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I\u2019m still buzzing from a call a few days ago with a marketer working for a well-known Western university. These calls are always energizing because we talk about people\u2019s struggles, what kinds of success they\u2019re looking for, and what we can do to help.<\/p>\n
After the call, I felt more optimistic than I had in weeks. I wasn\u2019t just talking with someone who understands the advantages email can bring to their organization. Why? Because her team wants to invest in email instead of chasing cooler channels like Reddit, TikTok or Snap.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was a refreshing change from the air of pessimism that settled over the entire email marketplace in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
About a third of email platform users migrate to new services every year. Another third just did that, so they\u2019re learning to use their services. The rest are content where they are but are looking for more innovative ways to do their work.<\/p>\n
Those innovation seekers usually drive a fair amount of investment in things like new automations or workflows. But this year, many companies are taking their feet off the accelerator and pausing their quest for innovation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We can\u2019t afford to coast for a few more months, especially now. Holiday email campaigns will soon be up against a tidal wave of last-minute election emails.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We\u2019re just a few weeks away from the make-or-break fourth quarter. But even if you don\u2019t rely on Q4 to hit your numbers, you\u2019re likely getting ready to assemble your budget and strategic plan for 2025.<\/p>\n
You might be nervous if you will be asking for more money. If your company isn\u2019t fully committed to email, your budget probably covers your costs. Maybe there\u2019s a tiny bit of fun money for something innovative, like updated templates or a new marketing automation platform, but that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n
Some of this apprehension could be not knowing how to sell the budget increase to their bosses. We might be major-league pros at marketing the company, but drop the ball when advocating for ourselves.<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s address how to turn this critical period to our advantage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thanksgiving to Christmas is the email Super Bowl, and you\u2019re in the fourth quarter with the clock running out.<\/p>\n
Before the end of this quarter, determine your email cadence. Line up your campaigns. Review, revise, and organize your segments. Write out everything on your version of a coach\u2019s play board, so everybody sees at a glance what to do. Huddle up with your team and review every part of your plan. When the calendar ticks over to October 1, you\u2019ll be ready.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now is the time to create your strategy and decide how to overcome your deficiencies. Putting that off is the same as changing all your plays halfway through the fourth quarter when the other team controls the ball. And especially not this year, when a blitz of last-minute appeals for votes and funding threatens to obliterate inboxes.<\/p>\n
Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong>New rules for bulk email senders from Google, Yahoo: What you need to know<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Also in this critical period, many companies lock down their tech requests by Oct. 1. You still can prepare and test your holiday automations and plan for sandbagging from two opposing teams: political messaging and your market competitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Historically, companies have underinvested in the email channel but enjoy the highest returns on their measly investments. It boggles my mind that companies will put so much money into social media and mobile despite email\u2019s solid track record.\u00a0<\/p>\n It might be too late to fix this budgeting problem now, with your attention diverted a dozen ways. So, put this on your 2025 action plan.<\/p>\n Take time in the coming year to build a business case supporting a bigger email budget, one that provides for innovative programs to make your marketing team an even stronger revenue-driving partner.<\/p>\n To get a budget increase from your boss, you must show exactly how it will pay off. Your boss might have told you, \u201cDon\u2019t propose anything new this year.\u201d I\u2019ve heard that, too. And I\u2019ve always come back proposing new programs, but I put dollar signs around them and say, \u201cIf you invest this much, you gain that.\u201d<\/p>\n Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong>4 inbox-altering changes to watch for<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n If you want investments that pay off, look at changes in creative content. Invest in things that help you develop strategy, create or fine-tune marking automations, improve your transactional messaging, or pay an outside agency to help.<\/p>\n These low-hanging fruits usually yield big wins without extreme costs.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to speak directly to the executive evaluating your budget request this year. So, please pass this along.<\/p>\n Dear Boss,<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be so hard on your email marketers!\u00a0<\/p>\n As a 25-year veteran in the email space, I know you should invest in email. Look at the ROI of the channels you use. It\u2019s highest in email. Whatever you invest will drive that number higher.<\/p>\n Sure, it\u2019s been around forever. But whatever you invest to make it smarter will pay off. The days of hitting your revenue goals by increasing emails are over. Consumers are tired of the onslaught on their inboxes. Maybe you\u2019re not contributing to that, but your messages are still getting caught up in the tidal wave.<\/p>\n Scroll back a few paragraphs and read about the coming explosion of messages this October and November. It\u2019s not just from your competition, but also from everyone running for everything from President to dogcatcher.\u00a0<\/p>\n Your team needs help. Look for investments to make email and your team more effective. Expand your team. Increase your bandwidth. Bring in strategic resources from outside agencies that can help you organize a priority for growth based upon a solid ROI.<\/p>\n Now isn\u2019t the time to phone in email campaigns \u2014 as we have for the last 25 years. Your customers truly want relevant content and a relationship with brands that provide it.<\/p>\n As an executive, your job is to greenlight your team\u2019s requests if they have backed them up with payoff numbers.<\/p>\n Thanks for your time,<\/p>\n Ryan<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Email marketing is at a crossroads. The things we\u2019ve done that made easy money for the company don\u2019t work how they used to. If you doubt it, read this from the Forrester Wave: Email Marketing Service Providers Q3 2024<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u201cMastering email basics is no longer enough \u2014 it is time to renovate email marketing to get the most out of the intimate bond that email enables between a brand and its customers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n We need to take email seriously. Take time now to think a few plays ahead. Come up with a plan that will finish the year strong. At the same time, consider your next budget request and ask for what you need to start next year from a stronger position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Contributing authors are invited to create content for MarTech and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the martech community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff<\/a> and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. The opinions they express are their own.<\/em><\/p>\n2. Budgets: Show execs the payoff<\/h3>\n
3. Message for your boss<\/h3>\n
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Wrapping up<\/h2>\n