How to give email marketing a social life

In an internet landscape cluttered with a perpetual stream of vast amounts of data and stimuli competing for each user's attention, how can you devise and convey a strategy which will generate an outcome that will be noticed and retained by your target audience?

Whether promoting a specific product or service, publicizing a sale or special event, or simply building a brand, it is essential to convey the message to your recipients in a way which is both vivid and memorable. Social media permeates cyberspace with a scope and intensity that defies quantification. While it is possible to estimate the number of accounts active for a given social media site, the extent and consequences of its influence is limited only by the speed and tenacity of its users. This provides a unique and substantial prospect for publicity and public relations.

It is essential to integrate email marketing and social media as part of a comprehensive strategy which will maximize the effectiveness of your overall marketing plan. By implementing such a multi-faceted approach, interaction with customers can be maximized throughout both components.

Social media invitation

The promotion of interaction and social sharing among your email contacts is important for several reasons. First of all, it will expand the potential reach of your emails. As more and more people share your emails, your brand, product, or service will receive more and more exposure and increased potential for clicks and conversions. Also, your email list will grow. The more people that receive your emails, the greater the possibility of obtaining new subscribers. Furthermore, your ability to connect with your audience will be increased. Each of the social networking options present the opportunity to connect with your contacts in somewhat different ways. How can these goals be achieved? There are several ways. In email correspondence, always be sure to include links to your social media accounts. One option includes using a social media icon in your emails, either in the header or the footer or both.

What’s more, you can specifically ask your email subscribers to share and connect. Not all email subscribers know what to do with the social media icons that appear in an email. So tell them. Invite them to "like" a social media page or to share the email.

And one more example which demonstrates all of the above: the clean-lined rectangles are ‘hot’ and each links to a site with each click providing a different connection and interaction, including  an additional incentive  at the bottom.

Promote your social media content through email

You don’t always have to offer separate content in the different channels of communication you have with your customers. Subscribers to your newsletter may or may not follow you on social media. Customers who follow you on social media may or may not subscribe to your newsletter. There’s nothing wrong with giving your social media content a second life in your newsletter and vice versa. Your newsletters and your social media pages should be integrated both ways to maximize the cross over between them. Check out this newsletter invitation to view the gallery on the social media profiles:

If one of the aims of, say, your Facebook page is to get people to sign up for your newsletter then your newsletter should also be able to drive traffic - and ‘likes’ - on your Facebook page. It’s a two way street that keeps your fans engaged with your name and brand. Make sure that your newsletter has an icon for every social media platform where you can be found. Maybe someone would like to 'Pin' a photo from your email?

Multi-dimensional strategy

Integrating your social media activity with your email marketing is a critical component of your overall digital strategy. While many marketers separate email marketing and social media activity, in fact you should combine both into a multi-dimensional strategy which will maximize your engagement with potential customers across both channels. So, know the preferred channels of your subscribers, think social when you write content, make it easy and give incentives. Example below shows how to integrate all the channels of marketing communication. Cara has created her own clothing line. She has promoted it in shops, social media and through... newsletters!

Start a social media contest through newsletter

Hashtags are another convenient device for creating an online space for your customers. Start a conversation with a hashtag and watch it take off, growing exponentially with each new round of interest it attracts. With your fans gathered in one virtual meeting point, you can announce promotions, offers, contests, etc.

Look at how hashtags can be used to organize a contest. Offering prizes is a great call to action and hashtags make it easy for subscribers to join the fun with just one click.

Or maybe you can prepare a special a treat for those who "like" your Facebook page after getting your newsletter.