It’s already February, which means your 2013 campaigns are well on their way and those New Year’s resolutions you set late last year are pretty much habit now, right? If not, don’t worry—there’s plenty of year left! You might have been thrown off track already, but here are five resolutions you will want to stick to throughout the rest of 2013.

1)      Improve your Targeting

Traditional targeting used demographic, behavioural and even psychological data to appeal to consumers. Targeting now takes on a new meaning. Now it means becoming situational – different devices, at different times, under different circumstances. The key to improved targeting is data. And it is not necessarily more data as it is smarter data. At Inbox Marketer, we’ve developed our own proprietary mobile tracking tool that allows our customers to gain insight into where their customers are opening the emails they receive through our deployment systems. Our interactive reports show what types of devices recipients are opening on such as, iPhones, Android-powered devices or Personal Computers (PC). It also allows our clients to see which email clients their customers are opening on (i.e. Hotmail, Gmail, Outlook, etc.). Useful data like this enables you to create more targeted campaigns that are more relevant to your customers.

2)      Prioritize the Small Screen   

Making the mobile email user experience better, through either scalable or responsive design, will separate the most intelligent marketers from the pack in 2013. As we approach the mobile email tipping point (where more opens occur on mobile devices then on desktops) digital marketers should be prioritizing mobile usability. If you haven’t started yet, begin tracking where your customers are opening your emails. If you are finding that more and more of your subscribers and customers are starting to trend towards opening and reading your messages on a mobile device, it may be time to consider adjustments in the segmentation, design and context of your message. Inbox Marketer’s Jane Litchfield recently wrote an article titled “Email Marketing is Mobile Marketing” which provides more tips on how to better craft your messages for your increasingly mobile audience.

3)      Optimize & Test

Test Test Test! Digital marketing leaders are continuously refining and optimizing their digital messaging programs to provide better content and targeting. The key to ensuring that the changes made are working is through proper testing and measurement. Test content, creative and format to see which performs best. And, don’t forget to analyze your metrics. Patterns will emerge that distinguish your top-performing messages, subject lines, offers and type of content. Incorporate these lessons into future campaigns to continually improve results.

4)      Unify your Messaging Channels

By now most marketers are aware that digital messaging channels shouldn’t operate in isolation. Integrating your digital messaging channels is preferred. That said, with the great variety of channels now at every marketer’s disposal, the big question becomes: which channel, when? A thorough answer requires much trial and testing, because every marketer’s circumstances will differ, however the following provides a good rule of thumb:

5)      Prepare for CASL

CASL is expected to be finalized in June 2013 with the full implementation to be proclaimed into force In June 2014. To be prepared, your organization should already be taking steps to ensure compliance when the Act comes into force. This means taking an inventory of all your messaging processes, including, opt-in processes, privacy policy, unsubscribe mechanisms, etc. Visit our CASL Frequently Asked Questions section to learn more about what CASL covers and its expected impact on digital marketers.