At our recent Digital Marketing Forum, I presented on the topic of Email Marketing. Here is a recap of my presentation, including a broad overview of the trends for this year and guidance on what you can work on internally.
Common Email Concerns
There are several common concerns that many people new to email marketing face:
Never had to send emails before
- Older customer base
- Email Marketing has not worked in the past
- Email Marketing is too expensive
- Email Marketing takes too much time
- Email Marketing doesn’t get done
What is the Business Landscape Saying?
As email becomes more and more popular, there are some changes to look out for and embrace.
- Increase in B2B Email Marketing
There is set to be a huge increase in B2B email marketing, which has come as a surprise to many. To see that gap close is very exciting, as it means email is working beyond B2C
- Increase in Interactive Content
The above graphic shows an increase towards using interactive content. Interactive content can be something as simple as a poll, or the ability to customize and choose the color of a piece of clothing or accessory inside an email.
- Increase in Video Marketing Spend
The majority of companies are looking to increase their budget for video marketing in the future. The importance of video is now being recognized and we can expect this trend to continue.
The Big 5 for 2017
Email is huge, and if you’re looking to grow this field it can at first seem overwhelming. We advise you to keep the following 5 points in mind as you develop your email marketing:
- Interactive Emails
- HTML5 Video in Email
- Automated Emails
- Omnichannel Email Experiences
- Email Encryption
Usage Trends – Mobile and Content
Statistics can help you tailor your email campaigns towards success. Here are some stats to keep in mind:
- 67% of the typical B2B buyer’s journey is now done digitally, and 9 out of 10 B2B buyers say online content has a moderate to major effect on their purchasing decisions, according to Lenati.
- 80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information in a series of articles versus an advertisement, according to Stratabeat.
- The average reader only spends 37 seconds reading an article or blog post, according to NewsCred Insights.
Personalization
Personalization is huge in email. Take your emails beyond segmentation to personalize for individual readers. If a user looks at a product and doesn’t purchase, they should receive an email directly related to that product. This kind of personalization has recently become easier and far more affordable than it has been in the past. It is a very exciting trend because when one on one emails are put in place, click through rates and closes go through the roof. This kind of personalization is also relevant to B2B. When you give immediate value to a customer, they respond with a click or a buy.
Emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened, according to Experian.
Analysis
Always remember to analyze. Google Analytics, Google Trends and Google Tag Manager are all helpful tools. Don’t write content, make photos or videos in a vacuum – ensure you know what’s converting.
Remember, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel each time - 29% of leading marketers systematically reuse and repurpose content, according to Curata.
Where to Begin?
If you’re overwhelmed by email marketing, or marketing in general, the best place to start is with a strategy. A Foundational Strategy can help you define digital marketing goals and key performance indicators. An Email Marketing Strategy can guide you in terms of email direction.
We are here to assist anyone with email marketing and strategy, whether you’re looking to launch your first email campaign or take an already successful email approach to the next level. Contact us today to find out more.
