Permission-Based Email Marketing

Welcome to the 16th episode of the Baer Facts. Today we are discussing a recent report by JD Power and NetBase that explores consumers' thoughts about companies that are answering them on social media... and NOT answering them on social media. 

As social media professionals, we accept as gospel that we should be listening and responding to customers in every possible scenario. What this research uncovers is that you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. The reality is, it doesn't matter what you do... half of your customers will be unhappy. 

Here is the advice. Social media is becoming...

As a member of ExactTarget's Global Support leadership team, I see a lot of examples of how not to do things. Most of the time, my team can help you reverse-engineer the issue and align your work to industry and ExactTarget best practices. There are some mistakes, though, that even we can't help you come back from--and that can be disastrous to your marketing program.

Here are the top five that I've seen from my time at the support desk, and how you can avoid being a victim:

1. Location location location: Know your source of truth for subscriber information. Is it your internal CRM database? Is...

In his novel 1984 , George Orwell describes a society which is (among other things) riddled with constant surveillance. While Orwell’s novel is fiction, the era of Big Data is real. Working in technology partnerships at ExactTarget, I often discuss the benefits of marrying separate data sets in an effort to drive toward predictive relevance.

The opportunity for marketers to drive sales by leveraging actual consumer behavior data is practically endless. Yet as I travel around the country and speak to marketers about developing more relevant communications, I constantly hear the same...

Once you've got your mobile program up and running, you want customers to feel engaged and have an opportunity to interact with your brand on the spot. And as your mobile efforts mature, it’s critical to provide relevant and dynamic information that keeps subscribers wanting more.

Here are some ideas to help spark real-time customer engagement in your second three months.

Increase real-time mobile interactions. Mobile isn’t just about gaining email opt-ins anymore, so it’s important to continue growing your program in other ways. Consider creating a mobile voting campaign or text-in survey to...

When you’re just starting to put your mobile strategy into action, email is probably your bread and butter for reaching customers. At this stage, using mobile to beef up your email list is a good first step—but there’s plenty more you can do to get your mobile program off the ground!

Here are some ideas to help jump-start your mobile efforts during the first few months.

Grow your email opt-in list via mobile. If gaining email opt-ins is your goal, then create plenty of opt-in opportunities via text message—like, “Text JOIN and youremail@address.com to 12345 to subscribe to our program”—or add an...

Convenience, ease-of-use, and efficiency are no longer wants, but necessities in our fast-paced society. Auto bill pay, GPS, and other developments in technology continue to automate our lives. Marketers are working to stay at the forefront of their customers’ interactions across channels—including mobile.

Mobile SMS and push messaging are some of the easiest ways to cut through the clutter and get directly in front of customers. Yet, to have a robust mobile presence, it’s the magic behind the display that makes it possible.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) arm marketers with the...

The Positive Coaching Alliance teamed up with High Five Marketing to fulfill the mission of providing a positive youth sports experience for thousands of kids across the United States. Their success led them to be recognized as a 2012 finalist for the ExactTarget Power of One Awards at Connections 2012.

THE POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE STORY
Seventy percent of kids lose interest in youth sports by the time they reach age 13. Volunteer coaches often don’t know how to teach beyond the Xs and the Os of the game to keep kids motivated and engaged.

That’s where the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA)...

For the past three years, our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research series has taken an in-depth look at consumer preferences as they relate to email, mobile, and social channels. This time, however, we decided to turn the tables—to look in the mirror at our marketing peers. Are there channels that marketers use disproportionately more or less than consumers? Are we more permissive with technology in our own homes? Are we less concerned about the privacy implications of marketing today? Have all our years as early adopters—internet explorers, if you will—impeded our ability to relate to...

There's something new happening in the world of stand-up comedy, and it has nothing to do with the material that the "by-night" performers are delivering to audiences. Take Indianapolis-based comedy joint Crackers, for instance. On any given night, groups hungry for a laugh can grab a table, maybe an appetizer and a few beverages, and enjoy a lineup of amateur performers before the big-name headliner takes the stage for an hour-long set. But before the comedy starts, audience members are encouraged to subsribe to Crackers' "Mobile Text Club."

Essentially, venues like Crackers invite their loyal...

Social sign-in made headlines (at least in the world of online marketing) late last year when eMarketer reported that Facebook is the most popular source of social sign-ins. Our own Susan Marshall commented on this in her post, “The Power of Social Login.”

The takeaway for marketers? You may be losing prospects if you don’t offer social sign-in.

But for me personally… I have to admit that social sign-in kind of freaks me out. Let’s just say I’m not comfortable with the level of sharing that often accompanies those little “Sign In Using…” buttons.

I understand the benefits—I can easily share...

