eCRM (Electronic Customer Relationship Management) newsletters aren’t as simple as they can first appear.
For one, the modern-day inbox is overcrowded and therefore the competition to cut-through the noise is intense. By way of contextualising this, the average office worker receives 120 emails every day.
In addition to this, you can’t just send one fantastic email and hope you’ve got a relationship for life (life tip: this also applies to romantic gestures!). Once you start, you can’t stop and there are a multitude of interconnected elements and journeys that require consideration.
As the Drum Award’s 2019 Best eCRM Agency in the UK (the fifth time in six years we have earned the title based on client ratings), we’ve pulled together our top nine tips and techniques for an effective eCRM programme.
1.Provide case studies
Case studies are an invaluable asset when it comes to establishing proof that what you’re offering is valuable and of good quality.
2. Share success stories
Success stories are powerful social proof that your product or service has value and does what it claims to do, give prospects a sneak preview of ‘why’ and ‘how’ they would benefit from your product or service.
3. Offer testimonials
Testimonials help drive desired customer behaviour (and results), because they say the things you cannot necessarily say for yourself.
4. Help people solve a problem
Give your audience something valuable without asking for anything in return. In turn, that prospect is far more likely to buy your product or service or provide positive word of mouth.
5. Help people learn
The most successful brands win their customers’ trust by acting as a resource, not an infomercial. Sending tips, exclusive insights and educational content creates an inbox experience that recipients genuinely look forward to. They’ll be less likely to unsubscribe, and you’ll be top of mind when it’s time to buy.
6. Give stuff away
Never underestimate the value of free resources. Whether it’s a free guide, a printable PDF, or a company branded calendar, free resources are a great way to create added value and showcase your brand’s ability to offer ‘a little something extra’ to customers.
7. Entertain
A short film or YouTube video tells an entertaining story. For example the well-known video about Melbourne Metro – “Dumb Ways to Die” wasn’t just a video, Melbourne Metro developed an app where you can play with the same cartoon characters.
8. Get personal
Data is powerful and people react well to meaningful but non-intrusive personalisation. It shows that you see them as an individual and that you care about their individual preferences and properties, something Spotify has done excellently with their ‘wrapped’ campaign. We consistently see increased engagement and ROI through the use of relevant personalisation.
9. Measure engagement
Which metrics are most important (beyond OR and CTR) to you? Engagement metrics can inform future design and content decisions – leading to increased effectiveness. Also keep an eye on unsubscribes: if they’re higher than 0.5% you may be sending too many emails or the wrong type of email.
10. Value is key
You must always be striving towards value. People will open your email and engage with it, if (and only if) they perceive that it will provide some value to them.
If you have a CRM or eCRM campaign coming up, we’d be more than happy to help make it your best yet, contact us today here.