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Evolve email marketing strategies to fit customer lifestyles

LaurenMcLeanblogNo doubt you’ve realized the importance of marketing to your current and future customers with attractive emails that promote your dealership. In order to do this well, you need to stay up-to-date with your customers’ lifestyles. People are beginning to use smartphones most often when dealing with emails – this isn’t surprising, as mobile internet use increases every day. People are just as likely to use their phones for personal needs versus business needs, so email marketing efforts need to overlap those parts of customers’ lives as well.

There are three key factors that need to be at the center of email marketing to fit customers’ everyday lives:

Emails designed for mobile

This is vitally important if you want any chance of success with an email sent to a mobile device. Also, because people are often looking at emails on their mobile devices, they need to absorb content quickly. The emails we send are often skimmed while the reader is busy doing something else. Many mobile users delete unwanted emails on the spot. This creates the need, more than ever, to keep emails relevant, interesting, and easily accessible. If an email doesn’t appear or renders incorrectly on a user’s mobile device, they will not read it. Some readers may even opt out of your email list because of that mistake.

Send time strategy

Time of day can have an effect on the reception of your emails, which poses a problem when people are able to access email via mobile phones at any time of day.

Many people check their emails first thing when they wake up. For this reason, scheduling an early morning email campaign may seem like the best way to capture your audience. This is a popular tactic — keep in mind they will be seeing many other emails at that time that compete with yours. In addition, customers may not be willing or able to give an email about your dealership’s summer promotion their full attention first thing in the morning. In that case, it would also be an unwise time to maximize your opportunities.

With smartphones, people continue to check emails regularly throughout the day, often while multi-tasking. Think about this — different members of your audience could be working in their office, waiting in line at the grocery store, or sitting in traffic all at the same time of day. This creates an issue for forming a send strategy based on time, because you are unable to rely on consistency. You may want to consider resending emails to non-openers – those full-time workers or busy moms who didn’t open your email in the morning may have more time to read it at night while relaxing at home.

Reasons to Convert

While a high open rate on an email campaign is a great thing, the overall goal of email marketing is to generate leads and contribute to company sales. After a reader looks at your email, how will you convert them?

A go-to strategy is with a lead generation form, but be sure to do it correctly. Customers coming from your marketing campaign are likely expecting something more. One way to successfully collect leads from your campaign is through some sort of incentive – perhaps a small discount on a purchase or an invite to an upcoming event for a submitted lead.

Another way to convert readers is to send them to your social media pages or a landing page on your website. The goal is still to collect contact information and turn that reader into a lead, but they will be more likely to do so if they make the decision on their own and because they were given a good reason to do so.

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We know that customers can read emails on their phone at any time of the day. So, it’s important to optimize your inbox presence as much as possible. Use clear branding in the content and appearance of your emails. An attention-grabbing subject line that is witty or thought-provoking will help your open rate, but make sure content within the email is equally entertaining and informative. Give readers a reason to open and save your email, and watch the new leads roll in.

Lauren McLean is the Public Relations Manager at Dealer Spike, a leading web services provider for powersports dealerships. The award-winning digital advertising company is focused on helping dealers increase sales through powerful, distinctive website design and a full suite of online marketing tools to drive results. Dealer Spike’s expertise comes from real-world dealership experience and a team of professionals who also ride. When you work with Dealer Spike, you’re working with digital marketing experts who have a passion for your industry.

Website: www.DealerSpike.com

Phone: 800.288.5917

Email: Press@DealerSpike.com

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