Your business has a Facebook page, a Twitter account and even a YouTube channel that you're planning to utilize frequently during the holidays. But what about e-mail marketing? The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) put average ROI for email marketing campaigns at $40 in 2011 and $39 in 2012 for every $1 spent on e-mail marketing. And it works for customers too! A 2012 survey found 77% of people prefer to receive permission based promotions in their e-mail inbox compared to 6% preferring to receive promotions via social media.
So why do you need an e-mail marketing strategy during the holidays? Because it is immediate and data driven. You can target your market easier and cheaper than many other marketing channels and you can be more personal - building a relationship with your audience.
If you are new to e-mail marketing or perhaps you are have been growing your e-mail list for a few months, here are five tips to light up your holidays with a successful e-mail marketing strategy that sizzles instead of fizzles.
- Start Early, Start Now
Holiday promotions take some time to put together. Don't wait until December 1st to try to throw something together. Your customers will likely be able to sense it. Take a look at your options and start planning now. If you aren't already using an editorial calendar to plan your e-mail marketing strategy the same way you might plan your blog content, now is the time to start! - Have An Enticing Offer
Free shipping or complimentary gift wrapping can be good holiday incentives for your leads to push the button on a purchase. Be sure to use a simple and clear call to action, such as "Purchase before November 30th to get free shipping." - Get Personal
Segment your leads by sales funnel stage, geographic location or other criteria to personalize your message. If you can identify buyer personas and speak to them directly, you will sky rocket your e-mail marketing strategy to the next level. - Don't Skimp on Real Content
Don't forget to provide some immediate value to your audience. Great content will mark the difference between a stellar click-through rate and the spam folder.
Some Ideas: Highlight your products in a gift guide, hold a holiday-themed contest or arrange to donate a portion of each sale to a charity and tell your readers about that charity. - Don't Forget Last Minute Shoppers
Increasing the frequency of your e-mails and upping the stakes on your offers at the last minute can catch attract late shoppers. Don't slack the pace as the last minute draws near. Instead, plan your holiday e-mail marketing strategy to finish strong with a good promotional push right to the end. - Santa's Delivery Team
Be sure to know the last day you can possibly receive an order and deliver in time - never over promise what you can not deliver. E=mail marketing strategies based on the impossible will leave you with unhappy customers, demands for refunds and worst of all, people telling their networks of friends that you aren't good for your word. - On A Technical Note
People read e-mail more often on their mobile devices. Be sure your e-mail marketing strategy utilizes mobile features so you can hit your target audience on the run. Don't forget to test links and delivery systems and be sure that everything runs properly before you send something out live. Don't make the mistake of sending broken links or missing images.
Image Source: http://blogs.constantcontact.com
via http://connect.socialsitemedia.com/inbound-marketing-blog/bid/350251/7-E-mail-Marketing-Strategies-to-Light-Up-Your-Holidays
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