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As social networking sites continue to grow in popularity, more and more marketers are talking about the best ways to optimise brand presences on social sites. One of the most popular and effective ways to make social networking part of your cohesive brand experience is through cross-channel messaging in email.
Email is frequently the avenue through which brands first introduce and promote their presence on social networking sites. Remember that inviting your subscribers to join your network requires the same thoughtful value proposition as asking them to join your email list. What will this do for them? Will they get insider info, exclusive offers and community benefits?
When seeking to marry your email and social networking channels, consider how you should start. Do you announce your presence prominently through a social-devoted email or special offer, or do you add a subtle link to your email creative with confidence that subscribers will catch on?
Emails devoted entirely to social networking
When retailers send messages focused only on announcing their social networking presence, most also include special offers for their subscribers. Consider whether this approach makes sense for your brand.
Perry Ellis announced their social networking presence through an email dedicated entirely to promoting their Facebook and Twitter networks. They included the promise of a 'special online offer' for subscribers who added them (on Facebook) or followed them (on Twitter), but otherwise didn’t promote any consumer products or services in this message.
Lucky, like Perry Ellis, sent out an email with the exclusive purpose of prompting subscribers to join them on Facebook. Lucky branding allows for a more straightforward, funny headline: 'Fans Wanted', and the frankness feels refreshing. Lucky misses an opportunity here, however, by not mentioning a special offer in their email. Fans who do go to their Facebook page will receive a special 20% off offer, but this is not called out in the email message.
Sur La Table also sent out an email with a special offer for subscribers who become their Facebook fan. This message is interesting because it includes screenshots showing what the Sur La Table Facebook experience is actually like.
Subtler links, banners or submessages in email
Many brands simply promote their social messages through the addition of messaging to their regular content. These include links at the top or bottom of the email, special banners or other submessaging.
Urban Outfitters adds a submessage into their regular email about special social features surrounding the South by Southwest music festival. Linking to their blog alongside their regular messaging makes the Urban Outfitters experience seem integrated so that the subscriber’s brand relationship becomes about more than the clothes.
Sephora takes an advanced approach to promoting their Facebook presence, encouraging subscribers to give a virtual Sephora tote bag to their Facebook friends and then receive a real Sephora tote bag free with their next purchase. This is a complex system of promotion, as Sephora will be marketed through their virtual gift while also encouraging givers to shop in order to get their real tote bag. In addition, it demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how Facebook works and makes the integration more seamless.
Brands that add ongoing banners to their emails include J & R, Banana Republic and Lane Bryant, whose small banner promotes all of their social networking presences in a subtle way that can be used across their email programme.
It may make sense for your brand to try variations of many of the above approaches throughout subscribers’ lifecycles, and as your brand progresses with social networking. Shoeline presents an example of a brand that successfully announced their social networking presence through a social-dedicated email and then added a prominent banner in later emails, promoting their social networks. As a result of both, Shoeline experienced a 57% increase in engagement with their social networks (Source: Style Campaign).
Consider the expectations and needs of your subscribers when proposing the benefits of participating in your social networks, as well as the best ways to invite them to join your network. By combining both your social and email networks, you’ll create a smoother experience for your customer base, as well as see increases in engagement.
Lisa Harmon
Principal
Harmon-Smith
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