Tag - campaigns

Mobile platforms are ideal for email marketing campaigns

Mobile platforms are ideal for email marketing campaigns

Nearly everyone has the technology to check their email on the go. A large email contact list is still a big asset to marketers.  Whether through a tablet, smartphone or laptop, email is still one of the best ways for businesses to get in direct contact with customers. Mobile platforms represent an especially lucrative opportunity for companies with younger target audiences and other tech-savvy demographics. Many marketers have specifically optimized email campaigns to be read on smartphones and other mobile formats.

It is a no-brainer for business leaders to embrace the trend of email on mobile devices, but how can brands make their messages more appealing for people out and about? A recent article from Entrepreneur recommended ways that marketers can get the best results from mobile campaigns. Cultivating a sense of trust with subscribers ranked among the top tips for mobile marketing efforts. The first thing consumers see when they open their inboxes on a smartphone is the name of who sent the message, so social media and customer service are essential for building a quality relationship with email recipients.

Short, clear messages win clicks
Including compelling headers and subject lines are also crucial for capturing the fleeting attention of a mobile reader. Entrepreneur suggested that marketers create concise, exciting subject lines that users will feel obligated to click on. By keeping headers short, marketing strategists can get a much better response from mobile recipients, especially ones that feature bold and humorous language. Smaller screens also mean that messages may not be seen in their entirety unless they are a certain length.

According to Entrepreneur, the most effective email campaigns prominently feature explicit calls-to-action that give readers the chance to sign up for offers on the spot. On mobile platforms, these opt-in boxes should be even more visible and easy to use. Successful mobile emails also include images to split up text and provide a fun diversion from a newsletter.

New apps find target markets via email
What better way to market a new app than through email marketing? Tech Cocktail recently highlighted the importance of using email to inform people about new mobile applications. By using data to trace the behaviors of the application’s most active users, marketers were better able to reach like-minded audiences and drive the success of their app. Analyzing trends in user practices is not only applicable to the app market, but a critical tool in any email marketing effort.

Email marketers get personal to ensure successful campaigns

Email marketers get personal to ensure successful campaigns

Internet trends come and go, technologies appear and fade , but what stays the same when it comes to effective email marketing? Determining strategies that stand the test of time is a challenge that business leaders tackle year in and year out. Clickz recently revealed what they believe to be the ultimate in email marketing wisdom, but will these tips remain relevant as the years pass by?

Smart marketers keep the customer’s situation in mind
Email marketing has changed with the times, but the customer’s desire to be acknowledged as an individual will always be there. Too many businesses opt for an impersonal, mass-distributed newsletter or promotional email that fails to make anyone feel like they are unique. Customer service is all about making the consumer feel respected, and this absolutely applies in the context of email marketing. Clickz reminded strategists to use every bit of personal information they gather in their email database to address customers as distinct members of the brand community.

The key term here is relevancy. According to Clickz, this translates into understanding the customer. A well-crafted message will take into account a number of specific factors that will separate one client from the next, including purchase history, browsing preferences and other personal touches that will inspire a sense of urgency for the consumer. When promotional offers and product information are framed in a way that directly applies to the customer’s situation, they are much more likely to respond in a positive way.

Other ways of making email marketing campaigns relevant for specific customers is to take advantage of any extra knowledge a business might have about a buyer. These bits of information could include age, geographic location, education or family and relationship status. Smart email marketers also shift the message of their campaigns based on world context such as weather, political circumstances or current economic situation. Clickz pointed out to strategists that there is such thing as too much personal information, however. Including details about how businesses gathered buyer preferences (such as observing internet history) can come across as creepy and intrusive.

Business strategically leverage channels according to audience
Clickz urged marketers to never underestimate the power of email marketing, especially in light of hype surrounding social media platforms as the next big trend. Simply because new channels of communication are available, businesses should not abandon their traditional methods by virtue of their being older. The article mentioned a client that still saw most of its business come from direct mail catalogs. Of course it would be unwise for them to get rid of this marketing strategy. The same goes for email as social media becomes more prevalent.

With this in mind, social media platforms can be an excellent way to supplement email marketing campaigns, according to a recent article from Business2Community. The piece referenced a report from researchers ExactTarget that showed 77 percent of consumers preferring to receive sales and marketing messages via email. Regardless, social media can be an excellent way to get new consumers interested in a brand and sign up for an email contact list.

Marketers can pique the curiosity of consumers by letting social community members know what is available for them when they sign up as email recipients. This can be as simple as posting a Facebook status that mentions an interesting exclusive available to members of the list. Business2Community also recommended that strategists experiment with offering different kinds of content based on the kind of campaign they’re running. Video, slideshows and live webinars are just some ways to get online communities eager to opt-in on an email list.

Should You Use Visual Content in Email Campaigns?

Should You Use Visual Content in Email Campaigns?

