Creating an Integrated Email Marketing Strategy

Keeping email in the sales tool box limits the benefits and keeps it from helping your company grow. Electronic mail is well known as a marketing tool that generates immediate cash flow. It works so well that many companies send daily updates that contribute a significant amount to their annual revenue. Some might say that this is the primary purpose for email marketing. Maybe they're right but I think it is a shame to waste opportunities. Email is the only tool available today that can economically provide a one-to-one communication between company and customer or prospect. Perhaps it's the fear that people will overwhelm already stretched customer service departments that keeps companies from capitalizing on the opportunities available. Maybe they're spending too much time working on creating content in the hopes that it will go viral. Or it could be that email works so well as a sales tool little thought has been put into other uses. After all, when resources are limited, management tends to take an "if it's not broke, don't fix it" approach to projects. This is a dangerous position because email as a sales tool is breaking. The days where emails sent to unengaged subscribers generated significant revenue with little effort are disappearing. The changes in Gmail's interface are the beginning of a new email marketing reality. Begging people to move messages to the primary inbox is not a sustainable solution. Building relationships that makes them want to find your emails is the only way to continued sales success. Fortunately, email is a multifaceted tool that works well in relationship building. The companies that change their strategy to include retention and education will gain market share, improve customer loyalty and make sales messages more profitable. There isn't a downside to doing this because it delivers results at minimal cost. This strategy is part of an integrated marketing and service initiative that has far reaching effects. The content created for educational messages establishes expertise, builds trust and can be repurposed on other channels. Google's shift to conversational search requires marketers seeking better ranks to provide quality content. The best information speaks directly to the people who buy your products or services. Incorporating educational messages in your email strategy allows you to discover what drives sales and keeps customers coming back. The same messages will attract prospects. Much of the information about relationship marketing implies that people want personal relationships with companies. They don't. People want personal relationships with friends and family. They want companies to make it easy for them to solve problems. It's a bonus if the company solves the problem without participation from the individual. Trust is established when company's consistently deliver on their promises. Trying to create personal relationships with people who don't want them is foolish and a waste of resources. A better strategy is to find people's pain points and make them disappear. This creates a trust relationship. Email is an excellent tool for sharing information and learning about your customers' needs. An optimized email marketing strategy includes promotional, educational, and informational messages. Personalization is a key component that can be added by connecting historical data with targeted content. We are entering a new era for email marketing. The timing is perfect for retailers and any business that peaks in first and fourth quarters. Optimizing your email strategy when the volume is at its peak allows you to learn quickly what works best. You can do this while still sending the promotional messages known to generate cash flow. Waiting to see if the changes to email delivery have an effect will put you behind the competition. Start immediately, plan well, test everything and use the actionable information to improve the customer experience and your company's success. A GoodbyeThis is my last column for "The Integrated Email." It is been my honor and privilege to share my knowledge with you. Thank you for the opportunity. Godspeed. Editor's Note: It has been a pleasure working with Debra. We are sorry to see her go, and hope she will be able to contribute in other ways in the future when her time permits. The Integrated Email will return in November with a new blogger.

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Creating an Integrated Email Marketing Strategy

Debra Ellis

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Debra Ellis