Email marketing may not be the shiny new tool in brands’ belts, but it continues to prove its worth. Marketers can generate new leads by collecting contact data for email newsletters, keep those prospects warm with regular outreach and provide valuable resources until recipients are ready to convert. However, ExactTarget recently published data suggesting brands might be losing leads at the top of the funnel because they are over-using ineffective strategies and under-using successful tactics.
Tactics that are more popular than they are effective:
1. Featuring a general email opt-in on websites – 74 percent of marketers include a form on their websites asking for visitors to provide email addresses, but only 42 percent say this is effective.
2. Asking for email sign-ups on certain landing pages – Around 52 percent request email addresses when visitors navigate to certain parts of their websites, while 45 percent report this drives results.
3. Collecting contact data on Facebook – 45 percent capture emails on the social network and 31 percent say it proves successful.
On the other end of the spectrum there are strategies that marketers might want to consider using more frequently.
Effective strategies that are underused:
1. Ask for contact data during customer service calls – Less than a quarter of marketers take the opportunity to collect emails on customer service calls, but 63 percent of those who do say it drives results.
2. Request email addresses at the point of purchase – Just 20 percent of respondents use this direct strategy to collect emails at the point-of-sale, and 57 percent say it works.
3. Require email addresses for loyalty program registration – 35 percent of companies require email addresses from customers who participate in loyalty programs, while 58 percent find this approach is successful.
4. Solicit contact data on mobile applications – The study found marketers have largely untapped opportunities to collect contact data from mobile internet users who want to access digital content. As an example of this: Around 12 percent ask mobile app users to opt-in to email campaigns, but 59 percent of those that do think it’s an effective approach.
5. Acquire emails for receipt, asset delivery – Only 13 percent of marketers collect customers’ email addresses when sending electronic receipts. However, 60 percent agree this tactic is successful for lead generation.
More, two-thirds of marketers see stronger ROI when they craft creative copy that successfully captures readers’ interest.
These findings point to a common conclusion: Marketers are potentially losing ROI by relying on the same old strategies and failing to spot new opportunities. They need to constantly refine their approaches to improve results, and this doesn’t just involve the front of the funnel when they’re capturing email address. It applies throughout the sales cycle when email success depends on solid content writing. Brafton reported that nearly two-thirds of marketers see stronger ROI when they craft creative copy that successfully captures readers’ interest.
Because inbox real estate is at a premium, brands must consider every message a chance to drive conversions and make sure they aren’t leaving any leads behind.
