Email has long been one of the most common tools for marketers at the dawn of the digital era. But today, this mechanism of contacting potential customers needs a radical revision. By eliminating the errors discussed below, companies can not only increase sales, but also, in principle, streamline marketing processes with savings and time resources.
1. The lack of a seasonal plan
Not so long ago, the concept of client personalization emerged suggests that the approach to attracting an audience should be individual. Since the mailing list is initially calculated on the mass distribution of information, the practice of placing emphasis on specific segments of the audience in this case is limited. But this does not mean at all that the compilers of letters should ignore the factors that determine the general interest of the target group.
A typical mistake of many marketers is to inform the audience about irrelevant events. The content of the letters can be arbitrarily informative and attractive, but if it does not fit into the seasonal interests of the client, then the message will have no effect. Therefore, it is important to draw up a conditional seasonality calendar with a designation of topics and trends that should be affected in specific time periods.
2. Lack of reaction monitoring
Feedback statistics are the most important indicator that will show the effectiveness of the marketing department in terms of email. The exclusion of this monitoring tool means that the company, in principle, can spend money on inefficient promotion.
Implementing tools for tracking user reactions today allows services like Google Analytics. In particular, they provide information on how many recipients clicked on the links enclosed in the letter. These statistics will allow you to determine the effectiveness of the content of messages - for example, which of them caused the greatest interest, and which was ignored.
3. Using impersonal letters
Again, there is a reference to the personalization of marketing. To begin with, it’s worthwhile to imagine a situation where a random Internet user receives a promotional letter with an offer that has nothing to do with it. Obviously, the most popular response will be the same ignoring the message. And it's not even that the user has never heard of this brand and does not want to use its products. The letter does not contain the slightest hint of communication with the company from which the message came.
The situation can be changed for the better, using known data about a potential client. Large companies with large databases have at least a general idea of the consumers of their products. An elementary appeal by name or linking a letter to a birthday itself will become an effect of attracting additional attention. And even if before this user did not know anything about the brand of the sender of the letter, he is more likely to be interested in its products.
4. Using unattractive design
The rapid pace of technology development also implies new visual means of delivering information. Old-fashioned design as such can turn away potential users focusing on new trends.
Moreover, even technically, many marketers do not keep up to date, using platforms that are not supported by modern gadgets.Studies show that consumers are increasingly turning to mobile devices not only for information, but also for shopping. The conversion, that is, the phased attraction of a user who is ready to make purchases, does not work if outdated mail service codes are used.
It is important to consider the totality of factors that affect the effectiveness of digital marketing. The same smartphones can become a convenient channel for delivering information if both the technical basis and the design are adjusted for them. But it is important to avoid the opposite extremes. Relying only on fascinating images, the marketer risks losing sight of a thoughtful client who is primarily focused on the content and semantic message of the content.
5. Lack of testing practice
Using the same tactics and techniques for reaching potential customers in terms of content and styling will not lead to the success of marketers. The value of differentiated approaches with testing different circulation models is especially great in the context of personalized advertising.
Progressive companies use technology of diverse testing of content when addressing a segmented audience. In several stages, the reaction to letters with a certain content is checked, which allows to identify the optimal principles for sending messages to one or another part of the audience.
Testing various scenarios of interaction with subscribers will allow you to detect the effects of engagement, which were not even considered before. This toolkit increases competitive advantages and increases the marketing potential of the company.
In a narrower view, testing can be considered as a tool to determine the most favorable time for delivery of a letter. When is the message most likely to reach its goal — in the morning, at lunchtime, or in the late afternoon? This question may seem insignificant, but the same statistics show the difference in the reactions of subscribers to letters sent at different times, depending on their social group.
Conclusion
In recent years, email has generally been considered an obsolete channel for communication. Social media really supplants it, but it is the devastation of this field of marketing activity that gives chances for successful promotion to those who correctly approach the use of such services. E-mail technologies can be effective not only in terms of increasing sales, but also as a universal means of managing a brand’s reputation, regardless of the sphere it represents.