Email Marketing Automation and the benefits

You don’t have to be technical wizard to set up an automated campaign and the results can be very satisfying indeed. By Rob Martin.

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You don’t miss the water ‘til the well runs dry….and when it comes to online interaction you don’t miss that automated email until it doesn’t arrive.

So familiar have consumers become with that simple ‘welcome’ or ‘thank you’ message that they feel somewhat ignored or short-changed if they don’t receive it.

A friend recently booked a holiday with a camp-site in France and received an automated email thanking him for his custom and suggesting family activities in the local area.

A simple, automated but appreciated gesture which immediately formulated a positive view of the company in my mind.

You see automated marketing emails are like the ‘have a nice day’ gestures by the shop assistant at the end of a physical transaction or the equivalent of the door being held open by the hotel porter.

Sure, it has little impact on the purchase you’ve just made but it certainly could influence your decision to return to the store, hotel or online site the next time.

Of course over the years the automated messages have become much more sophisticated and personalised. Formatted correctly they can actually generate significant new revenue. They can be proactive rather than re-active.

One of the best-known examples is Amazon – the world’s largest internet-based retailer, which sends subscribers ideas for new purchases based on previous buys or even on the items which they’ve been browsing. Ingenious.

Of course email marketing automation doesn’t have to necessarily relate to subscribers or customers. Many companies invest in marketing automation systems which provides a suitable database of leads.

For smaller companies with limited marketing budgets email marketing automation can be a massively useful tool allowing it reach thousands quickly and effectively.

It saves time for you and your staff, allows simultaneous campaigns and by establishing a schedule of email posts the chances of reaching the potential consumer or service-user is maximised.

Crucially marketing automation solutions, which are known for their cost-effectiveness, provide detailed reports so you know, quite quickly, how effective an email shoot or campaign is.

Most systems will provide you with detailed graphs, statistics and other report data which can be analysed so you can optimize future campaigns.

And the beauty is its simplicity.

You don’t have to be a technical whizz-kid to set up automated marketing emails. Most solutions offer ready-made templates, easy to use editors and helpful information to guide you through the creation and distribution processes.

As we always point out the structure of your email is key. Sloppy presentation online equates to sloppy presentation in-store – and who wants that?

And don’t overlook the little things. People want to be welcomed, thanked and advised. They want to feel important. They want to know about offers and suggestions. They want you to reach out to them…..just not too often.

Email Marketing Automation allows businesses to do this discreetly and effectively. Few marketing techniques can be so worthwhile yet so simple to initiate.

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