Putting the Interaction Into Email
When we email friends or colleagues, we usually expect a response. We’re creating an electronic dialog. Some marketers and industry analysts think that the same should apply to email marketing. The thinking is that interaction creates opportunity – opportunity for information, sales, referrals, etc.
But not all email communications offer the ability to interact. And that’s where opportunity is lost. Or is it?
Some may argue that for their organization email is more about branding or presence than interaction. Some marketers send out, for example, email newsletters designed simply to provide information to customers on new products or trends – and think that doing so is enough. Or perhaps they’re not set up to handle interaction from certain types of email marketing communications.
In this week’s issue of 1to1 Weekly we discuss the findings of a Forrester Research study that takes aim at marketers who don’t provide customers with opportunities for interaction with their companies through email marketing. Forrester gives many of the organizations in the study a failing grade.
What’s your take? Does all email marketing need to offer interaction opportunities? And how interactive do they need to be? Is a link to something online enough or are they times when more is warranted?
