When it comes to email marketing, the goal is to expand the reach of your message. Campaigns generally have the option for users to “Refer to a Friend,” which gives the reader an opportunity to forward the message along to someone they know.
This concept seems natural, but is it the most effective means of spreading your reach? The easy answer is no. With social media now leading online activity, email marketers should look to embrace “social sharing.”
With one click of a mouse, readers can share a message within their social network. According to Facebook.com, the average user has 140 friends who can potentially view your newsletter.
Tell a friend campaigns, or TAF-as we refer to them here at KobeMail, are soon to be a thing of the past. Consumer reports show that subscribers don’t normally trust marketers to behave responsibly with their own email addresses, let alone the email addresses of their friends. The main issue with TAF campaigns is that they are marketer-centric, and in order for a campaign to be truly successful, they must be customer-centric!
By inserting a tab within the email campaign that would allow the reader to share the message with their online community, the marketer can reach a much broader audience with little to no extra effort. The posted content can be tracked for reporting, as can the number of clicks that the posting generated.
The social sharing tool enables the reader to publish the email newsletter right to his or her Facebook or Twitter account. There is a lot less friction with this format compared to the normal TAF approach. The referring subscriber does not have to turn over any identifying information, whether it is their own email address or those of their friends.
Companies need to enhance their brand presence online. The audience reading the message can drastically increase simply by adding an option on the message to “Share with your network.”
Studies suggest that TAF campaigns will be overtaken by “SWYN” campaigns over the course of the next 18 months. At KobeMail, we want our partners to stay ahead of the curve, which is why we are promoting this concept. In order to best serve our client, we have to think as the client. When it comes to email marketing, the reach of the message is what drives sales. Sharing your message through social media networks is the easiest and most efficient way for your message to reach a larger audience.
Author: Courtney Dillsworth
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