or even weekly publishing schedules. Fewer pages, great content, personalisation and higher frequency are the secret ingredients to building that loyal, repeat purchase customer base. Moreover, because you are in a digital environment,
you can update each communication or catalogue any number of times, so out of stock items can be removed and slow-moving items can be given a harder push. You can flex your content and communications to match your specific business needs, in real time.
Distribution Here’s where the real magic begins. As important as it is
to create the digital experience from the ground up, so too is it to bear in mind the nuances of each distribution channel. For example, the user experience on the iPad will be quite different to the desktop web experience.
‘Tis the season to
There’s still time to tweak your email tactics before Christmas
Christmas is without a doubt the best time of the year for marketers to ramp up their initiatives to attract new customers and maximise existing loyalty, as consumer spending rockets faster than Santa’s sleigh. To make their brands stand out from
You can embed video content, such as tips from experts, into your digital catalogues
The common channel is an extension to the email
user journey, where you provide a link from the email and can easily personalise the catalogue experience based on data you have on your customers. Email response rates improve greatly when you send people a content experience of real value. You also have a website with a decent amount of
traffic, so why not leverage that and place this catalogue experience within an iFrame on your site? There is no need to worry about existing web architecture constraints—just a few lines of code and you’re live. Struggling with what to offer people who have “liked”
your brand on Facebook? Simply place your interactive catalogue into that environment—even make it a Facebook App with some tweaking and you are offering your customers something of real value on a recurring basis, which is easily shareable with friends, can be personalised based on profile information and provides untold data on your customers. Think about the fact that at all these touchpoints your interactive catalogue could be transaction-enabled so at the point where the customer intent to purchase has been created, you provide that facility without leaving the experience. Creating widely distributed, transactional experiences has never been more exciting and possible. We can’t end without touching in the iPad. A number
of our clients are seeing visitors from iPads creeping towards 10 percent of their overall web traffic, and it will continue to grow rapidly over the coming months. And of course this offers a unique in-store sales tool, which is web connected and always up to date, once again mitigating the need for costly on-site print materials. There has never been a more exciting time in communications, where content, ecommerce, data and digital distribution have intersected, enabling the creation real value for the consumer and delivering significant benefits to retail businesses.
the crowd, marketers need to ensure they’re fully prepared. Despite these efforts, consumers aren’t
always so quick to catch on. The frantic last-minute shop applies as much online as it does on the high street, so it’s important that brands keep pace when seeking last- minute conversions. Here, are a few tips that marketers can follow to drive revenue before the final stage of the holiday period.
• Optimise and cleanse your email database. Every record in a marketing database needs to be viewed as an important asset and consumers need to be segmented to ensure they receive relevant information. This way, you will have a better chance of engaging your customers. Even though optimising your database should be an on-going process, a last-minute clean up may improve chances of better conversion rates.
• Use subject lines that will grab attention. Epsilon’s Holiday Trend Report 2011 found that words that imply a sense of urgency, such as rush or now, are among the most effective when used in subject lines in the lead up to the festivities. Use these or similar phrases to increase last-minute click-throughs.
• Testing makes perfect. It is never too late to test emails. There are several factors to consider, such as the subject line or the time of day emails are sent. Test by using a smaller sample group and try different variations to see what works best. Always keep an eye on what competitors are doing, and offer your customers
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maximise ROI
• Apply social and mobile integration. For many retailers, the use of social media and mobile play vital roles in seasonal marketing activity. They become even more powerful when combined with email marketing efforts. However, content matters most, so depending on lead times, consider a themed campaign, such as a video for mobile, to increase engagement.
• Record results. You cannot improve what you do not measure, so always make a record of which dynamics helped the success of this year’s email marketing activity so you will know what works when planning for next year. Recording campaign results will help to identify any trends and will enable you to make year- on-year comparisons.
• Don’t neglect post-season opportunities. Continue to communicate with your customers after the festivities. It is a known fact—and even more so after the recent recession—that many consumers wait until the January sales to spend money. Making sure that your customers know that you remember them will enhance their brand loyalty.
Even though a last-minute strategy will increase the chances of better ROI, old adages about “poor planning” matter more than ever towards the end of the year. With that in mind, perhaps the first thing to do is check the calendar.
Richard Wright is marketing director at Epsilon EMEA.
By Richard Wright
something a little different. For example, stagger the times when your emails are sent to ensure your offers stand out from similar propositions.
• The “personal touch”. Personalised offers work well, so if you’re not currently using segmented data to track buyer transactions, or providing individual salutations, consider this a priority.
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