TMCnet News

Busted, Plausible or Confirmed: Campaigner® Investigates Common Email Marketing Myths
[April 09, 2014]

Busted, Plausible or Confirmed: Campaigner® Investigates Common Email Marketing Myths


LOS ANGELES --(Business Wire)--

Campaigner®, the email marketing brand of j2 Global (News - Alert), Inc. (NASDAQGS: JCOM), today revealed the results of an exploration into the validity of commonly held email marketing myths. All too often, marketers fall victim to these myths, leading to ineffective campaigns and sub-optimal results. Campaigner's experts in the field have identified, analyzed and labeled common myths as "busted, plausible, or confirmed," and are pulling back the curtain to unveil the truth behind industry "best practices."

"Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective tools that marketers can utilize to drive traffic and increase sales, but there are many myths around executing a successful campaign," said EJ McGowan, General Manager, Campaigner. "Campaigner prides itself in providing effective tools for marketers to run successful campaigns and drive revenue. Our mission is also to provide valuable insight, such as investigating common email marketing myths and the continued development of true best practices."

Campaigner Email Marketing Myth Verification: Busted, Plausible or Confirmed

After extensive review, Campaigner's research team has selected five common myths in email marketing to investigate. The group compiled and examined data and industry trends to determine whether or not these myths have truth behind them:

Myth #1: Email Marketing is Dead

This particular myth has been in play for the last decade, and the Campaigner team took a deeper dive into the notion that "email marketing is dead." This myth has resulted in many marketers executing email campaigns on autopilot, using the "spray-and-pray" method, negating the need for quality content and personalization. After testing this, it was abundantly clear that email marketing is thriving! The proof is in the numbers - data from Global Industry Analysts, Inc. predicts that the global market for email marketing will reach $15.7 billion by 2017. Companies are also investing in email marketing campaigns because they deliver exceptional ROI, second only to Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.
Status: Busted
Myth Busting Tip: Shun the notion of email being a "must do." Instead, make it a revenue driven component of your marketing program with key performance indicators that quantify its effect on the bottom line.

Myth #2: Only Send Emails During a Prescribed Day or Time

According to aggregate data, the most likely times for customers to open emails are 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and 3 p.m. on Thursdays. In this sense, the practice technically holds true and will deliver results, even if they are marginal. For optimal results, marketers need to study their individual lists and campaign analytics (email marketing big data). Specific customer feedback and interactions should drive email timing, not general industry data. The Campaigner experts recommend that marketers do their homework and utilize available tools to better communicate with their target audiences.
Status: Plausible, but be wary
Myth Busting Tip: Use Email Service Provider (ESP) analytics to determine optimal timing and preference for a specific audience, which may be different from those of the broader industry.

Myth #3: Email Frequency Should be the Same for All Customers

This myth may have evolved out of frustration, as most marketers struggle with the issue of how much is too much (or too little)? It is imperative to get this right in order to maximize revenue and minimize attrition (unsubscribe) rates. The key is in knowing individual industry preferences and understanding the data by utilizing automation, segmentation and A/B split testing to determine what resonates best with particular contacts. The Campaigner experts agree: If a business sends well-targeted and tested messages, customers will want more frequent correspondence.
Status: Plausible, but take caution
Myth Busting Tip: Allow customers to guide email communication frequency by analyzing their actions. Reach out more frequently to those with high interaction rates and give the others some space.

Myth #4: Avoid "Spam" Folder Trigger Words

These days, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are changing the way email is delivered. Emails containing words like "dollar," "free," or even "$$$" no longer go straight to junk mail if they are coming from trusted and reputable ESPs. The myth of spam words dictating the fate of an email doesn't hold; instead, it's more dependent on interaction rates. Do customers open the email? If so, do they interact in a positive way (opening, clicking on links) or do they unsubscribe or mark as spam? According to the CAN-SPAM Act, if you send relevant information, your ISP is more likely to allow you to freely communicate with subscribers as long as they continue to show interest.
Status: Busted
Myth Busting Tip: Don't be afraid to take risks (the phrase "spam words" may eventually become extinct). Test, test, and re-test to see what works best.

Myth #5: Let Loyalty Reign Supreme

The idea of loyalty is often debated among marketers, and this myth is one the Campaigner experts felt strongly about. Many make the mistake of treating customers and lists like numbers rather than people, focusing on quantity rather than quality, and sacrificing the value of the repeat customer. However, evidence that customer loyalty drives revenue is clear, as repeat customers spend an average of 67 percent more than first time buyers. Properly configured data analytics can help marketers identify loyal customers and provide insight into their preferences, allowing for more targeted messages and increased sales.



Status: Confirmed
Myth Busting Tip: Treat your customers like people, not numbers. Send tailored messages that adhere to specific preferences and consider implementing a loyalty program.

Email continues to rule as one of the most effective communication tools for marketers to reach target audiences, engage with new prospects and encourage repeat purchases. Marketers must not be swayed by common misconceptions in the market. The truth is out there, and the experts of the Campaigner myth-busting team are on a mission to expose it, encouraging marketers everywhere to look at their data and build new best practices.


An infographic of Campaigner email marketing myths can be found at http://www.campaigner.com/solutions/infographics/pdf/email-myths-infographic.pdf .

#CampaignerEmail , #TopEmailMyths , #MyEmailMythBust , #EmailExperts, #MktgMythLabs, #MktgMythsBusted, #MktgTruth

Twitter (News - Alert): @CampaignerEmail
Facebook (News - Alert): CampaignerEmail.com
Google (News - Alert)+: Campaigner Email Marketing
Instagram: Campaigneremail
Pinterest: Campaigner.com

Tweet this: "Top 5 #EmailMktgMyths investigated by @CampaignerEmail experts: find out which are #confirmed #busted or #plausible: http://ow.ly/v8zzl"

About Campaigner®

Campaigner sales and marketing enables small, medium and large businesses to strengthen customer relationships and drive sales by connecting with their customers quickly, simply and affordably. Features include professional email campaign creation, multiple ways to grow and manage lists, integration with CRM and the utilization of campaign metrics and reports to increase results. Campaigner is a brand and registered trademark of j2 Global Canada, Inc., an affiliate of j2 Global, Inc. (NASDAQGS:JCOM). Learn more and visit Campaigner at http://www.campaigner.com.

About j2 Global®

j2 Global®, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM) and its affiliates provide Internet services through their two divisions: Business Cloud Services and Digital Media. The Business Cloud Services Division offers Internet fax, virtual phone, hosted email, email marketing, online backup, unified communications, and CRM solutions. It markets its services principally under the brand names eFax®, eVoice®, FuseMail®, Campaigner®, KeepItSafe®, and Onebox® and operates a messaging network spanning 49 countries on six continents. The Digital Media Division, consists of Ziff Davis, Inc., which offers technology, gaming and lifestyle content through its digital properties, which include PCMag.com, IGN.com, AskMen.com, Toolbox.com and others. Ziff Davis also operates NetShelter Powered by BuyerBase®, an advanced digital and ad targeting platform, and Ziff Davis B2B, a leading provider of research to enterprise buyers and leads to IT vendors. As of December 31, 2013, j2 Global had achieved 18 consecutive fiscal years of revenue growth. For more information about j2 Global, please visit http://www.j2global.com.


[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]