Calling all CMOs: Now is the time to re-engage with email!
The DMA’s 2017 Email Marketing Tracker revealed that only 11 percent of brands involve the CMO in their email marketing activities. Why should the CMO be more involved?
The DMA’s 2017 Email Marketing Tracker revealed that only 11 percent of brands involve the CMO in their email marketing activities. This is almost half the figure from two years ago with 19 percent of CMOs involved in email marketing decisions in 2015. Despite 28 percent YOY growth for email, in 89 percent of cases the CMO is uninvolved in the email marketing activity of the brand. This could indicate its decreasing importance to top marketers and the importance of this channel doesn’t reach a CMO level of priority. This is not surprising when 85 percent of brands are spending less than 20 percent of their budget on email marketing.
It could also be highlighting that for today’s time-poor CMOs they are empowering their teams to deliver in this key tactical channel aligned to the strategic priorities they have set for them. However, do they have the tools and skills to do this job effectively? With only 24 percent of brands indicating that they only have ‘basic’ skills in email marketing, is this hands-off approach best placed?
Regardless of motives, it’s time that all CMOs re-engaged with their brand’s email marketing efforts. Below are a few recommendations for what all CMOs should be asking:
Brand experience
Email is key to a brand’s experience. Over 95 percent of brands state email as very important for them to communicate with their customers and thus it has a large impact on brand experience and perception. However, 42 percent of brands say that only ‘some’ of their emails are relevant to their recipients. Consumers are less generous with over 80 percent saying that less than half of the emails they receive from brands are interesting and relevant. If CMOs aren’t involved in email marketing, they can’t understand the experience they’re giving your customers via this key touchpoint. CMOs need to understand what and how the email experience is impacting a brand’s credibility and reputation.
Make it work harder
With a standout ROI ratio of £30:£1 spent, email is one of the most effective channels at driving ROI. But with less than half of brands being able to calculate their ROI, how do you know if it’s working hard enough for your brand? CMOs need to be able to direct their teams to improve and make their email marketing work harder. It’s also not just about ROI but ensuring email marketing strategies are sophisticated and delivering a good customer experience.
Set your team up to succeed
With significant advancements in email marketing technology to support intelligent personalisation and automation, it’s important to ensure teams are set up to succeed. Make sure your team is investing in the required tools to effectively use and succeed in their email marketing efforts. 24 percent of brands admit to having only ‘basic’ skills in email marketing, indicating the channel lacks investment. When was the last time you audited your teams’ skills in this area? How are you supporting them in keeping these skills up to date? If CMOs are empowering their teams to own email marketing activities, they must ensure they are setting them up for success.
Don’t let email become a forgotten channel in your marketing mix. Re-engage today to start realising the benefits for your brand and team. You may be surprised at what you discover.