Hilal notes that for a long time email has fallen victim to a mass-marketing approach. Given increased and also scrutiny on how the consumer data is collected and is deployed. However, in the current climate this can also be the primary vehicle for an increased personalization in both messaging and also promotion. A paradigm shift that needs to occur to not only the drive sales, but the foster growth and the retention among customers.
“ The Email campaigns will be critical for engaging the buyers and getting them to take action if based on the first data.” Says Sara Spivey, the chief marketing officer at the Braze. “ The New developments that is currently in the email personalization, like AMP [accelerated mobile pages] for email, will give the marketers a great toolkit to keep their email communication relevant. And to keep it within the boundaries of increasing privacy requirements for a very long time to come.”
Making Use of Email to Drive the Retail Renaissance
During the year 2020, the retail sector had to struggle to cope with the brick-and-mortar lockdown crisis. That resulted in the sluggish sales. The unique opportunity that these unprecedented conditions afforded the retailers. However, meant a doubling down on the digital strategies that not only meant for better stores of actionable consumer data. But it was also an increase in digital outreach. One study showed that the email volume increased by about 27% over the last year. As we are emerging from the pandemic conditions, the retailers are facing pent-up consumer demand. And the digital framework to engage both in-person and also in digital audiences.
This unique scenario begs the question: How does a retailer keep an online customer relationships? And the business models flourishing while also still encouraging people back to the physical stores?
“The answer will simply be through how well and how possible you can both understand the customer audience you have built in the pandemic. And then you still effectively engage with it to cross-pollinate the virtual and also the physical experiences you can now offer.” Says Richard Jones, the chief marketing officer of Cheetah Digital. “The modern email marketing platforms will either look like the CDPs (consumer data platform). Or they may indeed be the fully fledged CDPs in their own right.
They are extremely rich sources that contains information to segment and to analyze an audience. So that they will understand what messages to send and to whom and on what channels to drive an outcome. The Email marketers are in a great position to help their customers explore both the physical and the online experiences a retailer offers. By understanding each of the customer and what will excite them.”
At a time when the National Retail Federation is projecting the astounding growth that is in the retail sector. And coupled with the increased scrutiny over the consumer data. If the email is leveraged correctly and utilized as personalized, it will add value.