Ever since digital content has become popular, all, if not most marketing content has become more visual. According to research by the Content Marketing Institute, 73% of content creators plan to prioritize creating more engaging content this year, while 55% plan to prioritize creating visual content. Blog posts with images see much higher engagement than those without. So, it’s no surprise that more and more people prefer emails with visual content as well. However, these days we have so many visual content options to choose from, where do we start? How can you be sure you’re using the right one? Well, today we are going to go over the most popular forms of visual content used in emails to help you choose.

Image

Usually photographs, brand logo, and product shots. Static images are good for showing off a product or an idea. For example, shoe store can display a photo of a model wearing their shoes to display their product. Or, a sporting goods store could show an image of kids playing soccer to advertise their soccer gear. ELF Cosmetics uses a static image in their promotional email campaign.

3 Must-Send Consumer Email Campaigns for E-Commerce Business

3 Must-Send Consumer Email Campaigns for E-Commerce Business

audience through email marketing is an affordable and effective way to grow your e-commerce business and increase ROI. According to ExactTarget, for every $1.00 spent on email marketing, the average return on investment is a whopping $44.25. However, in order to see results, you need to successfully reach your customers and prospects first. Luckily, it’s not rocket science to do so. With that being said, we are going to go over 3 easy-to-execute consumer email campaigns every e-commerce business can utilize to reach current customers as well as get new leads that have the possibility of turning into sales!

Abandoned Shopping Cart Email

Online shopping carts are abandoned 67% of the time on e-commerce websites according to research by the Baymard Institute. It’s unfortunate, but don’t take it personally. There are hundreds of reasons why online shopping carts are abandoned. A mom could be shopping online, then her baby starts crying so she gets up from her computer to tend to her child. However, do not fear – there are ways you can retrieve the forgotten shopping cart! Send your customer an abandoned shopping cart email reminder. These emails are sent to customers who have added products to their cart but failed to check out. These reminder emails are one of the most effective consumer email campaigns for e-commerces. According to statistics by SaleCycle, nearly half of all abandoned cart emails are opened and over a third of clicks lead to purchases back on the website.

Happy Birthday Email

Not everyone celebrates Christmas or has someone to share Valentine’s Day with, but everyone has a birthday! A birthday is an exciting time for people, and also a moment in which people are willing to treat themselves a little. It is because of these behaviors that birthday emails are high email marketing performers. Birthday emails support and boost the sense of joy and thrill that people are already experiencing on their birthday. Because birthday emails are sentimental and delightful to customers, they are a quick and easy win for any business looking to enhance their customer relationships. According to an article by MarketingProfs, birthday emails have a 179% higher click-rate than other kinds of promotional emails.

Thank You Email

Consumer email campaigns can be as easy as sending a simple thank you email. Thank you emails are an excellent way to build relationships with your customers. Praise and thank your shoppers not just for buying your products or services, but for other forms of engagement as well, such as subscribing to your newsletter or writing a review for a product. Everyone likes to feel appreciated so be sure to show your gratitude to your customers and subscribers.

MARKETERS OPTIMIZE IMAGE USE IN EMAIL CAMPAIGNS

MARKETERS OPTIMIZE IMAGE USE IN EMAIL CAMPAIGNS

The rise of mobile applications such as Instagram and SnapChat has confirmed that digital culture is becoming increasingly visual. Across social media platforms, search engines and email, marketers are looking for ways to incorporate compelling, quality imagery that will drive consumer interest and convert online visitors to returning customers. A recent report from WishPond explored the reasons why focusing on the visual appearance of Web content will pay off for businesses in the long run.

People respond to the power and simplicity of images
Wading through paragraphs of text can be tedious, and many of today’s email recipients have little patience for long-winded messages. WishPond revealed the science behind this trend, explaining that visuals account for 90 percent of all information transmitted to the brain. Images are also a fast way to get important ideas across to recipients, as visuals are processed by the brain 60,000 times faster than text. While marketers should not forget about including written content in their messages, visual elements are not to be overlooked.

WishPond also mentioned video as an effective online marketing technique that can help convert interested consumers. According to the news source, conversion rates on landing pages increased by 86 percent when a video was included among text. A similar increase was seen when marketers implemented photographs, but companies with the extra budget room should try including links in their emails that lead browsers directly to a video.

Crossover potential with social media platforms
Nearly every successful marketing campaign these days incorporates some element of social media into its strategy. Thankfully, much of the visual content used on social networks can be recycled in email newsletters and vice versa. WishPond stated that online posts featuring a visual component receive 94 percent more views and better rates of engagement than their image-less counterparts. This figure should be taken to heart by any marketer who wants to fully capitalize on an email distribution list.

Implementing visual elements into email marketing campaigns doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, but according to The Next Web there are ways that strategists can better optimize their imagery to maximize consumer engagement. Marketers must first understand their demographics and segment email marketing lists to make sure they are sending the best possible images to their audience. Rigorous testing is also necessary to discover which visuals are most successful in drawing people in. Remaining adaptable and creative is the key to perfecting the art of compelling visual implementation in email newsletters.

