Silverpop’s Loren McDonald released a slideshare presentation ‘Email Marketing Trends 2009’ the other week. It focuses on 7 key trends that Silverpop believes will affect Email Marketing in 2009.
1. Beyond Customer Control – to Customer Expectations
Customers have come to expect the ability to manage their online profiles and control their online privacy. Customers want to choose the medium, frequency and type of communication they receive from your brand whether it’s email (html or text), RSS, or SMS. We’re constantly inundated with emails so the option to choose between daily, weekly or bi-weekly helps us control the flow of communication to a level we’re comfortable with. Having a reader or potential buyer unsubscribe is not a positive thing, it doesn’t mean the customer experience needs to end negatively. Giving the user a clear indication that they’ve unsubscribed and providing them with a feedback form may help you better understand their reasons for doing so and you’ll be better positioned to improve future user experiences.
2. Channel Explosion and Consumer Preferences
The Gen Y cohort has always been a sought after demographic group for marketers. The rise of mobile usage has made it more difficult for marketers to reach this group as Gen Y shift from using email to text messaging as their primary mode of communication. A May 2008 study conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Habeas, “Habeas Email Survey” shows that email is currently the most dominant business communication tool and will remain as such in five years. Of those surveyed, Text/SMS messaging ranked high on the list as an emerging business communication tool, with an expected increase of 10% within five years. Instant messaging (IM) and video conferencing were big gainers too with an expected rise of 12% and 17.7% respectively in use as a communication tool.
3. The Email Volume Overload
Marketers are aware of the increase in email their customers are experiencing from competitors and should avoid the temptation to send even more email to get their message across. Silverpop’s research indicates a 140% increase in the unsubscribe rate and 1300% increase in the spam complaint rate when a retailer increased their communication frequency from 5 to 12 times per month. Additional mailings can have a negative impact on your CPA and your bottom line.
4. Customer Churn and Inactivity
When a user commits to registering on your site it’s important to manage their expectations and get them engaged right away and keep them engaged to prevent inactivity and churn. 1/3 of your list may be turned over each year and as much as 80% could be inactive. It all starts with the welcome email by letting the customer know of the advantages of staying engaged with the site. Offering special discounts, new feature announcements, surveys or contests are all ways to bring back inactive users.
5. Most Prospects Are Long Term
All too often there is a lack of follow up after sending an email campaign. This is particularly true of B2B communication where 70%-90% of leads are never followed up according to research from MarketingSherpa. An average PPC campaign will yield a conversion rate of 2%-5% but that leaves 95% or more potential buyers that aren’t converting. The ability to capture these potential buyers using a quick sign-up form on the landing page could pay dividends in the long-term.
6. Consumer Adoption of Multiple Email “Devices”
Email marketers have always had to contend with content and delivery issues across different email clients and web browsers. The rise of mobile usage and the variety of smartphones available on the market has made balancing these issues even more challenging.
7. Growth of Social Networks and Social Media
Email to a friend goes 2.0. Emails and websites are now plastered with sharing or bookmarking buttons allowing your message to go viral. Social media has unlocked the previously siloed content of your website and has given users the ability to add commentary, ratings, and reviews that can now be shared with social networks of their choosing.
In the end, it’s all about engaging the consumer by creating compelling copy that triggers a potential buyer to take action. Invest in the long-term by customizing your messages to your target audience and keep them engaged with your brand so that when their ready to buy, you’ll be there to guide them through the entire customer experience.
