Author: Eric Stahl / Source: Marketing Land
Email has been a part of our lives for so long that most of us take it for granted. But take a closer look the next time your inbox pings. Marketers are always at work transforming email in new and interesting ways to engage the consumer.
I was reminded of this on a recent trip to Las Vegas, when I stayed at the Venetian. The morning I left, I received an email saying that all I needed to do to check out was click a button in the email message to initiate the process. I was pleasantly surprised because it was clear that the hotel valued my time by seamlessly integrating the checkout process into the regular flow of my life.
Email is older than social media and messaging apps, but don’t underestimate its power. Eighty percent of marketing leaders cite email marketing as core to their business, according to the 2016 Salesforce State of Marketing Research Report. Good campaigns elevate the experience so that you’re excited at that ding of new mail.
Go beyond simply acquiring email addresses
Email’s barrier to entry is low for consumers, and marketers know that. If someone already trusts a brand, it makes signing up a no-brainer. Just think of how many times you’ve given your email address at the register of a favorite store or online in exchange for an appealing offer.
But as a marketer, how do you handle that first interaction with the customer? You can’t just ask for an email address without giving something of value in return.
What will you give to encourage the customer to share? Companies that do business with other companies often offer white papers and free trials. Brands that deal directly with consumers, on the other hand, entice people with discounts, exclusive offers and membership program rewards.
Early on, marketers should interact with consumers minimally and intelligently by leveraging transactional emails, like shipping confirmations, receipts or appointment reminders. These sorts of messages have much higher open rates than promotional emails and build positive sentiment.
Progressive profiling over the course of subsequent interactions will yield more data, and give a better sense of the customer’s interests and preferences. Depending on what emails are opened, seen and acted upon, marketers will learn how to better personalize content and interact with specific consumers.
As data rolls in and refines consumer profiles, incentives can offer even more information about the customer. It’s an ongoing conversation whereby you get meaningful feedback quickly that you can act on. On the other hand, if you start to boost…
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