Find all the latest marketing trends on the J&C Blog.
The numbers tell the story.
The volume of triggered emails increased 73% in
the 4Q12 compared with the year-earlier period.1
Open rates for triggered emails hit 49.8% in Q212;
almost 95% higher than mass emails.2
The average click-through rate for triggered emails
is more than double the rate for mass emails.2
In addition, a recent email marketing benchmark report confirms that triggered emails have proven to be the most effective email technique.3
Trigger programs are gaining momentum with performance exceeding mass emails. More and more marketers are turning to trigger programs to help deliver revenue and value to the marketing equation. Marketing automation is enabling triggered email programs to come to life in a cost-efficient method.
Triggered email programs begin with identification of all key trigger points across the entire customer experience. Behavioral marketing focuses on accurately segmenting and targeting audiences based on their past and present online interactions with the company. Marrying triggered emails with behavioral marketing can be a powerful combination.
Here are three key best practices that should be leveraged to develop a behaviorally-driven triggered program.
1. Start with the customer experience.
Identify all the possible trigger points based on behaviors. Those behaviors should be interaction points across the customer lifecycle. Leverage analytics to determine interaction points and behaviorally-based groups. Prioritization of all trigger points should then be conducted to determine which ones provide the greatest opportunity. Criteria in evaluating trigger points should be based on customer expectations and business outcomes, such as revenue potential.
Points within the lifecycle to consider include:
Acquisition and lead nurturing
Start with identifying what behaviors and touch points occur prior to customer conversion. Consider funnel touch points across lead generation and lead nurturing. Touch points in this stage of the relationship including completion of lead forms or downloads as well as other content engagement such as clicking of emails and social interactions.
Abandon
Only a small percentage of prospects are ready to buy when they enter the funnel. That means the majority of users are abandoning. Abandoning from a web page, landing pages, shopping cart, or even email. These hand-raisers have indicated an interest, probably the warmest leads in the pipeline. Converting these folks should be a high priority.
Welcome
The initial 60 to 90 days have proven to be critical to time in helping new customers become adopters of a product or service. Often enrolling or purchasing is only the first step, but adoption is the critical step that converts a one-time customer into a long-term customer.
Usage of products or features
Growing adoption leads to enhancing the customer relationship. Analyzing behavior is the key to unlocking opportunities for enhancing customer utilization of products or features as well as cross selling. An example of this is analyzing aspects of an online product that are being utilized, versus what features might require additional education.
Converting users to super users
We all know that retaining and growing customers is a key priority. It is much easier to convert a user to a super user, than a prospect to a customer. Promoting additional features and applications can help users envision new ways to use products and services.
2. Use personalization to increase relevancy and response.
According to MarketSherpa, 69% of people state that they are ok with exchanging data for better, more personalized service. Furthermore, in a study J&C recently conducted two out of three consumers said they preferred personalized communications over mass, non-customized communications.
Determine relevant messages for different groups, and then consider opportunities to increase relevancy through personalization. This includes having the right content, at the right time, in the right place, and leveraging the right tools for implementation.
It’s essential to ensure triggered emails marry aggregate understanding of different groups, with information that is personalized about them, their interests and their behavior. You are following up on a behavior, so it’s critical to ensure consideration is given to where the user’s mind set is in the process. Personalization leads to increased relevancy, which leads to better response. In triggered behaviorally-based emails, it is also a user expectation. That makes it a must.
3. Capture email address every chance you can.
Make “email address” the second field after “name” on all enrollment, sign-up and lead forms. While that might sound aggressive, it will enable your trigger programs to be operationalized.
Email addresses are the fuel that drive triggered behavioral marketing programs. Look for all opportunities to capture email addresses and ensure it is a priority in all marketing communication touch points.
That’s a quick overview of some of the key facts demonstrating the opportunity around triggered emails, as well as the three of the 10 best practices.
Topics: Best Practices, Email Marketing
303 E Wacker Drive, Suite 2030
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-894-3000
Fax: 312-894-3005