According to the Radicati Group, email use worldwide will top 3 billion users by 2020. While some industry experts are convinced that social media’s 
convergence with the ever depleting millennial attention span is going to erode email just as email depleted print, that number certainly presents a very different picture.
Back in November 2013, Flair Interactive provided tips on building a successful email campaign. While that post is still relevant and accurate, in 2017, there are some definite changes in what defines and drives a successful email campaign.
So, what has changed in the last three years to keep email relevant, effective, and aligned with the technological trends that are impacting marketing as a whole? Let’s take a look:
We automate
Demand Gen reports 67% of B2B marketers say they see at least a 10% increase in sales opportunities through lead nurturing. And it makes sense. Why send disparate emails with no connected story when you can send congealed email campaigns that intelligently and effectively build a case for potential buyers? The consistent growth of automated email campaigns continues to help us market smarter, more efficiently, and more effectively.
We go inbound
Demand Gen also reports that 47% of buyers viewed 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep. Where before, we as marketers would send a scattershot of emails in the hopes that something would stick, our prospecting and funnel strategies are far more sophisticated than ever before. The emergence of inbound marketing has put the much appreciative customer in the driver’s seat. And very synchronously, email has taken a passenger position as more and more inbound leads are engaging in automated email campaigns. Metrics and conversion rates are growing as inbound tactics are filtering out uninterested prospects and funneling in truly marketing- and sales-qualified leads.
We customize
According to Statista, open rates for emails with a personalized message are 17.6%, compared to 11.4% without personalization. Personalization is still a strong approach to making a connection with your customers. But what about customization? Hubspot, along with other marketing automation tools, give you the ability to adjust your content according to your customer. Dynamic content, also coined Smart Content by HubSpot, allows you to tailor your email based on your recipient’s profile data or historical interactions.
We socialize
33% of the world uses social networks regularly according to Hubspot. That’s a significant number. So it only makes sense that our primary communication vehicles would be integrated with social media tools. Email templates now include options for us to add the full suite of social media sharing tools so that an email has life beyond our readers' inboxes.
We A/B Test
MarketingProfs reports that nearly half of marketers say they sometimes test alternate subject lines to optimize email performance. Most marketing automation tools allow you to A/B test content. While subject lines are the most highly tested areas, most tools now give us the opportunity to test content, imagery, and even videos.
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