Thanksgiving is well behind us (here in Canada) which means that for most of us marketers there is nothing between now and the single most important shopping time of the year – the Christmas Holidays. Many companies are already well on their way with both the  planning and execution of their Holiday campaigns and, as a result, we feel that at this critical and busy time of the year, it is important to issue a reminder that, while you will likely be feeling the pressure to Deploy! Deploy! Deploy! You need to keep a few things in mind.

To assist, we have put together a list of 10 great tips for digital marketers, all of which are important to keep in mind while you’re letting the marketing messages fly:

 1.     Define your target audience and community

The more clearly you define your target segments, the better you’ll be able to produce messages that resonate and, ultimately, boost your results.

2.     Examine your business model and how to best incorporate digital marketing

Identify your needs upfront. Then, choose the best vehicles for achieving your goals. Rationalize your decision instead of simply focusing on the latest buzz tactics.

 3.     Leverage digital channels that deliver results

Be strategic about the digital channels you choose. Examine your digital campaign metrics to pinpoint channels that perform best with your target audience. Also, look at industry benchmarks. Email still produces the highest ROI of all digital channels, so consider incorporating email into your plan.

 4.     Establish measurable objectives

Analyze internal and external benchmarks, along with your goals, to establish performance targets. This will help you determine success or failure going forward.

 5.     Sketch a plan

Before executing digital campaigns, write a contact and content strategy. Think about how to unify your digital communications to create seamless campaigns that integrate with your entire marketing strategy and maximize impact.

6.     Be unique

Increasing message clutter means it is becoming more and more difficult to get noticed. Identify how you’re different from your competitors and how you can communicate this difference to capture your audience’s attention.

7.     Gather permission and build your lists

Make sure you obtain explicit permission to send messages to your contacts. Once a proper opt-in framework is in place, focus on acquiring subscribers who match your target profile. Remember, quality means more than quantity. You’ll have a higher chance of success.

8.     Test, measure and learn

Optimize for better results. Test content, creative and format to see which performs best. Also, don’t forget to analyze your metrics. Patterns will emerge that distinguish your top-performing messages, subject lines, offers and type of content. Make sure you incorporate this learning into future campaigns to continually improve results.

9.     Automate

Batch executed campaigns require time and effort. Many types of messages, such as welcome streams, reactivation campaigns, and abandoned shopping cart messages can be automated and triggered to deploy instantaneously.

10. Follow best practices and adhere to privacy regulations

Always abide by best practices and comply with digital marketing guidelines. You will maintain a better sender reputation, plus performance and deliverability will be higher, all equating to better ROI.

Let us know in the comment section below if you have any other tips for marketers during this important time of the year.

 

Happy Mailings!!