E-Marketing and marketing automation have become a key focus for many food manufacturers and Covid has only accelerated this trend. One of the first challenges to overcome when starting up an e-marketing program is how to get qualified, opt-in e-mails.
Where to Get Qualified Emails
- Loyalty Program Enrollments — Is an email opt-in a required part of your loyalty program enrollment?
- Rebates & Incentives — Do your online and paper rebates provide an opt-in option?
- Website — Does your website have an easy way for operators to sign-up for emails and a compelling story as to why they should?
- Premium Web Content — Do you have research, recipes, or special offers you can provide to operators who sign-up for the email list?
- Trade Shows — Do you run contests or scan badges at trade shows? Do you have a follow-up method to get the customers enrolled in e-marketing?
- Rep Distributed Business Reply Cards — Do your reps have business reply cards where they can sign-up and send in to be added to the e-marketing list?
- Live Chat — One of the most overlooked engagement tools is live chat on your website. Customers are looking for instantaneous answers and live chat can provide that service. While engaged, the chat team can also get the operator signed up for ongoing offers.
Opt-In Best Practices
It is critically important to properly manage and document your e-mail opt-in list. A valid opt-in email means that the operator has specifically agreed to receive marketing and promotional emails from your company. Sending unsolicited emails exposes the company to fines that can exceed $40,000 per violation. To protect yourself, your database needs to retain the opt-in date and method for each email address used in e-marketing. The most common opt-in methods are check boxes on printed and electronic materials. Requests can also come in from indirect methods such as trade shows or through sales reps. These indirect situations are best handled with a double opt-in where the operator initially receives an email with a link confirming the operator's request for marketing information.
Provide Value for Their Time
The best way to maintain a solid list and maximize open rates is to provide value in every email. Making sure that the content is relevant and exciting for the user is the best way to keep your email list healthy and your customers engaged. It only takes a couple of “Why am I getting this” responses to make the customer hit the unsubscribe button.
Interested in e-marketing to foodservice operators or adding live chat to your website and don't know where to start? Call us at 877-424-8725 or fill out our contact us form with any questions and to learn more.