In our last edition, we introduced you to the concept of an application programming interface—or API—that seamlessly integrates your email marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) programs.

As you research various options, here's a quick rundown, based on the insights of Drew Adams, of some solutions an API can facilitate:

• When you add a new contact to your CRM app, it automatically subscribes that person to your email list—thus saving you from having to enter the data twice. On the flip side, you also achieve worry-free compliance with CAN-SPAM by ensuring that all unsubscribe requests are honored.
• An API enhances your deliverability rates with ISP-friendly features like domain keys and sender ID, and provides additional feedback when recipients flag your messages as spam. It can also "throttle" delivery by making sure an ISP receives mail at the rate it prefers.
• There's no need to invest time and money writing and testing your own code for tracking open and click-thru rates, or bounced messages: an API gathers all that data for you.

"There isn't a magic button to bring all these components together," says Adams. "Integrating your email marketing application and your internal databases will take time and planning." But the effort is worth it: you'll both heighten efficiency and realize a tangible ROI by bringing these powerful tools together.

The Po!nt: APIs bridge gaps. With some work up front, you can find an API to simplify your CRM processes—and help boost your results.

Source: MarketingProfs. Click here to read the article.

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