How to Combine Email Marketing with Social Media
For some, the meteoric growth of Social Media meant the death of the newsletter. And for understandable reasons: Facebook is fun, Twitter is addictive, and both provide easy to follow interactions and very convenient connections. However, people still check their inboxes, especially those who check them from their offices. Remember, for a lot of bosses, Facebook and Twitter are considered “time-wasters” and are blocked from office servers.
This shouldn’t mean that marketers should forsake one for the other. Consider both as tools with the common purpose of getting your message across. Integration is the key. Get email marketing to work alongside social media and vice versa.
It can be as simple as including hyperlinked Facebook and Twitter icons on your newsletter. Don’t be shy or coy about it. Place it on a prominent part of the email so recipients can see it immediately. Give your recipients a chance to share and connect with you without having to reply to an email. Tell them to “continue the conversation” on Facebook or Twitter.
Conversely, use Facebook or Twitter to promote your newsletter. Post links to your subscription process on your wall or via a Tweet. To really get them interested, incentivise. If you are an online retailer, provide an “exclusive” discount or freebie to those who sign-up to your newsletter. Or better yet, incentivise sharing. Putting “like” or “retweet” buttons on your email marketing material provides recipients with the option of sharing.
By doing so, you extend the reach of your email marketing. Why limit your prospects, customers and/or fans to one network? Getting Social with your email marketing increases the possiblity of your email being opened, links being clicked and enjoying “conversions” from readers to customers.
