Oh -- you thought email marketing was dead? Sorry to disappoint you. Not even close.
According to Kate McKinney and Kiran Ross, writing in the Kansas City Business Journal, "It is perfectly possible to use email marketing without appearing spammy and annoying your users.
"But you have to do it the right way. The content needs to be "fresh, engaging and relevant to your subscribers," they say.
They recommend starting off with a good quality hosted marketing platform, or at least considering a hosted option if you've never tried it before. It isn't expensive, there's very little capital startup and you can start up with a decent product for less than $20 a month. They mention such brands as Emma, Constant Contact (News - Alert) and MailChimp to give you an idea. "Take note of the platform’s compliance with anti-spam laws and opt-in mechanisms," they caution. Don't want trouble with the law.
Read more here.
...
Carolyn J. Dawson noted that Customer Relationship Metrics, L.C recently announced that it has launched a social media business intelligence solution "said to be an ideal solution for organizations looking to enhance customer relationships."
The idea is that the new social media BI offering helps organizations with their social media strategy, which is probably best described as "a floundering mess" for most organizations.
Companies know that smart companies are using social media to get some good customer information, which ties into the overall customer experience management or CEM approach, which means all contact points need to be on the same page, which means they know they need help.
Read more here.
...
It seems even the Canadian government could be doing a better job using Web 2.0 tools when treating their citizens as customers of government services.
Minister Tony Clement, the president of Canada's Treasury Board, recently told a North Vancouver business gathering that yes, the Canadian government “recognizes the importance of social media” – whew, that's good to know – “and is taking action to integrate these tools and ideas in its day-to-day operations.”
Clement didn't spell out too many details, but the Open Government initiative,as described by him last November, is part of the Canadian government's effort to include “Internet-based tools that allow users to share information, foster dialogue, and collaborate in the creation of content.”
Read more here.
...
Tracey Schelmetic recently wrote "Are you a customer service hero? Would you like to be? (And no, you don't have to wear tights and a cape.)"
She reports how cloud-based help desk provider Zendesk will kick off a multi-city “Customer Service Hero” tour, free half-day events teaching attendees customer service best practices from not only Zendesk, but guest stars Zappos Insights and Groupon.
“The Customer Service Hero Tour is a chance for industry professionals to learn the latest techniques for providing superior customer service in the 21st century,” said J.D. Peterson, VP of Product Marketing, Zendesk.
Read more here.
