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Content Marketing Meets Email: 4 Approaches Every Email Program Can Benefit From
This document discusses four approaches that email programs can take to incorporate content marketing: 1) Foundational - Regular, predictable communications to maintain relationships with subscribers across a range of topics. 2) Educational - "Lead nurturing" content like tutorials and articles to move prospects through consideration phases. 3) Engaging - Entertaining content like games and contests to build interaction and reward subscribers. 4) Personalized - Highly segmented, triggered messages customized for individual subscribers. Taking a variety of approaches keeps subscribers engaged without constant promotions and conditions them to interact over time.
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Content Marketing Meets Email: 4 Approaches Every Email Program Can Benefit From
- 1. Email:Email: 4 CONTENT4 CONTENT APPROACHESEVERYAPPROACHES EVERY EMAIL PROGRAM CANEMAIL PROGRAM CAN PROFIT FROMPROFIT FROM BrightTALK Content & Customer Engagement Summit Karen Talavera, Synchronicity MarketingKaren Talavera, Synchronicity Marketing February 12, 2014February 12, 2014
- 2. • Nationally-known emailmarketing expert, speaker, educator, coach and consultant • The DMA’s premiere email marketing instructor since 1999 • Member Email Experience Council (EEC), Florida DMA, Solo-Entrepreneur, Only Influencers • Top 100 Women in Ecommerce 2012 by WE magazine • President of – Founded in 2003 – Digital Marketing Training, Coaching & Consulting – Based in south Florida serving clients worldwide Meet Karen Talavera
- 3. Agenda Why ContentMarketing in Email? What is Content Marketing Four Approaches for Email 1. Foundational 2. Educational 3. Engaging 4. Personal
- 4. Why Content forEmail?
- 5. The Old Model One-way progression Single or limited channels Greater interest in being heard than listening Creating demand trumped creating value Sell vs. Serve
- 6. Remember AIDA? Traditionalmass and direct response demand generation model
- 7. The New Way Two-way dialog Multi-channel Conversation vs. broadcast Creating short and long-term value equally important Serve first, then sell (sell by way of serving)
- 8. IEEO: Nurturing vs.Forcing Demand Lends itself better to the content and conversation-driven digital marketing channels we use now
- 9. What Is ContentMarketing? Giving away something valuable in order to sell something related Creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience - with the objective of driving profitable customer action The promise of worthwhile information on the other end of a link is a powerful motivator to conditioning future
- 10. Conditioning Response The#1 Advantage of Content Marketing: Sell by Way of Serving First Works on the premise of: Asking subscribers to repeatedly take the lower-commitment actions (like reading a blog post, watching a video, downloading a report or signing up for a webinar) involved with content marketing conditions in them a pattern of response and trust that will pay dividends when the time comes for you to ask for higher commitment (like a purchase) actions!
- 11. All Successful Salesand Marketing Depends On Knowing:
- 12. Do youknow which purchase consideration path your customers take – or that your product/service requires? Craft your marketing to accelerate, enable, or streamline the consideration/buying process along one of these four types of paths The longer the path, the more The 4 Types of Consideration Paths
- 13. Quick Path Lowdecision time Low price/investment Little or no comparison-shopping No need to be approved or qualified Universal or broad market appeal Minimal consensus-building Often a commodity Examples: Song, book, subscription, food item, office item, restaurant reservation
- 14. Winding Path Low-to-medium price/investment Medium time investment Often involves comparison- shopping Requires review of details, specs, terms, facts, figures, etc. May need approval or qualification Broad market appeal Some consensus-building Examples: Cell phone, computer, television, business trip,
- 15. Long Path Medium-to-high price/investment High time investment or time-to- complete Requires comparison-shopping Requires review of details, specs, terms, facts, figures, etc. Often involves approval or qualification Often consensus-building Examples: Mortgage, car, financial investment, consulting, weight loss, coaching, many business services
- 16. Long & WindingPath High price High time investment or time-to- complete Definite comparison, detail review and research Usually involves approval or qualification Often involves changing circumstances, dependencies or shifts in direction of decision Examples: Home remodel, long-term business services, annual coaching or mentoring programs, real-estate
- 17. 1. Lay AStrong Foundation Four Approaches for Email
- 18. Purpose Communication mainstay:maintain channel relationship Create continuity Why? We tend to give trust, credibility and attention to company communications which arrive on a consistent, predictable schedule i.e. subscriptions, statements, bills, rewards Make great “umbrella” communications under which you can include a mix of content types, especially if higher overall email message volume is a challenge Reinforce and establish intentional redundancy with single-subject messages
- 19. Characteristics Low Segmentation(usually sent to entire list) Advantage: maintains minimum level of contact with less- engaged subscribers Broad content/topical range, but organized Smorgasbord style TOC and consistent design template help Regular, predictable schedule important! Weekly or monthly Issue date, month or other identification included Content vs. promotion-centric
- 20. Media Company Example National Geographic “SundayStills” newsletter sent to subscribers interested in photography Frequency: 2x monthly (every other Sunday)
- 21. Travel Example Vail Resorts EpicLife newsletter includes Welcome/greeting Weather updates Featured events Trip planning info Shopping guides Interactive experiences (Vail’s mobile app is called “Epic Mix” Frequency: 1x per month
- 22. Retail Example Tory Burch Ratherthan a newsletter, this designer fashion brand sends style and trend updates month, one of which is their “Most Wanted” bulletin Frequency: Semi-monthly with increases during holiday season
- 23. B2B Example American Express MerchantServices Companies which accept Amex for payment are their clients and subscribers “Member Insider” is the newsletter Frequency: 1x per month
- 24. 2. Educate andInform Four Approaches for Email
- 25. Purpose “Lead Nurturing” Move prospects down longer and more winding consideration paths by Giving them information they need in order to buy (inform) Teaching and tutorials (educate) Creating a context of helpfulness (service) Create familiarity, comfort, and a conditioned pattern of response to low-commitment actions (like engaging with content) in order to lower high-commitment action resistance Alert and remind Drive traffic to online content/increase content use and visibility Create rests from promotional messaging Don’t be the “friend who only calls when you need something”! Provide post-sale support and maintain/increase customer satisfaction
- 26. Characteristics Often aseries May or may not come on a predictable, regular schedule ALWAYS more in it for the recipient than the marketer (heavily audience-focused) Selling by way of serving first; support sales after Content-centric Video is huge!