Today’s consumers are mobile—there’s no way around it. They’re constantly on-the-go, sending and receiving communications of all types, and they expect that information will be (literally) in-hand at all times. This week I’ll be providing more tips and instructions to build a mobile program that complements your cross-channel strategy and promotes consumer engagement.

These tips might seem simple, but remember – powerful mobile marketing doesn’t have to be complex!

STRATEGY OVERVIEW:

In order to remain top-of-mind and drive overall campaign success, it’s essential that you engage consumers across...

I would like to think we all agree on the ability for the mobile environment to affect marketing strategy. It is a fact of nature, the nature of change. It is a solid fact that the majority of consumers don't leave home without their mobile devices (whether a tablet, mobile phone, or smartphone). Yet mobile is still a relatively young marketing channel. How can you step up your game to gain more mobile customers and interactions?

Promote your mobile program through other channels! You’ve invested resources to improve your mobile presence—whether with a responsive website, mobile-optimized...

STRATEGY OVERVIEW:
Account activity alerts allow organizations to send convenient updates to their customers’ mobile phones. Customers can then request specific message types like automatic payment, direct deposit confirmations, overdraft alerts, and more.

This type of alert has become a principle mode of communication for many financial organizations including banks, credit unions, and investment firms, but is also critical for retailers and other organizations that maintain loyalty memberships.

HOW TO PUT IT IN ACTION:
Account activity alerts are driven by subscriber data like account numbers,...

If there was ever a sporting event that didn't need another pixel devoted to its promotion, it is the Super Bowl. From its humble beginnings in front of 62,000 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (100,000 capacity, mind you), the "Big Game" has ballooned into a worldwide phenomenon that commands $4 million per 30-second advertisement. Marketers, of course, watch from start to finish--not so much for the game, although it has been super of late--but for those advertisements.  And we in the digital marketing space have paid particular attention to see if and when brands would finally realize...

Today’s tip is similar to yesterday’s use case, and it provides another great opportunity to build your subscriber base. The difference is the channel in which you deliver your communications—instead of email, you send an SMS message!

STRATEGY OVERVIEW:
If you’re looking to transform your mobile messaging program, launch an outbound (mobile-terminated or “MT”) SMS messaging program. This type of program is the first step in delivering targeted, timely, and contextually relevant marketing communications to a subscriber list via text message.

Companies or organizations looking to launch a mobile...

There’s no doubt that today’s consumers are mobile. They’re constantly on-the-go, sending and receiving communications of all types, and they’ve come to expect that information be (literally) in-hand at all times. This week I’ll be providing tips and detailed instructions to build a mobile program that complements your cross-channel strategy and promotes consumer engagement.

These tips might seem simple, but remember – powerful mobile marketing doesn’t have to be complex!

STRATEGY OVERVIEW:
Using SMS to grow your email subscriber list allows you to gain permission from consumers at the most...

The margin for error in Marketing has become razor thin. Here are five "MegaTrends" that underscore why marketing professionals need to be at the top of their game in 2013.    

MegaTrend #1: Customers are More Informed, More Influential, and Less Patient

Today’s customers are better connected, more informed, and more technically savvy than even 3-5 years ago. They have considerably more access to information to make smarter purchase decisions. They are much less patient with brands that do not deliver the information and offers they want. And they are much more vocal in expressing satisfaction –...

At Connections this year we recognized over 30 companies as finalists for our Power of One Awards. The marketing team from Blinds.com, a leading retailer in the window blinds and shade business, was recognized as a finalist for their "Entice and Engage" campaign that generated 175% growth to their email list. Featured below is a summary of how Blinds.com went about achieving these phenomenal business results.

THE BLINDS.COM STORY

The Blinds.com team wanted to grow their email list with engaged prospects that could be reached across a number of platforms—not just email. The team knew that...

In this #InspiredMarketing blog series, we are sharing predictions on the future of marketing from 25 industry thought leaders. These predictions have been compiled in our new whitepaper, Inspired Marketing Predictions for 2013. In today’s post, Linda Woolley from the DMA shares her thoughts.

Regulatory Threats Rise Up

The economic turmoil of the past four years has deeply affected the marketing industry. Yet, of all the changes I’ve observed, perhaps the most significant has been the evolution of marketing data as a highly effective driver for bottom-line growth.

According to “The Power of...

Facebook is getting serious about search as CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the third pillar, Facebook Graph Search. “What is graph search? It’s not web search,” Zuckerberg shares with reporters.

Graph Search will allow you to search for people, photos, places, and interests. Based on the strength of relationships and connections, search results will be unique to you. You will be able to search by combining phrases. Zuckerberg used the example, “My friends who live in Palo Alto who like the Game of Thrones.” Graph Search will search for that set of content and display the relevant results....