Email Marketing Goes Social

Email Marketing Goes Social
How can Email work in tandem with Social Networks

Topics

How are you Engaging with customers?

The Shift From Push...

...to Pull...

...to Sharing
Conversations
Participation
Feedback,...

The Exploding ‘Groundswell’
“Right now, your customers are writing about your products on blogs and recutting your commercials on YouTube. They’re defining you on Wikipedia and ganging up on you on social networking sites like Facebook. These are all elements of a social phenomenon that has created a permanent shift in the way the world works. Most companies see it as a threat.
You can see it as an opportunity.”

The Growing Social Media Landscape

The Power of Social
In 2008, 33%of online users were monthly users of social networks1
41% of youth aged 12 to 21 visit social sites daily2
Social network users are, on average, connected to between 150 and 200 friends3
40% of email participants use social sites to gather product information and recommendations4
“Social Media Consumption”– Jupiter Research, September 23, 2008
“Social Technographics, Mapping Participation in Activities Forms the Foundation of Social Strategy,” Forrester Research, April 2007
3. “The Benefits of Facebook “Friends:” Social Capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites,” by Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe: Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media Michigan State University; 2007 Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
4. “Targeting Influential E-mail Subscribers,” JupiterResearch, July 2008

So Is Email Marketing Dead?

92% of adult Internet users send or read email — far more than regularly visit any social network*
According to The Direct Marketing Association and CMO Council, email marketing outperforms virtually all other media in terms of ROI**
Email delivers one of the lowest costs per order and 2-times the ROI of any other digital channel**
*Pew American Life & Internet Study
**AberdeenGroup
Email is Alive and Well

The efficacy of a normal email mailing

Social Networks Expand Virally

Social Email is the new Viral
NikeStore, 2/19 — Introducing the New Nike Lunartrainer+ iD‏Starting with a Feb. 12 email, Nike has added a ShareThis button to the bottom portion of their emails, looking to spur viral sharing of their email content.

Why integrate email and social?

Case Study
National Express East Coast Trains

National Express East Coast Trains
Company Overview
National Express ECT are a UK National Train Operating Company
Have a well established email communications program which includes targeted content for newsletters and special offers
Challenge
Wanted a cost effective and efficient way to get their offers, already well received, into the wider community
Solution
Integration of their email communications with social networks through the utilisation of the new ‘Share-to-Social’

Email recipient can add their own comments or endorsements
Email Subject line becomes “Title” and “Mailing Notes” become the Meta teaser-text to be displayed.
Users can select a thumbnail from some of the images in email, or opt to not include a picture
Recipient taken to Social Site

Over 800 recipients shared the email offer resulting in an estimated 80,000 additional impressions (8% list growth)
45% shared on Facebook
44% shared on digg
11% shared on MySpace
17% of recipients who posted had at least one open of the post
Some posts had up to 10 opens
33% people who ‘opened’ a post then clicked through to offer
3x CTR of their standard emails
Results

Making it work for you
Hints and Tips

Are your Messages Shareworthy?

Are you a trusted source?
Tribal Interests- What motivates your interest groups?
Simplicity of Message
Ease of Sharing
Obvious Value
Timely and relevant content

What B2C emails are Shareworthy?

Great offers
New season / product announcements
Sale Notifications

What B2B emails are Shareworthy?

Relevant Articles
Event /Webinar Notifications
News / Press Releases

What’s not Shareworthy?

Highly Personalised Emails
Transactional Emails
Long newsletters
Negative News

Getting started with Social Email
Focus on ‘Shareworthiness’
Make it easy to share
Monitor SocNet ‘buzz’
Identify and Reward High-Value Sharers
Test and don’t be afraid to fail