There has been a lot of coverage recently relating to privacy and security, but what about the customer that is engaging with your brand? How can you get closer to them? We feel that the direct approach is best.
Segment your database
Every customer on your list is different and while you can’t segment your list contact by contact, a brief segmented list is better than a “one size fits all” email campaign. Emails, like gifts, are better received when a little thought is added.
Design for Zero Attention
Information overload is a frequently used phrase but it’s true nevertheless. Your customers have more choice and less time than ever and it’s for this reason that you need to make your message relevant, targeted and easy to digest. The average user spends a mere 51 seconds skimming one — and needs only 90 seconds to unsubscribe, so make your message snappy and meaningful.
Planning
If you can register your customers’ milestones within your email marketing campaign, you will have caught their attention. Boots have completed this effectively with their “Parenting Club”. On registering, the customer is asked to enter the date of birth for their child. At selected milestones in the child’s development, an email is triggered with content that matches the lifecycle of the child e.g. Teething issues etc. This captures the attention of the customer who identity’s with the message Boots.com is sending. What’s more, the email cleverly “recommends” helpful products and the content provides a effective “push” to the customer to respond to this call to action.
Social Media
What’s more personal than social media? It has not been the death knell for email marketing, on the contrary – it’s emergence has invigorated the who industry, adding another facet to the communication channel.
Mobile in Mind
The mobile has become the safe haven for the lone diner, when you are on your own, waiting on the train home – or when you just want to kill a few minutes. For whatever reason, email needs to be designed with mobile in mind. Over 200 million active users use mobile to access Facebook – with a figure like that, it’s clear that mobile is personal.
Engagement
Our customers want to hear from us. For every one customer that wants to hear from us, there are many people who don’t. Bear this in mind when communicating with customers who want to engage with you – forget the rest that don’t. Create a two way dialogue with your audience and remember email marketing isn’t the same as a billboard. 2011 is about engagement and it’s up to you to start the conversation.
Eavesdropping is a good thing
Utilise the reporting functionality available. This will allow you to measure the success of your campaign against your objectives. The functionality will also allow you to see what works and what doesn’t.
Breadcrumbs
Snippets of information over time are more effective than a long email as a once off. This has been showcased effectively by some insurance providers. They mapped out the customer lifecycle and based their email marketing strategy on the customer, rather than their marketing aims.
