"Effective one-to-one marketing is more than just email," R.J. Talyor states in an article at MarketingProfs. "[Y]our subscribers and customers aren't always staring at their email inboxes. Rather, they're also posting, texting, watching, commenting, and they step away from the computer sometimes, too." Because of this, he recommends the development of a broader strategy that reaches today's subscribers wherever they might be:

Start small. You don't have to create a major campaign based on Web 2.0 tools. Instead, dip your toe in the water with, say, a single effort. "[G]auge your customers' interest in communicating via [a] channel [other than email]," says Talyor. You might try sending a text message or inviting them to add you as a friend on a social network.

Strategize. Once you've taken the first steps, expand your efforts. As with any campaign, create a goal and establish measurements for success; you'll likely find that subscribers appreciate contact in the channel that most appeals to them.

Measure. This might be the most challenging aspect of the exercise. While email has well-established metrics like open rates and click-through rates, channels such as texting may prove more difficult to measure. "[E]xpanding a program across multiple channels requires a more comprehensive look at the conversion funnel," Talyor notes.

The Po!nt: Start a beautiful friendship. Think of today's email marketing as one piece of the engagement puzzle—not the entire picture. "Push forward with that small one-to-one campaign that links up one or more additional messaging channels," Talyor suggests.

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