It can take years to build a list of recipients that can be used for the purpose of email marketing.
If you've taken the required steps to acquire email subscribers and own or manage a list currently, congratulations - you're very much ahead of the game. If not, be patient and employ those tactics which time and again have been shown to contribute greatly to gradual, measured growth of subscribers.
It is quite likely, however, that even those with a large, detailed email list are not fully taking advantage of the channel and fall short in terms of achieving maximum channel utility. The reason, of course, is that they have yet to fully understand performance or master the targeting possibilities, missing out on the capabilities of their software solutions along the way and wasting resources and time as a result.
That can change when sender/brands focus their attention and resources exclusively on those tactics and technologies that ultimately matter most - performance, conversion, segmentation and personalization.
Performance & Conversion Metrics
Most senders don't have the slightest clue about the performance of their email initiatives on a broad scale (how much it contributes to the greater success of the enterprise), much less the nuances of metrics associated with personalized emails (see below). If you're concerned on a macro-level (a broader, less specific level) about the quality of a list or the performance of specific campaigns, review the data within a pure RFM (Recency, Frequency and Monetary) framework. This provides an opportunity for senders to discover which audience segments are most responsible for key performance indicators and what is motivating them to action.
Segmentation & Personalization Strategies
There are few sender mistakes more potentially damaging than failing to personalize the content that is distributed to recipients. Using predefined (yet flexible) audience segments further minimizes the impact of irrelevant content and increases the potential that even if there is "less" content within a delivered email it will be more focused on assisting that user through the (or another) conversion journey. When senders make the decision on which content to included based on RFM-focused conversion metrics messages and messaging will be more accurate on the whole and guide users more quickly down the path to conversion.
Software Solutions; The Foundation of Email Success
To be an effective sender today requires powerful segmentation capabilities and compelling approaches to personalization, both of which require a great deal of computing power and resources, which is why many brands select the many available software solutions to aid them in their email initiatives. Website Magazine routinely covers developments in this area and has even published lists of the top email service and technology providers on the market today. Research these enterprises and review their features to discover how they can help you improve email campaigns and accelerate 'Net success.
Start Sending Smarter
A list of emails is an incredible responsibility for senders and engaging in both one-time and regular campaigns demands close attention. Use your list wisely, treat it with an immense amount of care (not over sending, culling inactive recipients, etc.) by delivering content that resonates with recipients and enterprises will confirm what many have long said - that email is one of the most effective digital marketing channels.
