Email marketing is a powerful channel but also one that presents many questions and difficulties. In their 2012 Email Marketing benchmark survey, MarketingSherpa asked 2,735 inbound marketing agencies to rank their most pressing email marketing challenges. At the top of the list: “targeting recipients with highly relevant content”.
“While differently phrased, this challenge basically overlaps with the idea of integrating data systems in order to allow for powerful segmentation,” explains Mark Parent in his latest guide for veteran and new marketers alike, “An Introduction To Email Marketing”.
“Marketers want to amass valuable data across their different channels,” he writes “Just think about it--if you could bridge the gap between email marketing performance and social media activities, landing page conversions or new customer acquisitions, you are that much closer to optimizing your sales funnel and delivering content that your community loves.”
In order to integrate your email marketing with your other data systems, you need to use marketing software that allows for that integration to take place. In fact, integration is the foundation on which HubSpot’s software was built as it connects SEO, blogging, lead management and reporting with email marketing and lead nurturing.
Combining your different marketing databases allows for clear segmentation and ability to better target your customers and prospects with relevant email messages. Once you have access to an integrated marketing system, keep your buyer persona in mind and focus on the opportunity to target the right audience with the right message.
The more targeted your email campaigns, the more content you’ll need. Key to promoting relevant content in email is to provide an offer that is connected to the initial request. What action have your contacts taken on (or even off) your website? Offer them content that Fits with their intent and their needs.
To learn more about how to optimize your email marketing – including solutions for 4 additional top email marketing challenges – download “An Introduction To Email Marketing” by Mark Parent today.