E-mail marketing done right is one of the most cost effective online tools for marketers, and one of the best methods for creating on-going relationships with your existing and potential customers. A recent survey of ad:tech attendees showed that e-mail to a house or internal list is bested only by paid search in reaching objectives in the minds of online marketers. In terms of direct marketing tactics, the Direct Marketing Association reports that e-mail can offer one of the highest returns online or off. Clearly, there is opportunity for any company or organization to develop this channel and increase the lifetime value of its existing and potential customers while extending brand differentiation in the marketplace.

E-mail marketing can encompass a wide range of strategic tactics that leverage opt-in opportunities to drive action through an online sequence that begins at the recipient’s Inbox. E-newsletters, special offers, auto-generated communication triggered by a customer action or event and even thank you e-mails sent post transacation are all crucial touchpoints with your market that must be carefully considered.

Thus, a critical key to success is establishing and maintaining brand trust – a trust that begins at the first point of contact and must be built through every click through consistent brand messaging and value proposition. At the Overland Agency, we call this the Branded Path to Action (BPA).

Permission based marketing campaigns such as e-mail are particularly adept in:

• Maturing leads and potential customers through the buy cycle
• Creating cross-sell and up-sell opportunities that increase the overall revenue value of each customer for the long-term
• Building, extending and protecting your brand
• Communicating on-going value to customers and broadening product awareness
• Driving to an efficient means of customer service and support through online channels

To effectively leverage e-mail marketing, it is important to apply the same mindset as any other online campaign, establishing branded paths to action that provide value to the recipient that in turn leads to conversion. For e-mail marketing, this starts with the “from” and “subject” lines to content and calls-to-action within the e-mail to destination pages and website processes that enable the visitor to gain value as they make their way through to the conversion goal.

Contact us today for a consultation on how to reach your brand goals.