5 ways to innovate your data-driven e-mail strategies
As a CRM agency, we are always thinking of ways to evolve and get the best out of our email marketing. Head of Digital & Data Operations, Nicholas Blake, highlights five fantastic ways to innovate your email strategies in a post-GDPR world.
The number of branded emails we receive every day has reduced in our post-GDPR world but, with consumers still spending just 10-15 seconds reading each one, it’s essential that companies continue to use each communication effectively. Every email interaction should generate great brand experiences and reduce customer pain points.
Here are five ways every brand can use data-driven techniques to capitalise on the short window of engagement, help encourage good interaction and, ultimately, sales.
1. Feature landing pages within emails
Capturing data from customers, whether through surveys, their details or product ratings and reviews, usually involves directing them away from their inbox to an external landing page. But in doing this, you’re taking them away from your brand and usually, they won’t return. These small points of friction mean the customer may avoid that type of data capture next time.
Instead, look to capture the data within your email by creating internal embedded questions and forms. Customers will be more inclined to stay in their inbox, leading to a better brand experience and leaving you confident that they’re seeing everything you want them to see. Many third party businesses specialising in CRM have built innovative backend services to help power in-email data capture.
2. Use agile content that doesn’t cost the earth
Combine agile content with data to ensure your emails are relevant whenever they’re opened. For example, if your sales week is successful ensure the ‘BUY NOW’ hero image in your email changes to ‘SOLD OUT’ in realtime. This prevents customer disappointment and it also enhances your email visuals.Agile content doesn’t have to be extortionate either, there are a number of smaller third parties who can deliver good content for an acceptable price.
3. Enrich your e-mails with realtime reviews
If you’re building some buzz around your latest product or news, consider embedding realtime customer reviews into your email. This rich feed of live data will bring your emails to life, act as an independent authority on your services and is a great way to make your customers aware of your brand across different channels.
4. Be direct and deep link
If a customer clicks on ‘BUY NOW’, ensure your email uses this data point to query their mobile phone and see whether they have your app installed. If they do, deep link from your email into their app to ensure the product they want to buy is the very first thing they see upon clicking, rather than the generic first screen of your app.
This creates a straight-forward experience for the customer and, if your app utilises payment methods such as Apple Pay, customers can instantly leverage these technologies to make a frictionless purchase.
5. Customers not engaging? Delete their data.
In a post-GDPR world, this is more important than ever. If customers stop engaging with e-mails and/or purchases, remove them from your marketing lists within 6 months. This keeps your domain and brand reputation first-rate, making for happier customers.
By making good use of these techniques you will notice consistently strong open rates and, you will keep the ICO from getting overly interested in your marketing programme.