June 29, 2016 | Posted in Email Marketing | By B2the7

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eMail to this day still has one of the highest ROIs per send and is not an eCRM tool that will be going away anytime soon. When you combine your customer database, personalization, predictive intelligence within your eMail program, you have the ability to communicate to your customer in ways you couldn’t in years past.

Simply put, eMail is still one of the most cost effective digital marketing tools to engage customers and to communicate with customers.

What are you doing to grow your eMail database with quality addresses?

When growing your list, you want customers that are engaged with the brand for the long term and integrated within programs that keep them engaged. I believe and have seen the results that proved out that those who join organically are the more engaged customers compared to those subscribers that joined because of an incentive or were through paid acquisition.

I also believe in growing the list with quality, not quantity.

The most important aspect when promoting your eMail program is to be straight forward and explain exactly what the eMail content will be, how often they will be receiving and offer a preference center if possible so that the eMail subscriber can control the what and the how often.

Below I will outline some areas to focus on where and how to promote your eMail program with relevant content that is engaging to the customer.

1) Website – With your website you need to make the eMail sign up link and form very clear and prominent – eMail sign up should not dictate the goals of your site when it comes to sales and transactions. It should be an very important complimentary element.

2) Blog – If you have a blog that attracts attention and a good following, then this is also a good location to have your eMail capture form. With the social nature of blogs, make sure to include any eMail program information at the bottom of each eMail for when the blog is shared.

3) POP Material – With brick and mortar locations, you have a real opportunity to use your point-of-purchase materials as a way to encourage eMail program sign ups. Some areas to promote; Flyers, table tops, menu, cross promoted in eMail, cross promoted on your website, receipts, partnerships, local charity or sports activations.

4) Cross Channel Promotions – Maximize all your advertising channels to promote your eMail program. The ability to place a message about your eMail program on your campaigns, direct mail, newspaper ads, flyers, TV, social media and website will help you determine what form of advertising is producing and what is not.

5) Social Media – Use social media as a tool to promote your programs and to engage with your customers and potential customers.

You can explore the following with hesitation that these customers are not organic and are more into the incentive to join.

1) Paid/Acquisition/Co-Registration – Purchasing or renting list is, in my option, one of the worst ways to build a loyal following. I do not recommend or even engage with companies that are selling or renting list. You don’t know where the eMail addresses came from and these are not your customers.

2) Co-Registration is something that I have done in the past with limited success. You do have the ability to have some branding and information next to the sign up form or button. I have seen high opt out rates from co-registration subscribers. It is important with these individuals to get them a welcome message from your brand as soon as possible and into your program before they forgot that they actually took action to be included in your programs.

eMail content is also very important to keeping your eMail subscribers engaged. The content should be sharable, engaging, clean and have a clear call to action. Take a look at the eMails that you like and the ones that you don’t. Take notes of each and compare. What is working and what is not working can also help form the content you are wanting to share with your subscribers.

Best of luck building the most engaging eMail list that you can.

About Bernie

With more than 23 years of experience in marketing, Bernie is the Director of Digital Marketing at Papa John’s International, based in Louisville, KY. His current focus is building and scaling a progressive digital marketing foundation that balances the needs of both consumers and national/local stakeholders —  all while delivering measurable ROI to the business.

Additionally, Bernie oversees brand representation for Papa John’s digital properties and manages direct-to-consumer channels including eMail, SMS and push messaging. Recent initiatives have centered around bringing together larger promotional efforts with targeted campaigns to engage the consumer at the precise moment of interest.

Follow Bernie on Twitter @B2the7 or @B7_Design