The Sum of the Parts—Part 1

Author:

Rob Galkoff

Source:

Welcome to the first article in nine-part series, The Sum of the Parts, in which consultant Rob Galkoff will discuss the various elements critical to successful email marketing. Here, Galkoff gives an overview of what we can expect in the articles ahead.
 
Some of us forget that e-marketing is still in its infancy; in fact, it’s only just thinking about starting preschool. In the early days it was all about creating a selling portal. Data and communications weren’t that important; PR and banner ads were the way people would come to your Website. We had emails, but they weren’t as commonplace and empowering as today.
 
It wasn’t until the mid-noughties that we became more tactical in our approach. Technology that allowed us to more accurately target our customers no doubt helped. And the industry has continued to grow throughout the economic downturn.
 
But is the majority of the growth organic—a result of more people gaining access to the Web, connection speeds becoming quicker, customers becoming more savvy about shopping around—rather than strategically planned? Yes, we’re getting smarter. But so are our customers.
 
Customers are more aware of the market and of how to get the best price by shopping around or getting promotional codes. They’re also happier, especially in Europe, to shop across borders, and they are more comfortable trying new brands. This is where our challenge starts...