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let's be frank. things are changing.


and to be even more frank, things have already changed*.

these past few months have turned the lights out on the way we're used to working (and living), and have ushered in the era of what's to come. new realities have left brands and customers alike in a world of unknowns. 

but even in the midst of things we don't know about, we've still been able to learn a thing or two about the road that runs ahead. We've learned about community. we've learned about working together (even when we're working apart). we've learned a lot about what's essential, and we've also discovered a new style of what it means for brands to work efficiently.




"so really, what does this mean for marketers?"






ef·fi·cient   /adjective/ 🧰

(especially of a system or machine) achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.

for brands and businesses, efficiency runs on a slice of sacrifice. whether working with a spending cut, a team gone lean, or the rise of global pandemic, being efficient means working smarter, not smaller.








2020 has been a year of making tough decisions. without a doubt, the future will look different than how things look today, and the next chapter of marketing is right around the corner. the thing is, brands are not only trying to figure out the 'new normal,' they're trying to learn how to thrive in it.

so we did some digging, and collected some insights from industry leaders. here's what they had to say about success moving forward:






on the road ahead, focus on what you can control.

and while you're at it, focus on the things that work. the average ROI for email marketing is around 4300%. put simply, email marketing drives results. as brands start to see a bit more volatility in other marketing/ media channels, emails have started to become the 'tried and true.'

according to industry experts, emails are being taken more seriously today than they have been in past years. in fact, in the heat of COVID-19, more people are opening email than ever before.

on average, brands report around $39.24 for every $1 spent on email marketing. but as goes with any good strategy, the best emails live in a state of improvement, and the best brands don't settle for average results.




















as C-suite professionals begin to understand just how profitable their email streams can be, they're starting to focus on ways to optimize, and bring in a better return. as long as emails bring success, brands will continue to improve and increase their email strategies.

to keep results growing, brands keep their spend growing too. In 2019, 33% of brands were planning to increase their budget for email marketing personnel. alongside creatives and content developers, the best emails are born from teams that hold room on the bench for broader skillsets. these can be technical marketers, strategists, and professionals who have a knack for keeping up with trends.








teams might look a little different 👩🏻‍💻

the thing is, not all brands and businesses have the time, the budget, or the space for the specialized teams they need to excel. email marketing is a specialized service, and it takes a special sort of ability to execute effectively. Although general marketing teams have a good sense of creativity, they might not be equipped to thrive within the ever-changing the email space.






"never trust all-purpose glue."






specialized agencies 🤝

that's why an increasing number of brands are starting to work with specialized agencies that deliver original, inventive email marketing that matters. the teams that think strategically and originally often find success in making emails interesting.

(hmm... sound familiar?)










customers buy authentic (and they recognize when things aren't)

in times like these, we've also learned that it's easy to walk the walk.

brands are finding ways to speak out on global issues, but it's not always aligned with the way they really work. bottom line, customers have a knack for knowing when brands are genuine, and today, being genuine is more important than it's ever been before.

since email and SMS channels are the only marketing streams predominantly owned by brands themselves, emails have become more powerful than ever in showing customers that they care.











the future is integrated 🌐

good emails come from understanding the email landscape, but great emails come from understanding the role emails play across the entirety of a brand's messaging. emails can unlock the power of cohesive, cross-channel messaging to build brands stronger, and more efficiently.

when several streams of marketing work together (paid ads, social media & email marketing), brands hit a harmony and increase ROI across all efforts. emails work as the editor-in-chief. they can work to bring it all together. they're the conductor, and the outside channels are the orchestra.

to be able to integrate your messaging is the ability to connect with your customers on a deeper level. Not a bad thing to shoot for.





what we know for certain : 💡

things are ever-changing:

in order to stay ahead of the curve, brands have to focus more time and money to make things optimized. email marketing streams will continue to evolve as the media landscape evolves in tandem.

admist the unknowns, brands lean on the 'tried and true.' email marketing brings in revenue, and brands invest based on benefit.

as we continue to navigate the unpredictable road ahead, we return to some more words from our friend Kevin Kelly. "when crisis and disaster strike, don’t waste them. no problems, no progress."



we keep the pharmacy filled...

info to help you build your brand healthy & profitably.



back to the pharmacy









 

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