.png)
More and more often, many of our customers ask about email marketing features and how they can incorporate them into their marketing plan. They recognize the added value, but at the same time, they are concerned about their lack of email addresses from their clients.
In this article, we will propose a way to "bypass" this problem.
Email Marketing
According to most research, email marketing is one of the most efficient digital marketing tools for all types and sizes of business. Therefore, we should incorporate it into every company's communication and marketing strategy.
When done right, it builds a consistent relationship and trustworthiness with your customers. Keep in mind that email marketing is not just a communication medium. It is a development tool! It is a tool to engage new customers and, at the same time, to maintain existing ones.
In addition, most email marketing platforms incorporate landing page capabilities with sign-up forms to grow your mailing lists.
In my point of view:
If you need a landing page, build it with a marketing platform tool (e.g. MailChimp)
If you are interested in email marketing, start with the proper tool.
Nevertheless, for some companies, the problem is that they do not have enough emails. Traditionally, it was a common practice, for most companies, to get their customers' mobiles, but not to ask for their email as well.
Therefore, we have the problem of small volumes in emails but, on the other hand, we have enough mobile phones to start with.
SMS Marketing
SMS marketing is not new, as it was a massive trend during the past years. The character restrictions and the inability of "rich content" put it in a stall for a while, but new platforms (like Viber, WhatsApp etc.) "revitalised" it.
Do not forget:
SMS messages have an open rate more than 90%
Text messages have over 200% higher response rate than phone, email, or social media.
90% of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes.
Let us go back to the problem: emails/NO - mobile phones/YES.
Why don't we combine these two markteting tools ???
Let's see how:
Step 1: Create a landing page through our email marketing platform, including a sign-up form (we want the emails). Publish it, copy its url and minimised it (bitly.com, cutt.ly etc.)
Step 2: Create an engaging SMS (traditional and rich-text), including the landing page's url and sent it to your mobile phone list (SMS and/or Viber). You can even try giving an incentive gift 😉!
Step 3: On the landing page you collect your clients' emails and grow your email list.
Step 4: Repeat the action to maximise results. (url clicks in the SMS can be monitored! Re send to non-openers and "non clickers')
Step 5: Start moving towards pure email marketing campaigns.
Step 6: Incorporate such campaigns into your regular marketing plan.
Summarising:
Email marketing is the most efficient way of digital communication and business development, building a stronger relationship with your customers.
On the other hand, SMS marketing is slightly more expensive but more direct and with higher open rates.
Combining these tools you maximise the results of your marketing budget.
Important Notes
Creating engaging content is crucial, especially if you have character length limitations.
It takes time! Don't expect that one single action will bring all emails from your clients! Bulding a strong email list is a long term strategy.
You can use the same procedure to drive your customers to your social media.
You can use the reversed action to collect mobile phones using email marketing campaigns 😃
This procedure will help to clean-up your mobile list as well (some of them may be non valid).
Always follow GDPR!
At UNIQUE marketing & development Consulting, we have extensive email and SMS marketing experience for more than ten years. If you are interested in exploiting the capabilities of email marketing in your marketing strategy, we are just one click or one phone away :)
Every company is UNIQUE. Like Yours!
