You may question why I would even waste time writing a blog post on a marketing channel that is seemingly ‘dead’. After all, in the run up to GDPR compliancy, B2B email marketing was portrayed as an immoral or impersonal method of communication, and one that could land you in big trouble. Consequently, many B2B businesses may now fear to send email campaigns, instead opting for alternative methods such as direct mails or social media, as discussed in our recent blog ‘Think outside the inbox’.
However, these new laws do not mean B2B email marketing is ‘dead’. With the correct marketing knowledge and strategy this marketing channel can continue to prosper and produce positive results for marketing and sales alike. Yes, in the wrong marketer’s hands sending mass and unsolicited email communications is intrusive and quite simply, a nuisance, but businesses have an exciting opportunity in this new era of email marketing that mustn’t be overlooked.
There is no doubt GDPR has changed B2B email marketing for the better, and I personally am very much an advocate of the protection and control users now have over their personal information. GDPR pushed businesses to generate a cleansed database of contacts that were acquired from opt-ins or legitimate interest, who are now willing and waiting to receive exclusive email content. Since there is no other marketing channel that can wholly match its cost-effective quality and reporting insights, or efficiency, it’s clear email marketing still has a prominent seat at the marketing table.
Personalisation, automation & targeted email marketing
So, what does this new era of B2B email marketing look like? Personalisation, automation and targeted content will each play an important role in delivering the best ROI from your email campaigns. Targeted and personalised emails specifically address your recipient’s needs and interests, meaning you are likely to see stronger engagement rates of clicks and opens – important for warming up leads for your telemarketing or sales teams.
Other key areas to focus on when building an effective ‘new era’ email campaign and strategy include:
Exclusive Content: Subscribers will feel special when they know they are gaining access to exclusive content through your email communications. It will make the content even more valuable when it is limited or pre-released to this specific channel, which will also help to reduce unsubscribe rates, recruit more opt-ins and increase open rates.
Clear Call-to-Actions: The journey from your email campaign to your end goal should be clear and simple for your readers to follow. Ensure your call-to-actions are obvious by designing them large, action-oriented, short and above the fold. An effective call-to-action will help drive conversions.
Utilise Landing Pages: Keeping email content ‘short and sweet’ is importing for keeping the reader’s attention and increasing engagement. Redirecting the recipient to a landing page will provide them with further information about the campaign and offer a chance to explore other elements of your website. Additionally, businesses have the option to provide a simple form for lead-generation, such as event sign-ups, contact or download requests.
And remember, always make it easy and available for your readers to unsubscribe from your email communications at any given time, even if they have recently opted in. This may seem paradoxical, but users will trust you more if you make them feel as if they are in control, not to mention the legal requirements that as a business you should be adhering to.
Are you looking for expert help in developing effective email marketing strategies and campaigns unique to your business goals? Speak to the Motion Marketing team for a discussion on how we can partner together to deliver positive bottom line results.
