Source: Macy's email promotion
According to the DMA’s new “Marketer Email Tracking Study,” 47 percent of marketers believe exclusive content helps to achieve their e-mail marketing campaign objectives. Yet an accompanying survey of U.K. consumers found only four percent want exclusive content from e-mail pitches.
Not surprisingly, consumers are looking for deals. Fifty-one percent want money-off discounts; 50 percent, percent-off discounts; and 43 percent, free samples/gifts. Free delivery and loyalty program awards are each desired by 38 percent of respondents.
For marketers, percent discounts, cited by 39 percent, came in as the second most valuable tool to enhance e-mail marketing objectives, followed by notice of new products, 34 percent; user guides, 30 percent; and competitions, 27 percent.
Addressing the wide difference in content’s value, the U.K.-based marketing organization stated, “There may be inconsistencies in the language used — consumers may not understand ‘content’ in the same way as marketers, but such a huge disparity in the perception of ‘content’ must be significant. Rationally, consumers want ‘free’ offers or ‘discounts’, but practically, they respond to content, according to marketers.”
The DMA survey also found that 42 percent of marketers agree that some or none of their e-mail is actually relevant to the consumers they’re sending it to. Consumers have a lower view of how much marketing e-mail they receive is targeted and relevant.
Consumers may have grown used to discount-driven e-mail campaigns. According to a new survey from Coherent Path, 76 percent of retail marketers rely heavily on promotions in their e-mail marketing campaigns. Of the respondents, 55 percent feature a promotion or discount in about half or more of their e-mail campaigns.
E-mail marketing, with its apparent promotional slant, has also proven to be relatively inexpensive and effective. A June 2016 survey of U.S. marketers conducted by Data & Marketing Association and Demand Metric found that e-mail had a median ROI of 122 percent — four times higher than social media, direct mail and paid search.