Try These Tactics to Cut E-mail Unsubscribe Rate

Reducing the unsubscribe rate is key to a growing, high-ROI e-mail marketing database, so digital marketers will want to check their strategies against a recent Econsultancy.com post listing 10 ways to cut costly e-mail drop-outs. Here's a quick overview of some of the suggestions: The process of avoiding e-mail defection begins at sign-up, as the post points out. Without creating barriers to easy sign-up, such as a multitude of tick boxes, make it clear to potential subscribers what they are opting to receive in terms of content and frequency. Especially avoid a confusing mix of opt-in and opt-out, advises Econsultancy. Test e-mail frequency, a major factor in unsubscribe rates. The optimum strategy may surprise; Econsultancy notes how one e-mailer found that re-sending the same content to non-openers was more effective than reactivation, for example. Automate to craft content and timing for relevancy and engagement when it comes to communications such as welcome e-mails, inventory updates, incentivized reviews, cart abandonment, loyalty rewards, etc. Automation doesn't strengthen customer engagement at all points, however; also segment the database to match promotions to demographics and customer interest. Don't assume you know what is behind e-mail attrition; get feedback from unsubscribes to diagnose--for example, with a list of opt-out reasons before or after the unsubscribe option. Another tactic to combat e-mail loss is to allow for a change of heart by e-mail defectors with an unsubscribe retraction pop-up. Marketers have also had luck retaining e-mail addresses by offering alternatives to unsubscribing, such as a temporary break or frequency change. For details on all 10 tactics, with examples, go to https://econsultancy.com/blog/67644-10-ways-to-reduce-email-unsubscribes/

Marketers Miss Personalization Edge of Social Data

Marketers are missing out on key opportunities to use social media data for multichannel personalization, reports Adweek magazine's SocialTimes blog, citing the "2016 Yesmail Channel Report." This is despite the fact that personalization has proven its value in response and conversion across channels. For example, marketers often fail to gather e-mail addresses, one of the most basic contact points, through social media. According to the report, 45% of marketers don't collect e-mail addresses on social media, and 70% don't collect e-mail from their own mobile apps. (Of course, an amazing 17% don't even collect e-mail via their own websites!) Even companies who build e-mail databases fail to then use freely collected social data points, such as demographic and location information, to effectively personalize e-mail communications. In fact, only 42% say they customize e-mail campaigns with the recipient's name, so it's no surprise that only 36% modify copy and just 34% alter images to personalize e-mail content. The problem stretches across channels: Only 50% say they modify any marketing materials based on easily collected demographic data from social channels, and just 36% use social media data, such as brand page likes, for personalized targeting. See the full article at http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/report-retailers-missing-cross-channel-personalization-opportunity/632710