Email marketing is one of the most used forms of digital marketing in the world. According to the DMA email marketing is the most important channel for businesses globally, providing up to £36 for every pound spent ROI (Marketer Email Tracker 2019).

But how does email communications fair during a crisis? And can it still be used to drive brand engagement?

During these challenging times it is easy to question your marketing channels, whether it is ok to contact people, whether you should still be trying to market your business in the face of so much uncertainty. We have all seen our inboxes fill up with messages from suppliers, customers and consumer brands you personally associate with. Some are official messages regarding closure, some are quick updates of changes and some are even promoting services with offers and reassured delivery times etc.

Why should I continue to invest in Email Marketing?

Presence

Whilst face to face meetings are put on pause – email gives you the opportunity to still show your presence and connect with people.

Transparency

Keeping customers in the loop with updates from your business will ensure they are fully expectant of what you can and cannot provide. It provides reassurance and ensure you maintain those great relationships you have spent so long to build.

Trust

Through relevant, value driven communication customers and prospects will remember who was there for them when times got tough. It continues to build the trust between you and consequently will have a positive impact when it is time to start ordering again.

Direct Reach

Of all the marketing channels, email is the one of few that gives you direct access to your customers and prospects. If you have the right content to provide and the trust has been built it gives you a good opportunity to increase brand awareness

Value

Content is a major caveat to email marketing providing benefit during a crisis – How can you make their job easier; how can you give them the information they need? Ask yourself why we are sending this and what do we hope to achieve for ourselves and the recipient.

Opportunities

Opportunities are still out there. Businesses are still buying. Supply chains will eventually go back to a new normal. Do not get left behind.
Know I know why to do it, how do I do it and who to?

At Insight Data we provide an Email Marketing platform, STEM, and provide email marketing campaigns for customers across the Construction and Fenestration industries. We decided to interrogate the data from both services to provide you with some up-to-date benchmarks. These benchmarks should help to inform your targeting and campaigns during this crisis and support you to achieve the best possible ROI, whether financially or through better relationships. The statistics we have gathered below suggest that engagement is still high on email marketing, although the amount of emails being sent is down, it seems the content is working.

Delivered, Opens and Clicks for March and April 2020

April 2019 vs April 2020 has seen a large decrease in the amount of emails being sent. However only a slight decline in open rates and an increase in engagement.

• Builders (21.23%) and Architects (21.26%) have the highest CTR (Click to delivery rates) February-April
• Architects and Fenestration have the highest Open Rates across April
• Commercial databases had a 12.47% total increase in Open rates across April compared to March
• Architects (27%%) and IFD (28%) have the highest CTOR (Click to open rates) across March

How do these statistics help me?

Understanding how your target audience is engaging with email marketing right now should help you to use this tool in the right way at the right time. You may also be able to discover new audiences to allow you to diversify your offering and maximise opportunities at a difficult time. Of course, there are multiple layers to this. Not just when to send and who to, but also what you are saying. Think about how you can offer value, how you can help not just your customers but also potential prospects. Use the medium of email to form relationships, increase your brand awareness for the right reasons and stay connected during these uncertain times.

Interested in learning more? Call 01934 808293 or via email at hello@insightdata.co.uk.