Playbook

The B2B Email Marketer’s Playbook

Movable Ink

Seth Godin, marketing guru and inspiration for an action figure (true story), once said, “The only way to consistently grow in B2B is to be better than very good.” That can be said of marketing in general, but B2B marketers face a lot of unique challenges. B2B sales cycles are longer and more complex. There are many people that influence the decision to buy. And a recent survey reports 43% of B2B buyers say the number of people involved in purchase decisions has grown over recent years.¹ What does this mean for you? Basically, you have more people to please.

But that’s not all. Once you get a customer, keeping them is another hurdle. In 2015, 54% of B2B marketers said that customer retention was an increasingly difficult challenge, up 10% from the previous year.²

So, as a B2B email marketer, how do you break through the noise and wow every decision maker? And once they’re a customer, how do you create an experience that builds a loyal relationship?

This playbook was designed to show B2B marketers how to incorporate elements like personalization, live data and contextual targeting into an email to create an unbeatable customer experience that speaks to their needs in the very moment—and context—they’re in when they open it.

By providing a one-to-one email experience that delivers personalized, highly-relevant content, you can win customers over time and again, from that first touch, through the nurture process, then as a happy, loyal customer.

1. Demand Gen Report, 2. eMarketer

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You have a new subscriber to your email list. All that hard work has paid off. Well, almost. This is just the first step in building a relationship with a business—but it may be the most important step.

Welcome emails have 86% higher open rates and three times the transaction rates of standard marketing emails.¹ So take advantage of this opportunity to wow them, win them over and make them a lasting, loyal customer.

Contextual Elements

1. PersonalizationPersonalized emails have 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click rates.¹ Adding the recipient’s name is a great way to create a one-to-one experience.

2. Live Blog Feed Pulling in a live blog feed—or a social feed—adds value and extends the reach of thought leadership content. It also solves the pervasive pain point of any email marketer—creating new content to put in an email.

3. Live PollsInclude live polls in your emails to collect data on user demographics and preferences and build a consumer profile. Adding gamification elements, like live polling, can lead to a 100%-150% increase in engagement metrics.²

4. Video in EmailVideo is a great tool for increasing engagement. Including video in an email can lead to a 200-300% increase in click-through rate.³

Tip: Live polls can increase email engagement, but they can also be used to gradually build consumer profiles. By progressively collecting data on demographics, preferences and behaviors, you can tailor future emails to better target the individual recipient with more relevant messaging.

1. Introduce Them to YourBrand: The Welcome Email

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1. Experian, 2. M2 Research, 3. Forrester

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Email can be a highly effective tool for turning leads into loyal customers. A recent report shows it’s 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter.¹ And, email marketing is reported as the most effective tactic for lead nurturing among top-performing B2B marketers.²

But for brands trying to drive action with email, there’s still work to be done. Just grabbing the attention of a consumer who is already inundated with marketing messages can be a challenge. So, once you have their attention, deliver an exceptional, personalized experience that will set the tone for your relationship and help drive them down the funnel.

Contextual Elements

1. Location TargetingCreate a more personal experience and use dynamic rules to pull in the contact information for the recipient’s personal or local account manager.

2. Geo-targeted Directions Offer added convenience with a live map and directions to nearby locations.

3. Live Twitter FeedContinue to build trust by providing access to valuable information with a social media feed. Live social content also keeps email dynamic and engaging.

2. Move Them Down theFunnel: The Conversion Email

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1. Forrester, 2. McKinsey

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75% of marketers say events are among the most effective marketing tactics they use.¹ They also usually take the biggest chunk out of your budget. So, getting people to your events—and creating an experience that will keep them coming back—is more important than ever.

By sending contextual emails with live data, you can create an app-like experience in the inbox that will help recipients get the most out of your event, all while you get your message out. You can also save time and resources by building one email that updates with new content before, during and after the event.

Pre-event EmailContextual Elements

1. PersonalizationUse CRM data or an API to target recipients with personalized messaging and call’s to action based on whether they have registered for the event.

2. Countdown TimerBuild excitement and a sense of urgency with a countdown timer that encourages recipients to register.

3. VideoBuild anticipation by including video from last year’s event and encourage recipients to check back during the event to access a live stream of presentations.

What’s an API? Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are used across a variety of platforms and channels, and allow marketers to unlock data and add functionality to emails that enrich the user experience.

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3. Create App-like Experiences: Event Emails 1

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During-event EmailContextual Elements

1. Personalized, Dynamic MessagingCreate a new message each day to welcome them to the event and highlightthe day’s activities.

2. Live Streaming PresentationsWhether they’re in line for the restroom, at a break-out session, or stuck intraffic, you can offer your recipients access to key presentations from anywhere.Using a web crop, just pull in a live stream of your event from your website.

3. Live Social EngagementDon’t forget to encourage social engagement. Pull in your Twitter feed, or use ahashtag to curate attendee tweets about the event.

4. Geo-targeted MapsMake it easy. Give them directions to the location from wherever they are rightin the email.

3. Create App-likeExperiences: Event Emails

Tip: Keep event-goers on track and informed with a live daily agenda in the email. Use a web crop from your website to pull in each day’s schedule. If the online schedule is updated with last minute changes, the daily agenda in the email will automatically update.

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Post-event EmailContextual Elements

1. Personalized, Dynamic MessagingSend customized messages based on whether the recipient attended the event or missed out.

2. VideoOffer video of highlights to drive traffic back to your website.

3. Live Social EngagementAdd compelling, authentic visuals and increase engagement with social channels by pulling in a live stream of Instagram images.

4. Event CalendarPromote upcoming events with a web crop of a calendar from your events page.

3. Create App-like Experiences: Event Emails

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Email marketing now offers B2B brands exciting and innovative ways to get and keep customers. Incorporating these tactics into your email strategy is a simple win.

Use this checklist when you’re planning your next email campaign:

Create a Welcome Email That Uses:☐ Personalization for more relevant messaging☐ Social engagement☐ Live polls that allow you to progressively profile☐ Video

Offer a 1-to1 Conversion Experience With:☐ Location targeted content☐ Access to personal account managers☐ Thought leadership and other helpful information via social media

Create an App-like Event Experience Before, During and After An Event With:☐ Messaging that is targeted to each recipient☐ Live content that’s updated throughout the event☐ Streaming content using a web crop☐ A live social community experience

Founded in 2010, Movable Ink pioneered the application of contextual experiences to email and has powered over 100 billion live content impressions. Movable Ink clients can use any email service provider to deliver dynamic content that changes, in real-time, according to the context of each individual consumer. More than 350 innovative companies including The Wall Street Journal, eBay, Finish Line and Saks Fifth Avenue use Movable Ink to Market in the Moment and optimize their email campaigns to drive ROI. The company is headquartered in New York City with offices in London and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.movableink.com.

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