- 27. Media Company Example NationalGeographic “This Month” National Geographic Cable TV channel guide supports content consumption in multiple channels (web and television) Helpful reminder/alert-style: advance notice keeps fans in the loop Frequency: 1x per month
- 28. Travel Example Vail Resorts Utilizesthis email type more for announcements and alerts like this one about a new zip line course opening, but also has a longer version which mimics a newsletter-style Frequency: 3-4x per month
- 29. Retail Example Tory Burch Usessuggestions and curated content in a helpful, service- oriented context Frequency: 1-2x per month
- 30. B2B Example American Express MerchantServices For more complex products/services, free trial and/or features utilization and training are important to ensure customers actually use and get value from product This video tutorial and downloadable tips sheet educate Frequency:
- 31. 3. Entertain andEngage Four Approaches for Email
- 32. Purpose Create asense of fun, reward, and play Surprise and Delight Opportunity for feedback & dialogue (“I matter”) Often through other channels Further develop the conditioned pattern of response to low-commitment actions (like engaging with content) in order to lower high-commitment action resistance Create breaks from promotional AND content-heavy messages
- 33. Characteristics 3 MainTypes: Entertaining: Games, contests, stories Feedback-oriented: Surveys, ratings requests, reviews Reward: Sweepstakes, drawings Extremely audience-focused Often leverage interaction in complementary channels, specifically social media Lower-commitment and faster response than content Experience-centric
- 34. Media Company Example National Geographic Supportedlaunch of its “Great Migrations” television series with both an online game and sweepstakes More recent Google+ Hangouts invite online conversations via social media Fantastic buzz-builders Frequency:
- 35. Media Company Example National Geographic Supportedlaunch of its “Great Migrations” television series with both an online game and sweepstakes More recent Google+ Hangouts invite online conversations via social media Fantastic buzz-builders Frequency:
- 36. Media Company Example National Geographic Supportedlaunch of its “Great Migrations” television series with both an online game and sweepstakes More recent Google+ Hangouts invite online conversations via social media Fantastic buzz-builders Frequency:
- 37. Travel Example Vail Resorts Ideallysuited for video, they use it frequently in both umbrella communications and stand-alone emails like this Frequency: 1x per month/seasonal
- 38. Retail Example Tory Burch Livestreaming online content and events (like this Tory Burch runway show) are both fantastic entertainment and brand engagement opportunities Frequency: 1-2x per month/Seasonal
- 39. B2B Example American Express MerchantServices Anything involving account access or use is sure to get attention Service-oriented and benefits-focused Frequency: Low (1x per month or less)
- 40. 4. Create a1:1 Personalized Dialogue Four Approaches for Email
- 41. Purpose Conditional responseto specific subscriber behavior Cart or site abandonment Request for help or online contact (enter lead stream) Response/non-response to previous messages in series or trac Stimulate specific 1:1 subscriber action Personalize and customize communication stream Support transactional nature of relationship Power many rewards/loyalty programs
- 42. Characteristics Personalized (nameor other attributes) Dynamically-customized content Audience of one – highly segmented Triggered email Behaviorally or demographically Low volume, high response
- 43. Media Company Example National Geographic Thismessage is not only name-personalized, but invites subscribers to profile themselves and customize content online Frequency: Low (1x per month or less) or conditional based on behavior
- 44. Travel Example Vail Resorts Usesemail to support its rewards and loyalty program, PEAKS Content customized to member points status Frequency: 1x per month
- 45. Retail Example Tory Burch Newsubscriber welcome emails like this one are a triggered message “must” and begin the onboarding process with an initial offer Birthday emails great too! Frequency: Low (1x per month or less) or conditional based on behavior
- 46. B2B Example American Express Merchant Services Uses emailto send customer account statements and annual summaries Frequency: 1x per month
- 47. Why Is VarietySo Important? People become immune to and ignore incessant repetition We crave change and newness A problem if the majority of email is purely promotional Both predictability and unpredictability are effective for different types of communications Continuity programs foster trust, comfort, and credibility Pattern interrupts surprise, delight and get attention Over promoting is self- vs. audience-serving But content “sells by way of serving” 1:1 messaging gets personal, and personal gets noticed! Read the post at http://synchronicitymarketing.com (August 2011 archive)
- 48. Content Improves Messaging Strategy Always promotional? Mix of promotion and informational (value- add) content? Blend of promotional, informational, and entertainment? Triggered? A greater mix of email message types stimulates deeper subscriber engagement and a longer pattern of response. Why? Because you’re not “the friend who only calls when you need something” You establish a pattern of giving and receiving value You establish a pattern of “conditioned response” © Synchronicity Marketing Twitter @SyncMarketing
