Social Media Integration into Email Marketing Richard Evans, SilverpopOfficeArrow, LLC. 2009.

Let’s talk social sharing in email...Marketing shiftsHow email intersects with socialCase example54 million recipients tell us what worksHints and tricks to get you started

Marketing has forever changed

The old way of speaking to customers has shifted...

From Push...Direct Mail, Bulk Email, Radio, TV,...

...to Pull...Search, PPC, Blogs

...to Engagement and SharingSocial, Conversations, Participation, Feedback,UGC

Your brand used to be defined here...

...Now it’s defined here.By your market... Not just your marketing!

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.”

Let’s consider the implicationsYou define your brand and influence it.You help shape it.But, you do not control it.

You define your brand and influence it.

You help shape it.

But, you do not control it.

Let’s consider ALLthe implicationsYou have 24/7 market insight.More (and less costly)methods of engaging.Tens of thousands of people who can and will carry your message forward.

You have 24/7 market insight.

More (and less costly)methods of engaging.

Tens of thousands of people who can and will carry your message forward.

The power of social mediaIn 2008, 33%of online users were monthly users of social networks1Social network users are, on average, connected to between 150 and 200 friends340% 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**AberdeenGroupEmail is alive and well

Integrating Email with Social

The efficacy of a normal email campaign

Social networks expand virally

Social email is the new viral

Extend your reachBrand exposureImpressionsAcquisitionList growth

Generate buzzViral buzzWord of mouthBrand awareness

Identify your influencersLoyal enthusiastsBrand evangelistsYour connection to a wider market

Case StudyNational Express East Coast Trains

National Express East Coast TrainsCompany OverviewNational Express ECT are a UK National Train Operating CompanyHave a well established email communications program which includes targeted content for newsletters and special offersChallengeWanted a cost effective and efficient way to get their offers, already well received, into the wider communitySolutionIntegration of their email communications with social networks through the utilisation of the new ‘Share-to-Social’

National Express + Share to Social

Email recipients can add their own comments or endorsementsEmail Subject line becomes “Title” and “Mailing Notes” become the description teaser-text to be displayed. Users can select a thumbnail from some of the images in email, or opt to not include a pictureRecipient taken to social site

Results800 recipients shared the email offer 80,000 additional impressions 8% list growth33% people who viewed a shared item clicked through to the offer 3x CTR of their standard emails

Making it work for youHints and Tips

Make your messages ShareworthyBuild trust and engage with your customers. Know what motivates your customers.Create and state value.Make sharing options visible and easy.Reward and incent sharing.

Build trust and engage with your customers.

Know what motivates your customers.

Create and state value.

Make sharing options visible and easy.

Reward and incent sharing.

What B2B emails are Shareworthy?Relevant ArticlesEvent /Webinar NotificationsNews / Press Releases

Relevant Articles

Event /Webinar Notifications

News / Press Releases

What’s not Shareworthy?Highly Personalised EmailsTransactional EmailsLong newslettersNegative News

Highly Personalised Emails

Transactional Emails

Long newsletters

Negative News

A First Look2009 Social Sharing Study

Offer in subject line24%increase in sharing activity6%increase in views of shared content

Branding in subject line89%increase in sharing activity58%increase in VIEWS of shared content293%increase in CLICK THROUGHS on shared content

Business-to-Business57%higher rate of sharing compared to B2C

Most popular…100% Included in every mailing

Most popular…68%Social Network Effectiveness

Placement and style

Lifespan of viral email7 dayson average

Putting it to use

Add the links to your messages

Know what networks work for you

Optimize for those networks

Optimize for those networks

Getting started with social emailFocus on ‘Shareworthiness’Make it easy to shareMonitor social ‘buzz’ (and engage)Identify and reward your influencersTest everything and don’t be afraid to fail

ResourcesWhitepaper, Email Marketing Goes SocialEmails Gone Viral, Social Sharing Benchmark Study

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