Email marketing is the most effective way to increase sales, improve service, and keep customers coming back. Getting the most out of email campaigns requires an integrated strategy that crosses channels and motivates people to act. “The Integrated Email” provides realistic solutions and best practices for navigating the land mines of spam filters, short attention spans and increasing competition that marketers face today.
Debra Ellis is a seasoned direct marketer specializing in using integrated strategies to keep customers coming back and buying more. She is the author of several marketing guides and the Multichannel Magic blog. She can be reached via email (below), on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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Apathy kills more customers than bad service and poor quality products combined. Loyalty is inspired when people are interested, engaged and valued. The top priority of every business that wants long-term growth and profitability is acquiring customers and keeping them coming back. Focusing on one without the other is a recipe for disaster.
Customer acquisition without retention is expensive. Costs typically run $25 to $75 per customer depending on the industry and competition. Three or more orders are required to break even. Profitability and growth come when people continue to buy year after year. Companies that excel in acquiring customers but don't retain them will eventually crumble under the high costs.
Retention without acquisition is equally dangerous. Natural attrition will eventually leave the company without customers. When people complete their buying lifespan, they leave. Replacements are vital to keep the company moving forward. Companies without a stable of new customers coming in on a regular basis are dying. It is only a matter of time until operating costs exceeds revenue.
Apple is a good example of a company that has a good balance between acquisition and retention. The company keeps people coming back even when the products offer less performance than those from competitors. Loyalty remains high even after "antennagate" in 2010 because people are so emotionally invested in Apple's culture leaving is harder than staying. Any company without a customer cult-like obsession for its products would have suffered irreparable damage from a similar challenge.
What if your company isn't Apple and has little hope of creating an obsessive fan base? How do you continuously acquire customers and keep them coming back? Creating an integrated strategy that uses the best features of individual channels to connect with people and provide an engaging experience is the key to your success. Start by combining social activity with email campaigns and expand from there. Here are some ideas to get you started:
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