The From Line
Sending, Managing & Monetizing Email
Today’s Facebook universal messaging system announcement sheds light on a growing industry with an increase in opportunities for marketers.
Facebook messaging, which adds email to their system for the first time, will focus on four channels of communication: SMS, Facebook messaging, IM and email. Facebook users will have the ability to obtain @facebook.com email addresses as part of the new system.
Three Predictions for 2011 and Beyond:
#1: The Like Button Will Become a Universal Multichannel Opt-In
Rather than requiring individuals complete forms, the Facebook Like button will become a universal opt-in method. This will prove to be beneficial to marketers. Because Facebook’s system will automatically detect where the user is located (either at a computer, on their mobile device or completely offline), only one method of communication will be required to reach subscribers.
#2: Facebook Messaging Will Force a 2-Way Dialogue
With today’s announcement, businesses reaching out to Facebook users must be aware of the differences between current email clients and the modern messaging system. From now on, messaging experiences of users will gradually morph from formal, lengthy messages to shorter and more personal communications.
#3: A Decreased Need for Multichannel Solutions
Once Facebook messaging adopts traditional email protocols such as IMAP, marketers will no longer need to create separate messages for each channel. With a universal messaging system, the need for single-channel technologies (such as SMS-only or email-only messaging vendors) will fall by the wayside and only a single system will be necessary.
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About a week ago, we posted a query in our GLJive Client Community for our clients to come up with 10 uses for our RSS to Email feature. If you aren't familiar with this feature, here are a few of the sticky points:
* Automate your Email Campaigns based on your RSS feed(s)
* Customize messages and templates easily to include RSS feed(s)
* Control which feed(s) are included in which campaign including multiple feeds per campaign
* Control the times that the campaigns go out (daily, weekly, or monthly)
* The ability to choose the launch of the campaign only when RSS feed(s) are updated (validation)
There are so many uses for this feature in pretty much every industry. If you don't believe that this saves time and creates a huge efficiency, ask Gary Smith of Fox's Bull's and Bears and owner of The Chart Man Website. With the help of Gold Lasso, he saved countless hours for him and his staff by automating his daily email campaigns using the RSS to Email feature. Our group came up with some great uses, so here they are in no particular order.
Usage #1 - Deal of the Day
Post exclusive deals for those who follow your RSS feed. Let the RSS to Email feature do the rest for you.
Usage #2 - Internal Communications
Aggregate RSS feeds of competitor information: tweets, news releases, Facebook updates, etc. Automate a campaign that’s internal to your company and sales team. Not many subscribers, but it could be quite useful!
Usage #3 – Automatic Photo Updates via Email
For a website constantly uploaded with photos, pull an RSS feed of new photos into scheduled campaigns. Several applications: Dating Site, Real Estate, News, etc.
Usage #4 - Deal Roundup
Similar to Usage #1, a website that posts MULTIPLE sales/deals can send a weekly or daily email that pulls all deals into an email.
Usage #5 – Candidate Recruitment
Insert feed of resumes titles, even by category, into an email to HR and recruiting managers. Use campaign categories for highly targeted approach.
Usage #6 - Job Listings
Insert feed of job listings, either by zip code or by category, into email for job-seekers. Schedule weekly or daily campaigns.
Usage #7 – Automate message assembly
Instead of designing new messages and campaigns, create a message template with space for your private feed. Update the feed and your campaign is sent automatically.
Usage #8 - Live Event Coverage
A lot of bloggers and tweeters constantly update from live events. You could sum up all of the posts from the event in an easy to read re-cap.
Usage #9 - Writers/Authors
Authors could send teaser chapters from an upcoming book to get readers excited.
Usage #10 - Public Postings
Public postings could be used by colleges and other higher education, regulatory, state run groups, government, etc.
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Last night I received a message from Facebook regarding our Fan Page. The stats were rather vague but still helpful. Here are the stats that were reported:
+xxx Fans this week (xxx total Fans) x Wall Posts, Comments, and Likes this week (x last week) xxxx Visits to your page this week (xxx Visits last week)
The message looked a bit spammy at first until I checked out the headers. Plus the email address that it was sent to is only used for Facebook so that helped with the legitimacy in my mind.
According to an article from Mashable the feature has not been officially announced yet but jives with January’s rollout of Post Insights which tells you the reach and feedback level of each item you post to a Fan Page.
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Watch Gold Lasso's video Email Marketing's Biggest Secret and learn a guaranteed yet least used tactic to lift your conversion rates. More videos to come.
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Here we are, well into the last quarter of 2009, and holiday-related marketing campaigns are well underway. Many of Gold Lasso’s clients have begun promoting sale dates, coupon codes, clear outs, special event dates such as VIP access to online sales and other year-end online campaigns. Meanwhile, some still have not begun their end of year planning. Start now, it’s not too late. Here are some tips to help organize your e-marketing strategies:
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Coordinate online and offline promotions together to reinforce customer messages.
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Prepare special “backup plan” promotions that might be triggered by an event – snow in Florida promotions and inventory blowouts are just a few examples.
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Make it your New Year’s Resolution to be more engaging with your customers. Clearly and directly ask your customers to use social media by sharing info on Twitter or Facebook, forwarding to a friend or responding to a survey. Follow up with a thank you email or give financial incentives to those who share messages. (This feature can be tracked in eLoop standard campaign reporting.)
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Incorporate Auto Responders so people receive messages immediately after signups or customer purchases. This not only puts your name in front of the customer right away, but prompt emails encourage higher open rates and build better sender IP reputation.
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Keep pushing your messages all the way until last minute. It’s OK to send messages the day before Cyber Monday as well as on Cyber Monday. (The Monday following Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is associated with a significant increase in online sales. Cyber Monday is November 30. Mark your calendars!).
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Don’t only promote holiday shopping. Why not assemble messages for New Year’s – encourage customers to stock up on services or products for 2010 now.
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Busy staff? Why not incorporate RSS-to-Email functionality in campaign creation. One of our clients saved his office 20 hours of staff time by utilizing this feature in eLoop!
These are just a few of the many ways email marketing can be used to enhance your business this time of year. Remember to start sending emails now, send often, and send all the way until the end of the promotion for maximum results. For more information on how these features can be used, contact your eLoop Account Manager.
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