E-Mail Marketing is one of the initial gizmo for the Internet marketing that marketers were provided with and it still is the most popular marketing tool. Huge popularity, low cost and relatively simple implementation make us receive more and more messages and their effectiveness is increasingly lower. Does that mean E-Mail Marketing became tactics of the past? Traditional yes, however Marketing Automation takes it to a brand new level.
Only in 2013, 838 billion marketing e-mails were sent, where 91% of consumers use electronic e-mail at least once a day. In addition, e-mail forces receiver to make a decision and at the same time to express interest or lack of it. The first decision to make after receiving an e-mail is to either open or delete it. Here we recognize inaugural activity. The following one after opening is whether to click the link or not. Now, the possibility to analyze reaction for message is over in traditional E-Mail Marketing systems, while in Marketing Automation it’s just the beginning! After clicking and visiting the WWW page, the system monitors behavior of each visitor individually, registering the visit process. On that basis, we can automatically plan further communication, tailored to the actual interest of the particular person.
E-Mail Marketing with Marketing Automation
According to the newest research carried out by Juniper Research e-mail messages sent by Marketing Automation systems yield 18 times bigger revenue then standard e-mailings. Thanks to Marketing Automation, E-Mail Marketing generated 156 million dollars revenue in 2012, making it the most effective sales tool in marketing. Among others, it was possible thanks to Lead Nurturing. Those programs go beyond confined classic E-Mail Marketing and take advantage of behavioral data, dynamic tailoring and content personalization as well as automated e-mailing to pass on suitable message, tailor-made for the needs of particular receiver. Such messages report 40% openings, where the mass messages average is 8%.
Marketing Automation systems automate marketing and sales, mainly through communication and contact flow automation. However, to just turn on the system is not enough. Working with Marketing Automation, the best marketers create automatic Lead Nurturing programs, identify and monitor persons behavior, gather behavioral data and take advantage of available knowledge to optimize marketing campaigns. So how to utilize new possibilities to energize your own E-Mail Marketing?
– Begin with defining subjects of educational e-mailing – Lead Nurturing
Traditional E-Mail Marketing is like playing darts blindfolded. Sometimes you hit the bulls-eye, sometimes you miss completely. Before you start sending messages, check what your receiver is interested in. It’s good practice to analyze previous activities on the base of persons, who had made a purchase with you. Check what messages they opened and what subjects they were interested in. If you don’t have this knowledge, you may send welcome message including references to various subjects, services segments and products. You’ll be able to send further messages basing on the reaction to initial message and further behavior on WWW page.
Simply, if client’s behavior indicates his interests in particular segment, the system can automatically segment him to an appropriate group and launch him previously prepared, tailored series of messages, which will provide him with substantial information. However, if potential client failed to react, try to resend the message including different issues. Your main task is to recognize what particular person is interested in and supply this information later.
– Give your clients what they need exactly WHEN they need it
Automatically after setting up segmentation rules, you may find out what particular person is interested in and the time will come for launching tailor-made communication. At this stage, it’s worth to prepare a few sets of messages tailored and thematically orientated. Once you additionally use personalization in the topic of such messages, you may increase opening amount by extra 22%.
One of the most important tasks is supplying appropriate amount of content. Every message should give client real value. Lack of this content is the most typical reason of marketers’ dissatisfaction with Marketing Automation implementation. In fact, content is one of the most important fuels of successful marketing campaigns. You can share content with your recipients in a few fields like: blog, e-books, articles, research results and surveys or on-line meetings.
– Provide content in a way potential client want to receive it
Finally, one of the most important things: each of us receivers, like to consume in many ways. Similar to coffee, most of us like it but each wants to have it served differently. That’s why, content should be available in various forms and communication channels. Some prefer to get an email, while the other find blog entry when searching the Internet browser. The easier you content is available for the potential client, the better. That’s why Marketing Automation systems allow to deliver tailor-made messages, in many channels, in the real time. Thanks to this, your potential client will always hit what he’s interested in, at particular moment.
Well-prepared and custom-made content should successfully lead the client up to the purchase decision.
Summary
This text covers basic capabilities to take E-Mail Marketing to brand new level. Marketing Automation systems allow for so much more. Yet, one need to begin with something and all mention above is a strong foundation. To sum up, in order to act successfully you need:
– learn recipient needs
– secure appropriate content
– provide content at appropriate time, form and communication channel
Those three basic steps is a good opening in brand new E-Mail Marketing, which will increase sales and revenue in your company.
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