Email is 40 times better at customer acquisition than social media and with an average of $38 earned for every $1 spent; it’s no wonder it has been leading the marketing ROI race for the past decade.[1] With that said, changes in the buyer’s journey, advances in technology, and user thresholds for noisy inboxes, email strategy and etiquette has also evolved over time.
For Xerox channel partners to realize superior email marketing ROI, we recommend following best practices and taking advantage of partner program tools. Read on to learn how to get started:
Setting the Foundation
Growing an email list with permission-based marketing:
Having opt-in subscribers for emails rather than buying a cold list will show better results, but it can be a challenge to entice people to sign up. In addition to providing relevant and unique content, try these tactics for growing an opt-in list:
- Offer an e-book or other relevant content in exchange for email addresses.
- Add a sign up form to your website.
- Add a sign up link in email signatures.
- Create an opt-in sheet for tradeshows and other events.
- Print a business card to handout in-person.
- Offer discounts or special offers in exchange for sign ups.
- Add a sign up call-to-action on blogs
List Segmentation Matters
Email campaigns can drive upwards of 700% increases in revenue. Those that do are highly targeted[1] which means choosing the right content for the right audience at the right time, as well as list segmentation are key.
There are several ways to slice up an email list:
- Demographics such as location, industry, job role, company size
- Survey or quiz results allow for segmentation by preferences
- User behavior (opens/clicks) allows for segmentation by engagement
- Past purchases, lost deals, or other interactions can be used
- Use website analytics to segment by interest based on pages visited
- Time since last purchase and/or contract expiration dates work well
Follow the Rules
As users, we don’t like spam so it stands to reason that sending unsolicited emails to a random list isn’t the best strategy. Over time, user complaints can elicit action in the form of stiff ramifications for unwanted email solicitations.
Avoid being blacklisted:
Depending on the severity, blacklisting penalties vary from somewhat annoying to a complete showstopper. The chances of being blacklisted increases when email is sent to a bought list because bought addresses often trigger spam “traps” that will lockdown an IP address from sending more email. Traps include, large numbers of typos in email addresses such as xyz@gemail.com vs. xyz@gmail.com, sending to addresses that continually bounce, and sending to incoming-only accounts such as info@xyz.com.
Tip: Before soliciting a bought list, send one-off emails asking members to opt-in.
Sending reputation:
Open and click-through rates are good indicators that email content is relevant and well received. In addition to metrics, every IP address has an associated sending reputation, which impacts overall email deliverability. It pays to know an IP’s reputation before beginning with email marketing.
Tip: Try the Talos Threat Finder for a free domain status check and to see if the IP has been blacklisted.
Spam:
The CAN-SPAM act was set by the US Federal Trade Commission to reduce and prevent unwanted emails. These rules apply to any United States business that sends commercial email communications even if they’re not sent in bulk.
Tip: Prevent (up to) $40,654 in non-compliance penalties by complying with CAN-SPAM rules.
How to leverage partner program tools and these best practices to maximize your email marketing ROI.
Email Marketing Tools for Xerox Channel Partners
Xerox’s Global Partner Program allows Channel Partners access to Xerox created, co-marketing email assets including:
Monthly newsletters:
These regularly delivered emails include relevant, theme-based articles and interactive content such as videos along with highlights of related solutions or services that apply to the monthly topic. Used as awareness tactics to stay top-of-mind with prospects and customers, partners can choose to auto send or review before sending.
Email campaigns:
Within the portal, partners may browse and choose Xerox created campaigns by topics such as ConnectKey and add their branding, contact information, and website URL before sending. Each campaign includes calls-to-action that drive leads to landing pages embedded on the partner’s website. The same assets are also available to partners via a download link, which allows flexibility to add pre-built campaigns to partner-owned email or marketing automation platforms.
In Europe, newsletters and email campaigns are included in the downloadable partner marketing toolkits.
Email is a proven and powerful marketing tactic for driving awareness, generating demand, and nurturing leads. Access ready-to-execute and downloadable email campaigns in the marketing section of the Partner Portal.
If you are already a Xerox channel partner, you should also check out the Digital Mastery section of the Xerox SMARTCentre website for more tips and links to useful resources to help you master digital marketing.
If you aren’t already working with us, ask your current vendor how they can help you master digital marketing – and feel free to check out the Xerox Global Partner Program, to compare the difference. Thinking about becoming a Xerox partner? Get more information on the benefits of partnering with Xerox.
Join our Xerox Channel Partners LinkedIn Community
Looking for more marketing tips and insights from Xerox Agents, Concessionaires, and Document Technology partners from across the globe? Join our private Xerox Channel Partners LinkedIn Group to connect and discuss topics like these with your peers.
[1] The New Rules of Email Marketing, CampaignMonitor.com, https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/email-marketing-new-rules/
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