AMiable Solution #187: Are You Guilty of this Practice?

It’s nearing the end of the month, and sales/memberships/donations are below budget.  In an attempt to bolster numbers, you dust off your email list and conjure up a quick email.

Is this you?  Do you include email campaigns in your marketing, but only when you’re in a time crunch or desperation mode?  If so, you’re not alone.

According to Elyse Dupre in her April 6, 2016, DM News article, “The Three P’s of Email Marketing,” nearly a third of marketers polled in a Litmus survey of 900 email marketing professionals said that the email campaigns they send are completely ad hoc.  Only about half maintain a calendar all year.

That could change, however, as more organizations recognize the value and benefit of sending regular, targeted, segmented emails to their customer base.  Campaign Monitor, an email-marketing service provider, claims that email marketing yields an average return of $38 for every $1 spent.  Who wouldn’t want that?

So how do you fill a calendar with emails?  What’s a good reason to send an email?  Consider the following ideas:

·        Remind customers about a previously mailed offer

·        Provide a sneak-peek or exclusive offer for an upcoming product, event, mailing, or web offer

·        Notify members or buyers of forthcoming expiration dates on services

·        Update donors on progress made with their donations

·        Reach out to customers who haven’t engaged with you lately

·        Send regular company tips or industry insights to develop customers and relationships

Whatever you choose, make email marketing a regular part of your marketing schedule.