FIRST BLOG ASSIGNMENT

1 - What are some of the keys to developing successful email marketing campaigns?

First you have to realize that thousands of other advertisements have your consumers attention at all times. Differentiation is key to achieving the full gaze of the recipient, but the campaign has to maintain the level of ethics and politeness before gathering the emailing list. When your campaign asks for the consumer to enter their email information they should feel privileged and excited. “Take a look at the examples above and you’ll see that the first tells me I’m getting a free catalog and a series of reviews and special offers, while the 2nd tells me exactly when I’ll receive the newsletter updates. This is a far more specific, and effective, way of doing business.” (Hangen) This element of excitement is key for developing marketing campaigns. One can manufacture this excitement by offering free items upon email submission with specifics about what exactly the consumer will receive when signing up. Using humor and abstract headlines will also make your campaigns stand out. Just think outside the box to entice your target customer.

 2 - What other types of marketing or marketing elements should be combined with email marketing to maximize response rates?

               

The most important email isn’t the first, but the immediate follow email. “First contact is essential, but once a potential customer responds to the automated email the follow up message must be timely, accurate, and personalized to the customer’s exact inquiry” (WordStream). At this point the first follow up email should be composed by a real person. The emails sent following a response must be relevant, and the timing of the pitch needs to be at the right time in the conversation. If not delivered and executed properly the pitch of the product over email can drive your customer away. The email marketer must know what to pitch based off buying habits, what to make the price, and limit the number of options so the consumer doesn’t become overwhelmed. If the potential customer doesn’t respond, don’t freak out. Give them some space and time to think it over before bombarding them with spam emails to regain their attention. If they took the time to respond to your original message then you have the attention needed to close a sale. A simple email stating “ Hello Susan, its been a few days since we’ve touched base. I just received a few XYZ products and was reminded that you showed some interest in these items, shall we pick up from where we left off?” This is an example of how you remembered specific information about the client reminding them that you actually care and have been thinking about them. Always bring about facts stated by the res-ponder in previous emails to get their mind back on to your campaign.

3 - How do response rates to email marketing differ by industry? What are some of the key metrics used to measure response rates?

                

             Response rates are crucial when analyzing if your email campaign is being effective towards your target market. Through research and personal experience in the business world I’ve found three methods to measure response rates. The primary and most obvious (in my opinion) way to measure response rates is recording the number of purchase orders per ad campaign.  By recording the purchases you’re not only analyzing the responses from customers but the profits gained from the ad campaign as well. Response rates aren’t everything in an ad campaign. Analyzing profit fluctuation should be equally if not more important than recording response rates ( Summarized from Morris, Brian ).The other two methods include the utilization of online coupons. You can either have an online coupon code attached to the email, or have a physical coupon mailed in to your target customers once they have registered for the emailing list. Once the coupons have been sent out, simply count how many are being used which should tell you how your email campaign is going. Response rates will differ by industry based on industry standards and protocols. If industry “y” has an email campaign that has a $10,000 budget with a quota of “x” amount of recorded responses, they will most likely have a higher response rate than another industry with a lower quota/budget.

4 - Do you believe email marketing will continue to be a key component to IMC campaigns in the next 5 years? Why or why not?

                I believe that in the next five years email marketing will still be relevant and used by most companies, however I think this will be a secondary method. In the next five years social media will take over email advertising campaigns. IMC campaigns will begin to utilize the popularity of twitter, Instagram, and other forms of media. I also predict that in the next five years a new app much like twitter or Instagram will sprout out and be the number one new way to advertising online. Every year a new essential app is created that almost everyone in America can download for free. The pace of innovation with these social media apps will expand and replace email marketing in the next five years. This being said, I still predict that email marketing campaigns will still be utilized in IMC due to the older generations sticking to what they know. The younger generations will flock to new forms of social media for viewing ads, while the more experienced demographic will stay “old school.”

Works Cited

Hangen, Nathan. "A Beginner." 's Guide to Successful Email Marketing. Kissemetrics Blog, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

Morris, Brian. "10 Easy Ways To Track Marketing Response Rates." The Deluxe Blog. Deluxe, 16 Oct. 2014. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

"The 9 Best Email Subject Line Styles to Increase Your Open Rates." 9 Best Email Subject Line Styles to Increase Open Rates. The WordStream Blog, 21 Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.