Global email users are expected to number 2.7 billion this year. No wonder the channel remains a favorite among marketers.

Email consistently has been a powerful outreach method through which brands (no matter their size or industry) can build strong relationships with consumers, relay important company information, and push key sales objectives and opportunities.

Moreover, email is evolving as a marketing technique in response to other digital channels, such as native advertising and social media. Nearly a third of retailers consider integrating email with other digital campaigns to be a top priority for 2016, according to The 2016 Yesmail Channel Report from Yes Lifecycle Marketing.

The report also indicates that marketers still have a great deal to learn about email marketing before they take on cross-channel integration.

Brands should focus on three key areas to prepare for future email integration opportunities. After all, 2016 is already well underway, and companies not already doing the following must adjust quickly or risk falling further behind.

1. Go Back to Basics

Before tackling any other digital outreach efforts, marketers must get back to the basics of email marketing.

Securing consumers' email addresses is something all brands should already have mastered, but many still miss out on simple opportunities to do so.

Almost half of retailers do not collect email addresses via social media or in store, and over two-thirds do not collect email addresses when consumers download or interact with their mobile app. Similarly, 17% of retailers fail to secure site visitors' email addresses.

Retailers must focus on securing more email addresses whether at point-of-sale, on social, or during website browsing─and via other sources. Developing a personalized online experience that's seamless between channels is nearly impossible to do without doing that.

Marketers can use various technologies and customer touchpoints to secure more email addresses.

For example, marketers can prompt users on social platforms to share their email addresses by offering a simple call-to-action. Likewise, marketers can obtain the email addresses of their website visitors by providing a coupon that can only be accessed after subscribing to a company e-newsletter or a banner ad. Consumers are already accustomed to such requests and will likely oblige in exchange of right offer or incentive.

To collect the most shopper email addresses, marketers should make use of every channel that's a part of their digital marketing program. Each avenue─social media, mobile, online, or in store─will help retailers reach different audience members and create a bigger database of potential shoppers.

2. Prioritize Personalization

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Three Things Email Marketers Should Do to Stay Competitive

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Ivy Shtereva

Ivy Shtereva is senior marketing manager at Yesmail, where she is responsible for multichannel strategy and implementation across the email, database, Web, and direct marketing channels. She also authors Yesmail's quarterly benchmark reports.

LinkedIn: Ivy Shtereva