Profitable customer loyalty is usually a key in Business to Business (B2B) markets - more than ever in economically demanding times.
In the search for resourceful marketing strategies for sales and customer retention, online channels continue to gain momentum.
Leading these is email marketing with clear advantages as in speed, effectiveness and low costs.
And the probabilities of email supported communication usually are not restricted with the classical newsletter.
Customer acquisition and long-term strengthening of individual customer relations have become the focus.
The use of email marketing in B2B markets offers special incentives for companies.
One of the vital immediate advantages would be the low cost.
According to a current survey by Forrester Research, communication via email can save you up to 80% of the costs linked to postal direct marketing campaigns.
This also applies to lead time.
Whereas a print mailing frequently requires three months of preparation, email campaigns generally only need three to five days.
The possibility of emailing, however, lies with the ability of target-precise communication.
The potential for customised information leads to low wastage.
Significance and subsequently success are therefore appreciably higher.
This is reflected by the response rates, which reported by the Forrester Research study are four times over with postal mailings.
Plus, the speed of the internet being a channel ends in 80% response within the first 48 hours after sending the mailings.
This advantage by speed within the realisation and response, as well as the potential for highly precise, customised information offers B2B companies special opportunities in email marketing.
Frozen food provider apetito, for example, uses email marketing in B2B for targeted information on new products and promotions across the catering sector.
Hereby, different interests and preferences, as well as the position of the contact are taken into account.
Automation to Optimise Sales However, email marketing has another important feature: it's automatable.
To strengthen customer relations, many communication occasions can be used, which would be too costly with another way of communication.
Typical examples are order and dispatch confirmations, invitations and reminders for events, status notifications and follow-up correspondence for servicing, confirmations after website enquiries, and in addition reminders for service appointments and consumable materials.
As well as setting up a positive impression of a superb service, you also have excellent opportunities to draw in the shopper's attention towards sales, e.
g.
of cross and upsells.
ICT service provider PC-WARE supports, like, marketing operations to get a comprehensive service and IT solution portfolio via email.
Besides, email marketing even offers its place in service communication with customers and employees - with information on software news and updates, specific IT topics and exclusive events.
Invitations, reminders, confirmations of participation, event notes and follow-up correspondence are generally defined individually or rule based, so that they can be triggered automatically for an event or perhaps a date.
Email Marketing in Indirect Sales A particular application field of email marketing are indirect or decentralised sales.
This isn't about convincing a partner of one's own product, but to place him at the position and frame of mind to actively convince his customers.
It is vital therefore, to offer the business partner the necessary sales support in the shape of know the way, arguments and incentives.
Pump manufacturer WILO uses email campaigns to provide professional tradesmen as intermediaries to the end client with targeted sales support - with great success.
The long-term activation and information of intermediaries for sales promotion purposes supports sales and helps to show resellers into partners.
Integration and Heavy Approach Being a Precondition The exhaustion of the potential of email-supported customer retention requires serious integration into the business process.
Automated email marketing must be linked to the corresponding triggers.
Highly individualised communication cannot be created manually each time.
Here, interfaces for ERP and CRM systems, and even an understanding of the chances in the customer dialogue are in demand.
To construct this understanding, is another basic capability of email marketing.
The possibility to determine, whether emails are read and clicked, does not only produce an effective success control of all communication, but are also able to turn into specific knowledge about clients and their individual interests.
Along with the information from other touchpoints, a comprehensive understanding of the customer and the customer relation could be established.
"The potential of email-supported communication as a tool to generate and strengthen B2B customer relations has not been opened up sufficiently, yet.
In a phase of consolidation and reorganisation of market shares, companies now recognise the scope of working ECRM.
This is because the precise knowledge of each individual customer relation can be a strategic value, a functioning mechanic for the customer dialogue and a large competitive advantage", summarises ECRM expert and artegic CEO Stefan von Lieven.
Potential Analysis Uncover Options The application fields of email marketing are very diverse; B2B communication today is mainly run electronically.
However, lots of the opportunities email-supported CRM holds remain not explored for their full potential in lots of cases.
Regarding customer loyalty along with the acquisition of the competitive advantage, much more may just be achieved and simultaneously costs lowered.
A great step towards tapping this potential are workshops, where requirements and opportunities are compiled.
This analysis of potential is, let's say, offered by ECRM consultants artegic.
Further, you'll find practical training sessions and user seminars for your startup and extension of email marketing, as well as software solutions for the creation, address management, sending and analysis of professional emailings.