Is Your E-Mail Acting Alone?

E-mail remains at the top of the list for effectiveness for business-to-business marketers with high return on investment. According to a 2011 Forrester Research report, promotional e-mails are getting a better reception from consumers than they were in the past. But even with these star qualities, your e-mail can't do the job alone.

Here are four pointers to keep in mind to make the most of your promotional e-mails:

1. Click-Through Is the First Step
As you write and design your e-mail, your primary goal is usually to connect with prospects and motivate them to click on a link that will take them to more information -- the "offer." Through your e-mail marketing services provider, like Constant Contact or MailChimp, you can track who clicked the links and follow up with them. All good, but are you also making the most of their click-through destination experience.

2. Dedicated Landing Pages
If you send prospects to your main Web site to find the offer that interests them, it may be hard for them to find it. Even if it seems obvious to you, it may not be so obvious to your prospects and you sure don't want to confuse them. A dedicated landing page allows you to deliver the offer without clutter and to focus their attention on the next step that you want them to take.

3. The Next Step
Your prospects have made it to the landing page and downloaded or watched or read the information they were looking for. Now what? Don't miss the opportunity to invite her to take the next step. While you don't want to muddy the water with more offers, you might include a link to the main Web site that provides deeper information specific to the offer.

4. Follow Up
There is no substitute for quick, polite follow-up. Whether through a phone call or e-mail, thanking someone for visiting your site and asking if they need more information is good manners -- and good marketing. If prospects came to your site, they have some interest. Follow up.

Don't let you e-mail carry the full burden. When your Web site and sales team support your e-mail, whether it's your monthly newsletter or a specific campaign, you will see better lead results.

Have you run a clever e-mail campaign lately? Post a comment below, or e-mail me and let's share the knowledge.

Posted by Barb Levisay on January 12, 2012 at 11:57 AM