Email - One Size Does Not Fit All

Email- One Size Does Not Fit All

The trouble with email is our drive thru, fast food mentality regarding it – blame it on the initial hype and the promise. Yes, email makes it very easy and tempting to send out hundreds, and thousands of emails in one click.

However, targeting the entire market is an unsegmented, shotgun approach. While this is generally less effective than a differentiated approach, in instances where buyer groups have neither been identified nor are easily identifiable, it may be the only strategy available.

Email marketing is more effective utilizing concepts borrowed from more tried and true marketing mediums- targeting and segmenting.

--Targeting Strategies --
Target the entire market ? Target Different segments of the Market ? Target one segment of the market?

Getting started - before you have fully segmented your databases-your market segments could be separated into customers and prospects. If you think about it for a moment, a marketing piece to either segment would not need the same information- your customer already knows you and doesn’t need you to establish credibility,where as a prospect still needs the credibility established…You get the idea.

Two separate email campaigns --
Twice the work you may be thinking, but how about thinking of it as twice or quadruple the results?

--Segmenting--
This is where the beauty of technology comes in!

Segmenting your database into smaller groups based on preferences, demographics, past buying habits [consumer behavior], click-thrus…has never been easier*, and will all yield greater results.

Segmenting the market is an intelligent way of focusing effort. Targeting

evaluates market segments and enables the company to go after the most profitable segment. These decisions help support marketing and financial goals-a bulls eye win!

For the one off email, targeting means more personalized messages. I mean doing your homework and tailoring the
message to the recipient’s interests, even in the subject line.

Personalization in the body of the message- mention of a news item about their company or products, or if you have a familiar enough relationship, something about their personal interests, all help establish a rapport and let them know you have taken the time [no fast food emails here!] to write to them and that you haven’t just cut and pasted the same reply to all your contacts.

Whether you are writing one off emails or larger email marketing campaigns- the results are much better if you target your recipient based on the knowledge you have of their preferences, past behavior and buying habits.

To your effective emailing - Jane

Jane Tabachnick eMarketing partners with companies to help them use the Internet to market their businesses
and grow their profits.

For upcoming classes on email marketing and ezines, or full service emarketing visit http://www.janetabachnick.com

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Written by: Jane Tabachnick