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Looking to get a bit more "lift" from your current e-mail programs? E-mail marketers are correct in their general assumption that the larger your audience, the more opens, clicks and conversions you might ultimately receive. But how do you take your current recipient database and punch up your e-mail communications to provide a more relevant experience, thus improving conversions with your housefile? Here are a few considerations to help hit that "sweet spot":
Length of Subscription—Those recipients who are new to your e-mail programs might be taking a "wait and see" attitude before they convert. Helping to educate new subscribers on just what makes you different from your competition leads to increased trust and brand recognition—and when executed correctly, eventual conversion. Conversely, more seasoned recipients may need less "fluff" and more "stuff" in their messages. Approaching your e-mail message programs on the concept of customer life cycle reinforces relevancy in your communications and follows the "right message and the right time" recommendations for effective marketing.
Engagement—When you can create content and offers that account for how involved your subscriber is within your current e-mail programs, you can develop your communication with the appropriate message. A highly engaged recipient may find value in more content or perhaps increased frequency of your message.
Geographic Profile—When looking to promote a product or service where relevancy might be contingent on the recipient's location, it's a good idea to ensure that you are not trying to push snow shovels to folks in climates that do not require them. Geographic targeting isn't only about the weather; many other considerations may exist: big-city dwellers as opposed to those in more bucolic locales, regional travel or other hospitality destinations that are within drivable distances, product offerings that are sent to those in areas where your competition might be minimal or nonexistent. It is more about leveraging interest potential rather than excluding recipients. So make sure your offers make sense when there may be geographic applications.
Gender—If you are currently collecting gender (or salutations) within your current registration process, you have the opportunity to create relevancy within your message by serving copy that speaks directly to the gender of the recipient, as well as images that can be used to reinforce the targeting of your communications. Simple personalization or dynamic content rules can be applied to deliver e-mails that resonate specifically with the recipient.
Kara Trivunovic is senior director of strategic services at Redwood City, Calif.-based e-mail marketing software and services provider StrongMail Systems. She can be reached at ktrivunovic@strongmail.com.
Length of Subscription—Those recipients who are new to your e-mail programs might be taking a "wait and see" attitude before they convert. Helping to educate new subscribers on just what makes you different from your competition leads to increased trust and brand recognition—and when executed correctly, eventual conversion. Conversely, more seasoned recipients may need less "fluff" and more "stuff" in their messages. Approaching your e-mail message programs on the concept of customer life cycle reinforces relevancy in your communications and follows the "right message and the right time" recommendations for effective marketing.
Engagement—When you can create content and offers that account for how involved your subscriber is within your current e-mail programs, you can develop your communication with the appropriate message. A highly engaged recipient may find value in more content or perhaps increased frequency of your message.
Geographic Profile—When looking to promote a product or service where relevancy might be contingent on the recipient's location, it's a good idea to ensure that you are not trying to push snow shovels to folks in climates that do not require them. Geographic targeting isn't only about the weather; many other considerations may exist: big-city dwellers as opposed to those in more bucolic locales, regional travel or other hospitality destinations that are within drivable distances, product offerings that are sent to those in areas where your competition might be minimal or nonexistent. It is more about leveraging interest potential rather than excluding recipients. So make sure your offers make sense when there may be geographic applications.
Gender—If you are currently collecting gender (or salutations) within your current registration process, you have the opportunity to create relevancy within your message by serving copy that speaks directly to the gender of the recipient, as well as images that can be used to reinforce the targeting of your communications. Simple personalization or dynamic content rules can be applied to deliver e-mails that resonate specifically with the recipient.
Kara Trivunovic is senior director of strategic services at Redwood City, Calif.-based e-mail marketing software and services provider StrongMail Systems. She can be reached at ktrivunovic@strongmail.com.
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