Taking a Second Look at E-Mail

When I started to write this column, I ran into a problem. I couldn't think of anything exciting in e-mail to write about. Call it e-mail marketer writer's block. This got me thinking: Has e-mail marketing gotten to a point where we have nothing new to talk about? Has this industry matured enough that we now just need to focus on the tried-and-true acquire, convert, retain principals?

Then it hit me.

The e-mail marketing industry could never land in this type of rut. As the backbone of all other digital media, our e-mail efforts will keep growing and evolving as new technologies do. For those of us who choose to ignore the power that e-mail marketing can have as an influencer for other channels (like social and mobile), e-mail will remain a fairly cut-and-dried direct marketing practice. The rest of us, though, have reason to celebrate.

Here's a list of some newer aspects of e-mail you should be aware of. If you haven't considered these as part of your strategy, what are you waiting for?

Acquisition-focused upgrades:

1. Tiered performance pricing for prospecting

2. E-mail as a branding tool

3. E-mail to feed into social networks

4. Mobile e-mail

Conversion:

1. Social/micro-messaging options

2. Channel/source optimization

3. Preference center enhancements

4. Win-back advancements

Retainment:

1. Partner-oriented value add

2. Inventory management

3. Co-op marketing

4. Social influencing

5. Video in e-mail

Out of all of these new initiatives, my recent favorite is partner oriented-value add. This is where customer e-mail programs include some type of unanticipated reward for reading the e-mail. Unanticipated rewards have been around a long time in marketing but have rarely been used in e-mail. That's because e-mail marketing was historically such a high conversion channel that this tactic was rarely needed. But in today's world of inbox overload and channel integration, e-mail needs a little sweetener. Including a valuable, unanticipated reward packs a one-two punch. Here's how:

In a recent column, I wrote about a new segment in our e-mail lists: the social influencers. These people aren't always your best click-and-buy people, but they are the best people to share, post, and talk about your recent e-mail effort (which results in even more sales than if they bought themselves).

When these people receive an e-mail from you that contains an unanticipated reward, something that they enjoy, you'll increase their level of loyalty to your brand. That's important. Equally important, or even more so, these people will share that great news and your generosity with others through social networks and online water-cooler conversations.

This opens up a whole new world of opportunity for you to attract new customers and increase revenues simply by adding unexpected value into your messaging.

Yes, the world of e-mail is nowhere near tired and old just yet. As new developments and trends rise, e-mail is right there to help maximize exposure and monetize results.

I love being a part of the e-mail industry. Don't you?


Source: Jeanniey Mullen, ClickZ, Jun 22, 2009, Sponsored by Responsys

Develop a Balanced Media Mix

The tools that drive the Internet are the tried and true print, radio, and television formats. The challenge lies in developing a balanced media mix.

Source: Bob Walker, Media Analyst Preprint Publishing

The Three Buckets of Courage

TRY -- the courage of action and pioneering "first attempts."
Associated with having initiative and leading. Requires overcoming inertia. Risks are your actions may harm others.

TRUST -- the courage of relying on the actions of others.
Associated with being receptive and open and following. Requires letting go of control. Risks are other people's actions may harm you.

TELL -- the courage of "voice" and truth telling
Associated with truth telling and asserting one's opinions. Requires conviction. Risks are exposing your opinions may cause you to be cast out of the group.

Source: Giant Leap Consulting

Best Practices for DMO Web Sites

Successful DMOs are harnessing the power of hte Internet and technology to streamline their processes and produce more results to the bottom line.

Source: IACVB News, Leah Woolfold, CEO of USDM.net

Changes in Dining Habits.

Dining has also been impacted by economic upheavals, with one-third of consumers visiting 'upscale' dining establishments less often (35%), and a simlar number cutting back on their visits to 'mid-priced' casual restaurants (30%).

A multiplicity of reasons account for this:  consumers not only want to "save money," they also now view "prices at restaurants" and the "price of gas" as more important barriers to their frequency of dining out.  On the other hand, reports are that fast food restaurants have seen little or no decline.

Source: The Marketing Workshop

Changes in Consumer Travel

Last summer, almost half of the traveling public (47%) reported that they had changed their travel plans during 2008. Travelers were less likely to take a vacation at all (21%), took fewer trips (18%), stayed closer to home (17%), used less expensive accommodations (13%) or stayed fewer days (11%). Obviously, many made more than one of these changes in behavior.

These changes were especially prevalent among younger, lower income households, and families with children.

Today, nine months later, an even higher proportion of travelers (62%) say that their 2009 travel plans will be impacted. Now, one-half (49%) will reduce the number of trips they take, and 37% will reduce the distance they travel, staying closer to home for fewer nights. For this reason, many travel marketers have redefined their marketing area, generally to driving distances within 300 or so miles, with less dependence upon air travel.

Source: Research and Travel Consultants The Marketing Workshop