Essence of Email Weekly - We've got some big news!

Hi there,

Our company provides all of the services that are essential to email marketing, and we will continue to do so. But with the increasingly rapid changes in the eCommerce landscape, we’re seeing a need and an opportunity to put data-driven strategies at the forefront of every service we provide.

We’re delighted to announce that we are introducing a new team that will accomplish exactly that: the Strategy Office. Composed of several data analysts and email performance experts, and led by the company’s new Head of Strategy, the Strategy Office will develop innovative solutions to some of the most complex challenges eCommerce brands face today.

From September 1st, each of our clients will have access to our most senior strategists, leveraging data and analytical insights to help them grow more profitably, by better aligning the individual email marketing activities with a thorough analysis of their customers.

You might know Marija Pajkovic in her former role as our Senior Team Leader, driving 48x email marketing ROI for eCommerce clients. With over five years’ experience in marketing, ranging from content marketing to conversion optimization, Marija is an expert in generating 7-figure annual revenue for online stores.

We’re excited to see how those numbers will grow now that she will be leading the Strategy Office as our new Head of Strategy.

Don’t hesitate to share your questions, feedback, and comments with us by replying to this email. We’d love to hear from you!

Happy reading!

When you think about online marketing, SMS is probably not the first thing to pop into your mind. Even though it may seem like an outdated marketing channel, the truth is that it’s very much alive and prospering.

While companies are trying to reach their audiences through social media, paid advertising, and search engines, SMS marketers reach each consumer directly. Plus, when combined with a concrete strategy, it has the potential to be one of the most effective marketing channels, according to the eMarketer report.

The most challenging part of your SMS strategy, however, is not getting the audience to opt in – but getting them to stay subscribed to your SMS program. According to eMarketer, people who opt into an SMS program and share their information usually expect something in return, like promos or quick responses.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, unlike a decade ago, consumers are now bombarded with messages from all kinds of media and devices. It requires you to put some thought into determining the frequency of your messaging.

“Here at Essence of Email, we’re seeing a spike in interest regarding our SMS marketing service. The best way to plan SMS strategies is in cohesion with email. SMS requires a careful approach with attention given to each touchpoint, while email is much less prone to oversaturation and thus, allows much wider usage.” - Ana Fekete, SMS Expert at Essence of Email

To get an idea of how powerful SMS marketing can be, make sure to check out this success story.

Octane AI recently announced the launch of its Shoppable Quiz private beta on MarTech Cube. For the first time ever, online shopping won’t feel like online shopping at all.

This is great news for those who hate browsing massive, soulless online catalogs. According to OctaneAI, the Shoppable Quiz will simplify the discovery experience for customers with an in-depth online consultation and transform the unpleasant shopping process into a helpful, personalized, and conversational experience.

What’s in it for eCommerce brands? In a nutshell, with this quiz, online stores can learn the preferences of their customers and lead them through the shopping process. Ultimately, you’ll get buyer profiles and personalized messaging across Facebook Messenger, as well as SMS to recommend products.

“We are creating a better way to shop online. The Octane AI Shoppable Quiz enables brands to get to know the needs, preferences, and concerns of each customer and then uses this information to build a relationship where the right products and information can be shown at the right times,” said Matt Schlicht, CEO of Octane AI. “The Shoppable Quiz uses conversational automation to make this experience digital and scalable for the top eCommerce brands in the world”.

Our thoughts: We are super excited to see what the Shoppable Quiz will bring in practice, so we can enhance our clients’ campaigns with even more personalized and customized messaging.

Let’s be real – these days we all suffer from shorter attention spans and we tend to get things done on the fly on our mobile devices. But what might come as a surprise is that eCommerce brands can find this challenging. Brands now need to think of ways to make it easier for shoppers to find what they want and lead them into making a purchase.

That’s where personalization comes in.

In a recent article, Digital Commerce 360 presents the case of Vitamix, a manufacturer of blenders and other kitchen electronics. Vitamix has been mixing loyalty programs and personalization into its email strategy. The brand has focused on encouraging loyalty program members to visit their website and redeem their rewards.

As a part of the loyalty program, Vitamix has created a process in which each member is assigned a unique ID. Using this ID, they can then track their total points earned over time, see how many they have spent, and check how many points are still available. This data is then used for monthly emails to the loyalty club members, which result in spikes of reward redemptions.

According to Jimmy Wojtila, associate manager of email marketing at Vitamix, the company received 2,000 reward redemptions in July from that email. They’re now planning on making those emails even more personalized by offering a selection of products that each shopper can get with their available points. If you’re interested in learning how to create an effective loyalty program for your brand, our experts can help. But there’s more than one way to get personal!

Personalization can be achieved through different strategies and the results are always beneficial. Check out Essence of Email’s five tips on email personalization that can increase customer engagement.

Announcing new events and shows via email is a great way to spread the word and prove that you know how to tailor emails to your audience’s specific needs.

For example, if you’re promoting a vibrant music event, it makes sense to create a bold and dynamic email.

This is exactly what Fender did in the email that promotes Thurston Moore’s live performance and interview.

The use of lively gradient makes this email stand out while the white copy paired with the black call-to-action pops in contrast to the background. While the email contains only the essential details, there is enough space to include a photo – which gives it a hazy, artistic vibe. There’s also a standard Fender footer in the email, creating an overall impression of neatness and order.

All of the information is clear and readily available, plus, the email is easy to navigate.

Our verdict: Great job! We’d check out the artist based on this email alone. That’s the power of email marketing!