- 49. Want More? Schedulea Free Marketing Breakthrough Session http://synchronicitymarketing.com/breakthrough-session-request Explore a Coaching Program http://synchronicitymarketing.com/2014-coaching-programs Exclusive BrightTALK member offer: Book a Coaching program by March 1 and save 10%
- 50. Site & Blog www.SynchronicityMarketing.comwww.SynchronicityMarketing.com Email:[email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/SynchronicityMarketing LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/KarenTalavera Twitter: @SyncMarketing Phone: 561.967.9665 Thank You!Thank You! Questions?Questions? BrightTALK Content & Customer Engagement Summit
Editor's Notes
- #5 Okay, now I want to start taking this down from the level of theory to practice, but first let’s review three essentials that every email – whether emotional or intellectual – absolutely must have.
- #6 The old marketing model relied on a funnel approach which was mostly one-way from advertiser to audience. Advertisers were more interested in broadcasting a message to a large, like-minded audience. Audiences usually had little mechanism for feedback – other than to buy or not buy. The market determined the effectiveness of advertising messages, which were designed basically to generate demand for products and sell them rather than communicate the value of such products.
- #8 The new model is quite different. Internet marketing channels like social media sites, blogs, and email make it possible for advertisers and audiences to have two-way conversations. In fact, audiences have shown they are eager to provide vocal and frequent feedback when given the mechanisms to do so. Therefore, the marketers who will succeed in the new world are required to engage in conversations rather than simply broadcast a message to the masses. The goal has shifted from simply selling product (of course, that’s still what needs to happen to stay in business) to developing long-term, loyal customer relationships. Any good direct marketer knows it costs more to generate new customers than keep the ones you already have, so if we continually demonstrate value through information, education, entertainment and by way of serving communities, customers will stick around. The new model has evolved into selling by way of serving rather than selling by way of promoting.
- #10 Content marketing plays a more and more significant role in the email message mix. What is content marketing? It is, simply put, giving away something valuable in order to sell something related. We create content to attract, acquire and engage a clearly defined and well understood target market with the objective of driving profitable actions and obtaining customers from among them. That “something valuable” is usually education, information or entertainment in the form of video, articles, training, blog posts, etc.
- #11 The reason content can be so compelling in improving response is because it has such a KLT factor, which stands for Know, Like, Trust. It is how you demonstrate a desire to build client relationships by serving first, then selling. It helps your target audience get to know you, and hopefully, like you. Once you’ve achieved that, they’ll trust you. And when you have that trust, over time the promise of worthwhile information on the other end of a link from you is a powerful motivator which conditions a pattern of positive response from your audience. When a conditioned pattern of favorable response is cultivated through high value content, it lowers the anxiety and discomfort involved with responding to higher commitment calls-to-action like requesting a demo, speaking with an account rep or agent, or scheduling a sales call. This pattern of response and trust will pay dividends when the time comes for you to ask for higher commitment actions, like a purchase.
- #18 Okay, now I want to start taking this down from the level of theory to practice, but first let’s review three essentials that every email – whether emotional or intellectual – absolutely must have.
- #25 Okay, now I want to start taking this down from the level of theory to practice, but first let’s review three essentials that every email – whether emotional or intellectual – absolutely must have.
- #32 Okay, now I want to start taking this down from the level of theory to practice, but first let’s review three essentials that every email – whether emotional or intellectual – absolutely must have.
- #41 Okay, now I want to start taking this down from the level of theory to practice, but first let’s review three essentials that every email – whether emotional or intellectual – absolutely must have.
- #49 The types of email messages we send, their frequency and the sequence of those types actually conditions people to respond in certain ways. If we’re always sending promotional email on the same predictable schedule, our subscribers and customers can become immune to our offers or simply wait it out for the most lucrative one. On the other hand if we continually send low-commitment messages like blog post updates, newsletters or content without higher-commitment calls to action, our subscribers may not understand that we want them to eventually engage with us as customers. That’s why the greater the variety of message types you weave into your overall email strategy, the less predictable your cadence becomes and the more likely subscribers are to be attentive, curious and engaged long term in order to see what’s next. You also both give and receive by adding value, yet asking for response. A good message strategy includes both comfort and consistency in the form of continuity communications which come at regular intervals (like e-newsletters), and behavioral or time-driven messages which interrupt patterns of predictability.
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