Email communications predict death or at least question it with enviable regularity. But email newsletters are still not only alive and kicking, but also bring online stores up to 30% of revenue. Yulia Elyasberg, head of the email marketing agency Retail Rocket, talks about what email marketing should be like so that it stops being buried.
Introduction
Compared to 1971, when the first email was sent to its recipient, what email marketing today’s email marketing has changed beyond recognition. Not only the structure of consumption and people’s expectations have changed completely, but also the technologies that allow brands to accurately see the profile of their client and satisfy their demand as much as possible.
Is Email Marketing Dead Yet?
How long do you think email marketing will be relevant in e-commerce? If we focus on late millennials, who are around 18 years old today (they will soon become your main audience), we can conclude that email marketing is no longer relevant. Young people azerbaijan email list 194608 contact leads smartphones more often than laptops, communicate mainly in instant messengers and do not read emails:
Email marketing has been declared dead more than once, and yet, according to a study by the American company Litmus, 70% of respondents believe that email communications will be relevant for a long time. But let’s look at the figures relevant to Russia:
Trend 1. Omnichannel
The boundaries between marketing channels are quickly erased, and omnichannel for business is no longer news. However, customers have not been waiting for news from your company for a long time. They are not interested in it. Moreover, buyers clearly understand their needs and have the ability to independently find what can satisfy them. They have learned the dates of final discounts and know all the life hacks for getting the best offer.
According to Think with Google, a customer needs an average of 2.8 touchpoints with a product before making a purchase. This applies not only to online shopping, what email marketing but also to purchases in a regular store. The number of contacts with a point of sale varies depending on the cost of the product. For example, clothes are bought faster than a TV. And it is difficult to say what exactly influenced the decision the most: an email, Facebook retargeting, a navigation board in a shopping center, a friend’s advice, or an SMS from a bank (“hooray, my salary came, I need to spend it”).
Predictive technologies allow for targeted personalization of email content, which can significantly impact email marketing metrics. Not long ago, Retail Rocket conducted an experiment together with Mamsy, where two user segments were sent different versions of the same email: with a standard banner layout and one optimized for an interest map. The personalized mailing showed 13.7% higher conversion:
Trend 2. Personalization
Let’s face it. Personalization of email marketing in e-commerce is a must have, not some new idea or trend. Thanks to Big Data and existing technologies in the market, you can easily create a unique email for each subscriber.
It is already possible to segment the subscriber base by a huge number of criteria – from birthday to user behavior in real time. It turns out that if two people sit at the same table, visit the same site on the same day and time, but look at and buy different products, what email marketing then the content in the letters (or even the letters themselves) users will receive completely different.
Let’s talk in more detail about creating automatic capsule selections. Retail Rocket actively uses this mechanics for many online stores, but perhaps one of the most interesting cases is the adult store “OnOna”. With the help of a unique algorithm that collects complementary products into “capsules” and our signature personalization by interests, the store managed to increase the average check by 22.7% .
Trend 3. Technologies and big data
According to Litmus , about 66% of respondents believe that email content will soon be determined by artificial intelligence. All advanced email marketers are already using situational content management to deliver the most relevant message to each subscriber. Predicting subscribers’ next most likely actions based on their past behavior ensures more accurate targeting.
As technology advances, emails become more interactive. AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is already available for email marketing, what email marketing allowing customers to purchase products and services via email. This technology also updates email data in real time, simplifies interaction (for example, a customer can now add a product to their favorites without going to the site) and, accordingly, increases conversion and revenue per email sent. In addition, you receive additional data that you can use for further communications.
Based on the analysis of many users, various consumption chains are formed, and each new client, after making one or more orders, gets into such chains. Thus, it is possible to assume which goods will be of interest to a person after what period of time. For example, here is a real consumption chain of one of the stores of children’s goods:
Trend 4. Automation
Automation in email marketing is a tool that turns a newsletter into a personal dialogue. In 2024, it will become the standard. The system itself collects data on user actions. You see who opened the letter, who clicked on the link. Therefore when to apply direct response copywriting who added the product to the cart. This data allows you to act immediately: send a reminder letter, offer a discount, remind about an abandoned cart.
Artificial intelligence helps predict when and what to offer a client. For example, if the system sees that a client buys once a month, it will offer a new product in advance. This is no longer just a mailing list – this is individual communication that brings real results.
Tips from Retail Rocket
- Think one step ahead. The system should not just react, but anticipate the client’s desires. Retail Rocket recommends connecting predictive analytics. For example, if the client buys shampoo every month, the system itself will offer it at the right time. This not only saves time, but also increases sales.
Trend 5. Gamification
Gamification makes emails lively and interesting. In 2024, it will become the norm. You don’t just send a text — you offer a game. For example, ask the user to guess which product will receive a discount, or offer to take a quiz. The email turns into a mini-quest that captures attention and encourages action.
It’s not just entertainment. When a person is engaged, what email marketing they stay with your brand longer. Gamification keeps their attention and increases the chances of conversion. And most importantly, you want to forward such emails to your friends. You create content that spreads on its own.
Tips from Retail Rocket
- Engage through play. People like to play, not just read. Retail Rocket suggests using mini-games and quizzes right in emails. Let the client guess which product will receive a discount, or collect points for activity. This engages and motivates to buy.
Trend 6. Engaging emails
Engaging emails are becoming the main tool for retaining attention in 2024. Forget about static text. Use interactive elements: buttons, polls, animations. The email should be such that you want to not just read it, but interact with it. Because kcrj add a video that starts immediately when you open the email, or a carousel of products that you can scroll through.
Personalization is your trump card. Address the person by name, offer what they really need. It is important that the letter brings value and speaks to the client in their language. Such a letter does not just inform, it encourages action. You build a relationship with the client, which increases loyalty and increases sales.
The Future of E-Commerce and Email Marketing
We were going to talk about email marketing, but it turned out to be about communication with clients, approaches to personalization, what email marketing effective use of technologies and working with data. And all because when you really want to understand some issue, you often understand that you can’t get by with just one thing.
When you combine everything we’ve talked about, your business will get a second wind, and it will never be the same again. Not just in terms of email marketing. Your customers will easily respond to your messages, no matter where and when they see (or hear) them – at home on their tablet, on the treadmill from a push notification on their Apple Watch, or behind the wheel of a car from Alice.
Balance between business objectives, what email marketing the real needs of your customers, and the technologies that will help you solve the former and respond to the latter. This is how you will find your best practices. Use all types of data from all types of sources to speak to the customer in his language, and he will reciprocate.