Email Marketing Solutions and Social Media

Direct mail has been a tried and true marketing method for about as long as there has been mail delivery. Email marketing is a natural technological step up in direct mail’s evolution. But, what exactly is email marketing and what are its advantages?

Definitions and Advantages

Simply put, email marketing is the electronic version of direction marketing. As a business or association, your messages go directly into your client’s or potential client’s email inbox. Email marketing is not only used for advertising, but it also is advantageous when used for newsletters, promotions, and even fundraising.

There are many advantages to using email marketing, especially for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Email marketing is quick and cost effective, allowing you to control who your emails target and when the emails are sent. Essentially, you are bringing your message to your clients instead of waiting for your clients to come to you. Detailed tracking and analysis of your email marketing gives you exactly the information you need to tweak and improve your marketing campaign.

Social Media Integration

A social media platform is an essential part of any marketing strategy, but how and why should social media be integrated with email marketing? Last year, a study by GetResponse, an email marketing firm, revealed emails that included a social media share link enjoyed a 30% higher click through rate than emails without those links. Even better, if those emails featured three or more share options, the click through rate rose to 55%.

A 2010 study by MarketingSherpa, an independent marketing research firm, discovered that 42% of people who use social media on a daily basis also tend to check their email four or more times a day while only 27% of non-social media users do the same. Additionally, 63% reported using the same email address for both social media and opting into permission-based emails. Finally, 49% of Twitter users reported making online purchases as a result of an email offer whereas only 33% of all email users made those types of purchases.

The statistics make it clear that the key to email marketing success is to integrate social media by providing plenty of sharing opportunities within those e-mails. But, what’s the best way to get started?

Email Marketing Options

There are many email marketing websites and options to choose from to get your campaign rolling, including companies like Constant Contact, MailChimp, Graphic Mail, Vertical Response, Benchmark Email, iContact and GetResponse. Websites like Email Marketing Options offer helpful “apples-to-apples” comparisons of the most popular email marketing services. They are also a great place for a business new to the concept of email marketing to start out.

While each email marketing company offers its own unique brand of services, most companies offer similar types of services. Some things to look for include free trial offers, easy-to-work-with customizable interfaces and mailing lists, detailed analytics, helpful and reliable customer support and, of course, a reasonable monthly fee. 

Have you used any of these services and found them to be particularly beneficial in facilitating your marketing efforts? What has integrating your social media strategy and email campaigns achieved as part of your Internet Marketing program? Share your success in the comment box below.

                      

How Nonprofit Organizations Can Benefit from Social Media

Social media outlets have proven a tremendous asset for businesses worldwide. There’s no question of the efficacy of a social media platform for increasing sales and profitability. But, can social media be as big a boon to nonprofit organizations? In a word, yes. While for-profit and non-profit entities do have different challenges and goals, social media can be used as an effective tool in both types of businesses. How?

Bridge the Generation Gap

While many of those who either direct or are board members of nonprofits come from a generation not as familiar or comfortable with using social media, the next generation of donors, volunteers, and employees spends an increasing amount of time online and engaged with social media outlets. Just as it takes time to grow a relationship between potential customers and a given brand or product, it also takes time to foster a relationship between a nonprofit and potential contributors. That’s why now is the time to reach out and start building those relationships.

Focus on Communication

In his blog post, “Six Ways Non-Profits Can Use Social Media to Grow,” Fast Company blogger Rich Brooks spoke with Alex Steed, Director of Community Engagement at Opportunity Maine. Brooks and Steed suggest nonprofits use social media to tell their story and highlight the good work the nonprofit is doing. People are engaged and inspired by compelling stories and tangible, positive results. These stories resonate with potential donors, encouraging them to become active donors or volunteers.

Dan Morrison, CEO and Founder of Citizen Effect suggests an approach that at first might seem counterintuitive, “Don’t focus on asking them to give, focus on asking them to retweet any and everything you tweet, post on their wall, forward e-mails, etc.” This alternative approach encourages a simple passing on of information, which can lead to increased website traffic, increased exposure to the cause the nonprofit is supporting, and finally to actual donations. No matter what, it’s crucial to encourage and nurture participation whatever the level of that participation may be. Take the time to respond to comments and questions personally whenever possible.

Connect Online with Offline

According to Nora Ganim Barnes, co-author of a study released last year by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research, 97% of nonprofits are using social media, a number which surpasses the percentage of for-profits businesses using social media as reported in a Philanthropy.com article. Organizations, such as the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Association, successfully use social media to promote fundraising events such as charity walks and relays. The viral nature of online social media outlets makes them an extremely effective way to organize and increase participation in offline events and rallies.

What’s Your Experience?

Are you a nonprofit organization that has benefitted from social media or a donor/volunteer that has supported a cause through social media channels? Please share your experience in the comments section below. If you haven’t yet experienced the value of social media, consider contacting Flyline Search Marketing to find out how their experts can help your nonprofit gain further exposure and interest.