to chat about best practices in email marketing. The discussion was an effective recap for many and certainly a comprehensive guide for those just starting off. We spoke about 17 things a marketer needs to do to keep their consumer engaged. Here are a few key ideas we spoke about.
Number 2 – You have to know more: In addition to email, you need to ask the consumer for additional information that will help you with segmentation and personalization. Include basic preferences, and let the consumer know about all your available channels. Use intrigue, incentive, and tracking to build up your repository.
Number 3 – Message people right away: Start by thanking people for signing up for your campaign, deliver what you promised immediately, and make sure that your first message is written to perfection. If you offer a coupon, remind people about the expiration date. Think about your first email being so good that the consumer keeps it forever.
Number 6 – Enhanced Message: In addition to covering all your basics in your email messaging think about a few ways to make your email stand out even more. Solicit feedback and request preferences in every email message – but make sure you tie this back into building up your consumer repository. Think about the types of recurring streams you can create within your organization to automate some of your email messages.
Number 7 – Focus on Growing Your List: This should be an imperative within your organization. You can use both incentives and recognition to grow your list. Two things to consider when growing your list. First, look at the cost of acquisition of every email id. Second, make sure that your net improvement is on the way up – this means that in addition to getting names, you want to make sure that more people are paying attention to your messages.
Number 9 – The Power of Re-marketing: Track email performance to follow up with people based on their clicks. Plan your landing pages to see if your call to action is listed appropriately. Think about ‘Happy Path Testing’ – make sure that error free pages are actually leading the recipient to an appropriate decision.
Number 14 – Your Other Channels: What can you do to extend the shelf life of your direct marketing materials? What is the worst thing you can say to your customer? Do you write on the merchandise that you ship? Have you conducted a catalog reading? Do you know how to tell the rest of the story?
If you would like the presentation with all 17 points listed send me a note. If you were part of our discussion on Friday, thank you & do give me your feedback.
