It's a fact that everything is changing and progressing quickly. Some argue that time is actually compressing and that we have less time than we used to. Some say email marketing is dead... that in the not-too-distant future, email inboxes will be so clogged with marketing messages that the ROI of many email marketers will either be significantly reduced or completely eliminated... that the cost of the email marketing campaign you worked so hard to prepare... will be greater than the return.
Is email marketing going extinct? Me? Those who claim that email marketing is dead are, in my opinion, mistaken. Email marketing, in my opinion, will be around for a long time. I also believe that smart marketers will reconsider their email strategy... right now. Smart marketers will plan for the future now, just before it arrives.
There is no doubt that email marketing has reached such a fever pitch that email inboxes are overflowing. Email recipients are... and will continue to be... more selective about what they open... and what they don't.
Most email recipients already know what is spam and what isn't. The majority of unwanted emails are caught by spam filters. Almost all of the rest is caught by email recipients... and immediately delete anything that comes from someone they don't know and trust.
Email marketing with permission is a reality. Email marketers are aware and understand that to conduct business via email, they must first obtain permission. They are aware of the CAN-SPAM Act's legal requirements. They understand the importance of protecting the privacy of their email list and making their privacy and opt-out policies visible and easy to use.
Many email marketers don't understand... how much is too much. Many marketers who have permission to send emails bombard the recipient with offer after offer. Some people have gathered statistics to determine the best day and time of day to send emails. Some people have segmented their lists based on product preferences and previous shopping habits. Their email marketing strategy, on the other hand, is simply to bombard an increasingly overburdened and overwhelmed audience with offer after offer.
So, the question for the future is whether knowing the right time of day, the right day of the week, or other general statistical averages are sufficient. And the answer is a resounding "No." If you want to predict your future in email marketing, start now by concentrating your efforts on:
1. As your primary email communication, replace direct email strategies with a company newsletter. Create a timely, information-rich newsletter that is delivered regularly... once a week, once a month, or even quarterly. Inquire with your email recipient about the best time for them to receive it. This improves inbox visibility and branding. In an age of email overload, predictability... knowing when an email will arrive... gives the recipient a sense of greater control and anticipation. Create distinct newsletters by leveraging subscriber input preferences and website click-throughs.
2. Email marketing campaigns triggered by events, such as the introduction of a new product, should be segmented and infrequent. If a new product cannot be designed to fit within the parameters of your newsletter, with click-through options, its launch can be designed to fit within the parameters of your segmented list data.
3. Consider email to be a message, not a single delivery system. Social media... Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media tools, combined with YouTube and comparable video links, as well as other messaging mediums such as IM (Instant Messaging), texting, and a plethora of cell phone applications, provide an increasing opportunity for brand identity and communication. When you focus on the message rather than the medium, you have a better chance of getting the right message to the right person at the right time and in the right place.
Using data collected by your organization through web analytics, you can use patterns (grocery purchases on the 15th and 30th of each month), click-through, browsing, and purchase behaviors, and other relevant details to create email and message customization never seen before. Aren't you impressed that you can predict your future in email marketing with just a few changes in your focus?
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