This week’s blog was inspired by a recent call I received. The person in question was requesting an email address list for an upcoming direct marketing campaign and came to me having been recommended by a mutual contact. They wanted help and advice on how to be sure they maximised their campaign.
I receive frequent queries from clients and prospects alike, asking how to best undertake targeted email marketing. In all honesty, I welcome these queries, in fact, I could never get tired of receiving them – I genuinely wish all people well in their campaigns and as such, thought I would share some of my advice with you all.
Firstly, it’s important to do some preparatory work before you embark on the campaign itself. Make sure you understand what you’re expecting to achieve from the campaign – increased sales / raise awareness/brand promotion/information gathering etc
Next, you need to be sure of your target audience in order that as many people as possible open the email. Think about who might be interested in what you’re promoting. Think also about the best area for you to promote to – does it need to be local to you or can you promote nationally / internationally? Is there a particular demographic that best suits, such as age, affluence or for business is there a particular job role that you’re aiming for or size of business?
Is an email broadcast the right way to get your message across? There are so many different ways of communicating now, make sure you choose the most appropriate, cost-effective method for your direct marketing campaign. You can purchase mailing lists, email lists, telemarketing lists and combinations of them, however, make sure you get the right data lists for your campaign.
Then think about the timing of your campaign. Trying to sell Valentines day cards on February 15th might be difficult!
Now, you want to make sure your message lands in the inbox of your intended recipient, right! To this extent, data integrity is vital to the success of your campaign as fresh, clean data will ensure your message reaches the maximum number of prospects.
Consider the content of your email. It may seem obvious that the wording has to be correct, however, the message needs to be right to suit every single recipient. Make it exciting, eye-catching, grab their attention so they want to come to you. Bear in mind, however, what else you place in the email – pictures, links, logos etc – as these may increase the SPAM score and lead to your email landing in Junk mail!
Your method of broadcasting the email can also make a difference. There are several dedicated email platforms available for conducting a broadcast, such as Infusionsoft. Using these platforms will not only ensure an efficient broadcast but will also increase the chances of your email landing in the inbox of your prospect rather than getting caught in SPAM traps and filters. Furthermore, they allow you to gather feedback and statistics on the broadcast, which can assist you with this and future such broadcasts.
So, as you can see, there are so many more things to consider when undertaking a direct email marketing campaign than you might have first thought. As a data broker, I can help with many things such as these listed above, to help ensure your campaign reaches its full potential.
I hope this blog gives you some useful tips and advice to ensure your campaign achieves maximum results. If you’re in any doubts, or if you have any queries or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01274 483936. We’d be happy to assist in any way we can.
