So far in our Inbox Unlocked series, we’ve talked about the fundamentals of email marketing – from (link: https://www.superdream.com/news-blog/how-good-is-your-database text: collecting data), to (link: https://www.superdream.com/news-blog/how-good-are-your-emails text: building a good email). Now find out how to take your email marketing to the next level.
## Personalisation
Emails that use personalisation are 26% more likely to be opened, 2.5 times more likely to be clicked on and generate 6 times more sales on average. But while 95% of organisations believe that email personalisation can improve their email performance, only half of marketers are using it regularly.
You can personalise pretty much everything: email ‘from’ address, subject line, copy, imagery, even entire sections of dynamic content. But all of this is fuelled by your database, using the information you hold in order to segment your subscribers. There is a number of ways you can get more data and start personalising.
* Adapt your sign-up form so it gathers the information you need.
* Send surveys to your subscribers.
* Integrate your email database or send software with your CRM system.
## Tracking
We’ve already discussed the simple tracking measure such as open rates and click-through rates, which are available in any good email send software. However, most ESPs also automatically add UTM tracking, which enables you to track the next stage of your user’s journey through Google Analytics. You can then isolate the pages that people have come to from email, and analyse their behaviour.
The screenshot below shows one of our stories from our email newsletter, The Quest, and we can see how many people clicked and left again. And that those who clicked through to our homepage stayed put and browsed. We can also see that the people who read the story about account management were regular readers, while the email marketing predictions story drew more first-time visitors. This data can be used for further segmentation based on user behaviour.
(image: analytics-screenshot.jpg)
## Preferences
At Superdream, we like tactics that reduce the number of blanket emails we send. Email is a private communication form, so the more targeted and relevant your email is, the better engagement will be.
However, we’re talking here about making preferences more user led at the start of the journey and throughout your relationship with each subscriber. First, try asking for useful information at the point of sign-up. Are you shopping for yourself, or for someone else?
Lingerie brands do this all the time and it can massively affect the content. Perplexed men might welcome some guidance on sizing or choosing flattering styles. But this applies to B2B too – when are your busiest times of year? Send them servicing reminders for their machines.
And as time goes on, keep track of your subscribers. The new best practice is to prompt subscribers when they’re losing interest. A good preference centre is key. Offer the chance to opt out for a month, receive fewer emails, or only receive certain types of content. Of course, if you’ve got a really engaged subscriber, don’t forget to treat them like a VIP with features like special content, offers and advanced previews.
## Automation
Automation usually requires a higher level of subscription or service from your email provider, and often is part of a CRM or marketing automation package, so it’s not available to everyone.
However, there are some cheaper monthly automation packages available from some ESPs that allow you to set up journeys, with common triggers being subscription, button clicks, purchases or form submissions.
If you’ve got a really whizzy set-up, you can use personalisation, preferences, automation and tracking all together. For instance, if you run a service or ecommerce-based website, you can track website visitors, check your CRM to see if they’re already signed up with you, and then send dynamic emails populated with the content of the pages, offers or products the subscriber was perusing. It all comes together.
If you’re looking to kick email marketing up a notch give us a ring on 01527 573770, or drop an email to (email: hello@superdream.co.uk text: hello@superdream.co.uk).