Increasing Email & Social Marketing
According to email marketing specialists StrongMail 62% of companies are keen to increase their spend on social media and 66% of them would like to incorporate this into their email marketing campaigns. The problems seem to lie in companies being unsure on two counts: firstly they do not know how to measure a campaigns success and secondly they are not sure how to implement the integration of social media marketing with email.
As outlined by Propero, email marketing is popular this year. Its a cost effective, efficient way to promote your business. In fact email gives the best return on investment of all the digital channels available: $46 for every pound spent (Direct Marketing Association report 2008). Additionally research from Forrester in July 2008 showed that email was the top way in which people share content online.
What is Social Media?
Social media are methods via which ordinary people can express themselves online in an easy and accessible way. They are wide in range. Examples are:
Internet forums (eg Google groups)
Weblogs (eg Propero Digital!)
Social blogs ( eg Twitter – micro blogging)
Podcasts (podcast.com)
Photos (eg Flickr)
Video ( eg YouTube)
The growth of this sector has been huge over the last three years and more and more companies are capitalising on this method of reaching people. Its interactive. Everyone gets a voice. This appeals because it is helpful in the creation of relationships.
Do your research
What are your competitors doing on-line? Research their activities to see what they are doing for your potential customers and how these customers are responding.
Where are your customers hanging out?
Find out where your customers are hanging out online. There are huge variations between different groups of people. Women, for example are more likely to spend more time online and use forums. Mothers in particular use social support networks. Younger people use video sites much more than older groups. Learn from your customers. They are your teachers.
Keep you eye on the ball
Social media is an ever changing area so you need to keep abreast of the developments and adjust your plans accordingly. Things that are popular today can be superceeded in a couple of months by something totally new.
Communicate with your customers
Email allows you to inform your customers about what you are offering in terms of social media. If you start a blog for example, let all your email contacts know. Blogs allow your clients to access you more often.
Conversely in your blog allow people to comment. Also, allow them to email you from it. This increases your email list and allows users the facility to comment privately if this is what they prefer. Feedback will be useful in informing you of any changes that need to be made.
Measuring Return on Investment
Measuring ROI can be tricky with social media unless you are using paid advertisement. This is one criticism which is often levelled at marketing companies.
Testing the water – try things out in a small way to start with. The joy of social media is that it is free to try so your costs will only be staffing ones.
Asking questions – as always with marketing ask the right questions to find out how and when your customers found you.
Tags: Blogging, email marketing, social media