Top three email marketing trends for 2008

Based on analysis of the campaigns of brand name clients of Experian CheetahMail, the company’s global e-mail marketing and customer intelligence service, in 2007, Experian predicts a sharp increase in the number of campaigns using:

Dynamic content:

CheetahMail’s analysis shows that, compared to January to June 2007, the second half of the year saw a 220 per cent increase in the number of campaigns using dynamic content.  Dynamic content enables brands to send highly targeted e-mail marketing messages using the latest customer data to tailor communications to directly relate to the recipient’s customer history, personal interests and socio and geo-demographic background.

Remarketing messages

In the second half of 2007, there was a 75 per cent increase in the number of campaigns using remarketing e-mail messages to re-engage with lapsed customers as well as those who leave websites without completing their purchase.

Operational messages

Compared to the first half of the year, the last six months of 2007 saw a 66 per cent increase in the number of brands sending order confirmation and delivery of goods status messages to their customers.

Steve Lomax, European Managing Director for Experian CheetahMail, said:  “The three trends we’ve identified for 2008 reflect the fact that e-mail marketing is a cornerstone of brands’ digital and integrated marketing strategies.

“Next year will see exponential growth in the number of campaigns using dynamic content to provide total content relevance.  Our analysis shows that its adoption grew at a rapid rate in the last half of the year.  Dynamic content will be at the top of the e-mail marketer’s agenda in 2008 as brands look to interact with their customers on a true one-to-one level. 

“Remarketing techniques will also come of age next year.  Brands will be really focused on reducing customer churn and maintaining e-mail volumes and remarketing will prove invaluable. Brands will be missing a major trick if they fail to try and re-engage with lapsed customers as market competition increases.”

“Operational messages are often one of the most neglected aspects of e-mail marketing.  It’s encouraging to see more brands used them to keep their customers informed about, for example, the delivery status of an item they’ve bought.  Next year, we think that brands will use these messages as a matter of course as part of their CRM strategy.  It’s a small, but highly significant way for brands to show their customers that they’re on top of everything.”

www.experiangroup.com