Marketing Tech Talk #5

Automated Email Marketing, one of the most powerful tools an Email Service Provider offers

Today’s 28-minute podcast will discuss automated email marketing campaigns. Your team may refer to them as auto-responders, drip, lifecycle or triggered email campaigns. No matter the name, the definition of this type of campaign is a single email or series of emails created by a defined set of rules based on dates, events, or behaviors, and sent automatically to a subscriber. Due to their timing and relevancy to the subscriber, automated emails consistently achieve higher open rates in comparison to other types of email messages. In 2012 MarketinSherpa found that sending automated email marketing messages was the most effective tactic to increase engagement, and deliver relevant messages to email subscribers. Triggered emails topped all other engagement tactics including segmenting by behavior, producing content for each funnel stage, and using a loyalty/rewards program.

Today’s podcast will answer the following question

“Where do I go next, from the standpoint of either starting an automated email marketing campaign, or adding them to my customer lifecycle communications?”

The Inbox Group’s Chris Donald and Scott Cohen share their email expertise

To help us answer that question, we have invited Christopher Donald and Scott Cohen to be our guests. Both are from the Inbox Group, a full-service email agency specializing in helping clients at every stage of their email, social media, and mobile marketing programs.

In this program, we explore the top two places where automated email marketing campaigns can make the biggest impact on your shopper’s path to purchase.

1. Welcome campaigns <5:48>

When subscribers first register to receive your email communications, they are signaling to you they’re very interested in learning more about your brand. It is vital for brands to start the relationship by demonstrating the value you place on having their attention. Chris and Scott share strategies on how to best use a welcome email to confirm expectations for the content and frequency of the messages they asked to receive. Furthermore, Chris and Scott confer on the optimal time for a welcome email to be sent (within an hour of registration), and discuss the merits of sending a single message or welcome series based upon a brand’s sales cycle length and business model.

2. Cart abandonment campaigns <14:55>

The Conversion Academy find cart abandoners spend 55% more on purchases than non-abandoners, yet according to MarketingSherpa only 9% of marketers implement cart abandonment email campaigns. Chris Donald feels that is like leaving money on the table. Chris and Scott explain the first step is to uncover what your current abandonment rate within an 8-hour window. This is critical to know what improvement email will have for your ecommerce site. <16:48>

From there, the Inbox Group’s strategists recommend not giving a discount immediately, rather build a three-part campaign <17:23>. The first customer service reminder goes out within a couple hours with a picture of the product left behind. Next, send an email message 23 hours later. The aim is to catch the buyer at the same time of day when he or she first started shopping. If neither email is successful, send a third email with a discount provided as an incentive to complete the purchase. However Chris, recommends using a variety of rules to prevent training a consumer to abandon a cart to receive a discount. This is often accomplished by segmenting customers based on if they have redeemed a discount in last six months or setting dollar amount floor – above $200 in the cart, a shopper will receive third email, less than $200 no discount will be offered <18:54>.

Listen or download the entire interview now. The podcast is 28 minutes long, the perfect length to listen to during the morning or evening commute.

Guest: Christopher Donald, CEO/ Strategist

Chris has been in active in the digital world since 1993 and sent his first email campaign in 1995. He’s worked directly with Fortune 500 companies, retail giants, non-profits, SMBs and government agencies on everything from strategy to creative to “digging in the dirt” analytic/data modeling. Chris lives in TX with his wife Kari and their five dogs. He’s a BIG baseball fan, loves a good steak and zombie movies.

Guest: Scott Cohen, Vice President of Marketing

Scott once earned the nickname “Scriptini” because of his ability to produce quality writing on ridiculous deadlines. Branching out from copy writing since then, Scott has been heavily involved in email marketing since 2007. Having both agency and client-side end-user experience, Scott brings a unique perspective that combines best practices with real-world-tested strategy and tactics. When not spending (probably) too much time working or learning, Scott spends his time as a father, husband, sports fanatic, and budding strength-training nut.

Additional Resources:

Inbox Group Whitepaper: Exploit the Power of the Welcome

Inbox Group Whitepaper: Save Your Shopping Carts with Email

Brick Street Whitepaper: Make a Splash with Every Email Message