Looking at social media versus email marketing, we should examine the stage of our customer journey funnel for these tools, and how to build strategy and tactics that drive the action we want them to take. Let’s explore the KPIs (key performance index), customer journey funnel, and tactics for best practices when it comes to social media versus email marketing.
As a marketer in the 21st century, it’s easy to talk about the “new hotness” and declare it’s the best way or only way to reach your audience (we’re looking at you, TikTok). Know which tools to use in your customer journey funnel and use them all. It’s good to keep that old proverb in mind, “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”
Prospects and Interest
For the most part, social media is engaged to reach your prospective audience and drive interest. A good social media strategy includes organic content and paid campaigns. Social media is today’s word-of-mouth, so it’s important to remember that your organic content is speaking to your friends/fans/followers while continually trying to reach others that could become your new, best customers. When planning your content calendar, keep that theme in mind and plan your paid campaigns in a way that reinforces your message while targeting those most likely to become your best, new customers. Organic generally speaks to people who already know you, paid speaks to those that you WANT to know you.
At Pink Jacket, our motto is “Keep the End in Mind”, so before you put money behind your paid campaigns, think about what it is you want to happen. Is it more fans/friends/followers? Driving users to your e-commerce website? Sell tickets? Share your content? Identify that end goal, and then identify what KPIs reinforce that end goal.
Some KPIs that make sense include:
• New followers/friends/fans (compare from the start of the campaign to the end)
• Engagement – did you get likes, shares, and comments?
• Reach and clicks – if you’re driving traffic to your website, how many people did you reach, and in turn, how many of those clicked through to your site?
Make sure your META pixel is installed on your website so you can follow the path all the way through to the end goal.
Consideration and Action
This part of your customer journey funnel includes current customers and those who have found you through your marketing channels (social media, any paid campaigns, reviews or recommendations, SEO, etc.). If this customer is considering giving your business their hard-earned money, what is the deciding factor that drives them to action?
Email marketing is an effective and inexpensive way to entice that customer to move from consideration into action. Here are examples of how to use email marketing in this section of the funnel:
• Abandon Cart – depending on your e-comm provider or email marketing provider, you may have the option to create automated emails that send to anyone who has left items in their online cart without completing the purchase. We’ve all received these from various businesses, and it works! According to Constant Contact, studies show that brands that send three abandoned cart emails see 63% more sales compared to businesses that send just one.
• Segmented List – If you’re continually collecting emails from your customer, are you segmenting them into specific lists? Here’s an example: Music venues often segment lists into the genre of music. Customer Jane Doe purchases country music tickets. Her contact has that tag so when you segment a “country ticket buyer” list, she populates into that list. If you have a show that needs to sell tickets and is in that genre, segment all previous country music ticket buyers and offer them a promo or discount code to purchase this slow-sale show.
• Testimonials, Reviews, Feedback – Your customers have opinions about your business, do you want to know more or share their enthusiasm with others? Use email marketing to drive Google Reviews or testimonials on social media. Depending on our email provider, you can also send surveys if you’d like feedback from your customers on their experience or to learn more about the demographics of your loyalty channel. Good reviews and recommendations are great pieces of social media content!
Loyalty Channel
Good news, you have loyal customers! Use both social media and email marketing to speak to these brand ambassadors. When you feel respected and appreciated, the chances you’ll continue to be a patron are high. Here are a few tips and tricks:
• Integration – Restaurants often have their loyalty program integrated with their POS, so emails are automatically connected. But did you know many retailers also have this option – both in person and online? If you sell tickets online, you should also have this integration. Remember to look for segmentation options as well. Some systems automatically create tags based on purchases, others you must do this manually. The better the integration, the easier it is for you and your team to manage.
• Reviews – As mentioned with the loyalty program, some systems integrate emails to send automatically after a customer has visited. An example here is Open Table: diners get automated emails after their dining experience asking for reviews. Reviews (specifically Google Reviews) are an important factor in SEO (search engine optimization). You can also ask for reviews on social channels and then create content based on those recommendations.
• User-Generated Content – It’s true that potential customers will often feel compelled to try a new business based on something they saw on social media. Are you “liking” and thanking those who give you good, free social love? Are you sharing it on your channel? Make sure you reward loyalty both online and via your email loyalty channel. Send emails for birthdays, anniversaries, or other opportunities upon joining the loyalty program. These are automated emails you only need to set up one time, and the service sends without you having to do anything, other than make sure you are telling customers about your loyalty program.
In summary, social media and email marketing all work together – in tandem. Don’t put your eggs in one basket, but rather makes sure you understand how to use technology to increase sales, repeat customers and build your brand ambassadors.
