Think of segmentation within the context of the free – freemium – paid business model that is today’s web. This model effectively segments your audience into those willing to pay today, those willing to pay later, and those who will never pay. This segmentation also lets you identify who to connect with, when, and how, for optimal return. It’s the “how” that is especially challenging with an ever-splintering communications channel. You need to ensure your most qualified prospects receive your targeted message with the least amount of noise at the right time in the purchase process. I can’t think of a better application for email marketing.
A quick word about social media here since some are trumpeting this as the successor to email marketing. A well-executed social media campaign is indeed great for generating awareness among the masses and is a far better approach than blasting a generic pitch to a wide swath of prospects and hoping for the best. Social media’s very strength lies in its lack of segmentation and filtering, but this also means a lot of noise and potential confusion for your most qualified prospects when they’re at a critical stage in the buying cycle.
So it’s not about social media OR email marketing, rather, it’s really about segmenting your audience and communications channels for marketing success. Social media is the “free” part of your marketing plan – generating broad awareness, echoing key messages, and engaging the broader community in conversations about your brand, products, and company. Email marketing tools like Campaigner are the “freemium and paid” parts of your marketing plan, connecting you with qualified buyers and incenting specific behaviors in support of your business goals. Like the web, the free-freemium-paid marketing model works best as an integrated system.