You’ve outlined a game plan, picked an email-marketing provider and even typed up some traffic-generating content but you failed to pull the trigger on the campaign. Why? Because you read some article about the migration to social communication and how it’s more effective than email? Well let me be the one to tell you that is an absolute fallacy and there is no quicker, more cost-conscious and measurable platform than email marketing. None. Don’t get me wrong, I love social media and the revolutionary candidness it is creating in people but no one likes to login to their Facebook or Twitter and see a bunch of ads or posts about a new polyester sweater that comes in a fruity sherbet color and runs two sizes too small. Social media is just that, social. The companies who are successfully using social media to market their business are the ones who are interacting and engaging their audience with real-life questions, answers and at times, unrelated content. So save your sales pitch for that email marketing campaign you’re about to send off as soon as you finish reading.

As pointed out in the infographic by b2bmarketing.net, there are numerous irrefutable metrics further solidifying my point that email marketing is:

• More visible
• More measurable
• More effective

And it’s a great tool for:

• Generating leads
• Building your brand’s identity
• Driving sales

Now if those aren’t some insanely valuable statistics then I don’t know what is. So log back into your email-marketing provider (hopefully eConnect Email), choose a catchy and thought-provoking subject line and hit the SEND button. You’re welcome.

Source: CRMSoftware.TV

Is your email marketing campaign not producing the results you’d like? You’re not the only one. Many users of e-mail marketing services are running into several hurdles that these three critical steps are sure to overcome.

1.    Saying Hello

After obtaining a customer’s email most marketers don’t send an introductory “Hello” email but rather wait for the next newsletter to roll out. This is a big mistake as the first 48 hours are crucial in client retention, as you will never have a second chance to make a first impression. Brian suggests that marketers touch base with their newly acquired follower just as a courtesy. Reach out and introduce your company, suggest a service, give them a preview of what’s to come in next month’s newsletter, etc. This will guarantee some type of engagement and make your new follower feel welcome.

2.    Keep The Conversation Alive

So they signed up for your newsletter, you’ve touched based with them and you’ve received a reply. Now what? Keep the conversation going. If you know what your product does and how it creates value for the end-user then formulate a 2 or 3 step process that will guide your follower toward a purchase.

3.    Follow Up on Abandoned Carts

The last and probably most important part of the process is the follow up. You have managed to guide your follower through the majority of the purchase process but right before they commit they abandon ship. It’s like running the yardage but not scoring a touchdown. If you notice this happen, try your best to follow up with them within 24 hours. Thank them for filling out the form/stopping by/adding items to their shopping cart/etc. and ask if they have any questions. Let them know that you are there to help by giving them a way to communicate with you should it be your blog or a direct line. Most of the time, you will find that the only thing stopping them from completing a purchase was a question they had. The follow up is key in converting those people that just need a light push in the right direction.

The success of your email marketing campaign depends on putting the right information in front of your subscribers using the right format in order to solicit engagement. And while mainstream testing plays an essential role in determining what form that information should take, there’s another option you should consider, one that could take your marketing effectiveness to a new level: heat map analysis.

What is Heat Map Analysis?

Heat map analysis uses eye-tracking software to determine what areas of the page viewers tend to look at most. Heat map studies enable you to more accurately determine where the most important elements of your email creative should be placed in order to attract user engagement. If your call to action is hanging out in a low-visibility corner, for instance, a heat map can not only point out the problem, but also show you where to place that call to action for better results.

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