Posted by Shivali Anand
December 2, 2021 | 4-minute read (790 words)
As small business owners become aware of improved email segmentation methods, they may wonder how to collect optimal information from their customers. After all, according to HubSpot, companies that use segmented email marketing see a 760% uptick in revenue. For a quick overview of best practices, look over the following information.
The role of data, and where to find it
Without the correct customer data, it is not possible to conduct an effective email segmentation campaign. You first need to determine your customers’ needs and pain points. Two categories of data segments provide the best insights for customer segmentation:
- B2B: Location of the company, job title, vendors, partners, industry verticals and the like.
- B2C: Age, place of residence (state, country, area), language, recent purchases, hobbies, gender and the like.
Capitalize on every opportunity to collect information about a customer's preferences and habits. This may be through a website sign-up, event registration, social media or in-person interactions with customers. Keep in mind that any email registrations must comply with applicable laws and regulations and give you explicit permission to email them.
Your software should be able to track interactions with your customers across devices and websites as they receive your emails, click items, register, refer friends, complete surveys, add items to their carts and make purchases. Consider segmenting your leads both at the moments they are gathered and on an ongoing basis as their relationship with your business evolves.
Public data can be found with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Chamber of Commerce, through industry and trade research and in many cases, through trade shows and exhibitions.
Best practices for gathering customer information
To collect concrete information about customers, such as demographics, interests, habits and previous encounters with your company, you can use tools like Google Analytics.
To entice your audience to sign up as an email contact, conduct surveys using tools such as SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics. Keep surveys simple and interesting, and test them meticulously before sending.
To target visitors before they sign up, leverage data from organic search traffic, email leads from your site, Google Ads accounts, paid advertising leads, email marketing contacts, customer forums and blog traffic. Consider offering customers incentives such as a newsletter or special offer in exchange for registration.
Data can also be located through e-commerce platforms, email service providers, customer relationship management tools, tracking software and other third-party systems. People's interests and requirements change over time, so be sure to manage your email contact list accordingly.
"Leveraging the right data to create marketing segmentation lists and increasing customer engagement can be a major email marketing challenge," explains Disha Sisodia, digital marketing specialist at American Medical Forensic Specialists. "The right CRM email marketing platform can fuel marketing segmentation while aiding the sales process. A functional CRM can provide cutting-edge data on customer's purchase histories, sales attribution, website visits and clicks, mobile device users, and customer preferences that can maximize the impact of your email marketing efforts."
How to compel customers to sign up
If you're wondering what counts most in your email campaigns, always lean toward your content, advises Sisodia. "Forty percent of the success of an email depends on the content of the email. Developing a contextually aware email environment system allows a brand to tailor content more closely for the relevant audience. Relevance matters not only because it provides targeted messaging, but it also builds trust, and consumers have greater confidence in messages that provide useful information without trying to sell them something," she says.
Follow these best practices to encourage your consumers to subscribe:
- Target ads to the most likely customer segments using Facebook and other channels.
- Some people are willing to disclose personal information in exchange for customized discounts or offers. Aim to incentivize such customers to share relevant data.
- Make a strong link between your emails and the landing page. The buyer’s journey often starts with an email, and the right landing page can reinforce the offer and help close the sale.
- Include email sign-up forms in your social media postings and blog posts to boost your chances of capturing qualified leads.
- Keep your sign-up forms’ subscription questions simple.
- Provide relevant content to your audience so that they feel connected to your business. Then you can ask for more details about them.
- Encourage people to share their email addresses and other personal information in exchange for the chance to win a gift. Make sure you follow all applicable local regulations when it comes to giveaways.
- When possible, use automation to nurture leads.
Takeaway
Obtaining the correct information from potential customers upfront is conducive to more accurately targeted email marketing messages. Follow the recommendations in this blog for best practices in compiling customer data for such campaigns.