ARE YOUR EMAIL CAMPAIGNS READY FOR 2016?

ARE YOUR EMAIL CAMPAIGNS READY FOR 2016?

Now that we’re a few weeks into the new year and the post-holiday haze has begun to wear off, it’s an ideal time for marketers to reassess the strategies they use to drive sales and create conversions from their email marketing lists. But because consumer trends are constantly shifting and the modes by which people check and read email are more numerous now than ever, evaluating your email campaigns’ readiness for 2014 may not be a simple, feel-good proposition but one that requires you to rethink your tactics and get them in line with your customers’ habits and preferences.

Here are four strategies that can help you turn over a new leaf this year by revamping your emails and revitalizing brand image.

1. Keep it brief
For better or worse, consumers’ attention spans aren’t what they used to be, and marketers can’t forget to bear this fact in mind when crafting their email copy. In a column for Business2Community, Dianne Dixon of email marketing solutions firm Elite Email pointed out that when it comes to subject lines, less really is more.

“As it turns out, subjects longer than 70 characters don’t help with response or awareness. In fact, it’s known as an email line ‘dead zone’ where nothing really happens,” Dixon wrote.

2. Opt for clean layouts
The principle that minimal, meaningful email content is best has a visual component, too. Busy email designs that distract the viewer with an abundance of flashy, difficult-to-read images only contribute to the crowdedness of the inbox – and your customers are unlikely to want to linger with such messages long enough that they’ll follow to your landing pages, let alone convert and make a purchase. Make your designs clean and simple, but still memorable.

3. Make emails adaptable to devices 
One of the key benefits to uncluttered email layouts is that they translate much better to mobile screens – and in the current consumer climate, ignoring device preferences simply isn’t an option. Email software provider StreamSend noted that more than half of emails are now opened on a smartphone or tablet.  The firm recommended using mobile-responsive templates when laying out your marketing emails.

4. Integrate with social media
Consumers want to be able to find the brands they love on their Twitter, Facebook and other pages easily and without hassle. If you’re not yet linking your emails to your social media channels, the time to consider this tactic is now.

MOST ONLINE SHOPPERS PREFER EMAIL FROM THEIR FAVORITE BRANDS

OPTIMIZING EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS FOR RECIPIENTS ON THE GO

Smartphones have changed how people interact with one another in many ways, and email remains one of the most powerful features on mobile devices today. Not only are individuals better able to communicate with one another for personal and business-related matters, but brands are seeing much more success with their email marketing campaigns now that people are more likely to open their inboxes anywhere and at any time. An email database is now more powerful than ever due to more responsive and available consumers. This trend has made it imperative for email marketers to make their campaigns more mobile-friendly, what are the best ways to go about doing this?

Short yet specific messages are best
Part of the appeal of checking email on mobile devices is that consumers can check their messages constantly and without delay. However, this presents a challenge for marketers, who need to create emails that are concise and to the point if they want to capture the attention of an easily distracted readership. PowerSports Business recently explained that keeping messages short is one of the best strategies that businesses can employ to make their emails stand out among lengthy newsletters and updates. Because mobile devices have much smaller screens than their desktop counterparts, recipients prefer when they can scroll once or twice and finish a message without getting bored.

Calls-to-action are also main features of the best email marketing campaigns, especially ones that present a clear path for the reader to follow. On a mobile device, readers need to be compelled before they open up an Internet window and are led away from their inbox. A recent article from ClickZ also reminded marketing strategists that not all smartphones are created equal. The best calls-to-action work well across all of the major devices on the market and must have a large enough click box for people with touch-screen phones to easily press. This will require a bit more research on the part of marketers when they craft their campaigns but the results will be well worth it when they see conversion rates spike.

Subject lines must adapt to mobile platforms
One of the most important elements of an email marketing campaign is engineering a subject line that will make recipients want to click instantly without a second thought. When using a mobile device, readers are much more likely to be distracted by the world around them, as well as the many applications and features of their smartphones. ClickZ urged companies to make their intentions clear from the start by making subject lines direct and brief, ensuring that recipients know what they’re getting into before they click. Companies that give their subject lines an exclusive, exciting tone are more likely to get a better response from readers on the go, especially if the line is fewer than 60 characters.

Optimizing email subject lines to coincide with seasons and holidays will also keep customers intrigued and make recipients feel that they need to act now so they don’t miss an important update. Marketers should create a calendar to follow throughout the year so that they can prepare the best subject lines for a given occasion. ClickZ also recommended that marketers will see more success when they target their readership based on location and shopping history. Consumers appreciate when their favorite brands remind them that their preferred products are on sale or are about to see an update. Providing these inside tips can keep a buyer loyal to a company for years to come.

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