Email is still the center of Internet communication, but it’s changing.
With the rise of alternate communication platforms such as social media and business messaging apps such as Slack, business communication is evolving quickly.
Along with these new technological developments, people’s expectations are continually rising. To better engage your customers, you need to leverage the latest in email technologies such as personalization and artificial intelligence (AI).
But what should you focus on? Where should you place your bets when it comes to your email technology strategy?
Trends That Are Changing Email Now and for the Future
Don’t worry – email itself is not going away any time soon. If you have an existing email list for your business, and you get a good response rate from it, you are using email well. But consider the following as an upgrade to your email strategy:
1. Personalization (Within Reason) and AI
Personalization these days is critical in cultivating and retaining customers. Using metrics, analytics, and AI, you can deliver exactly the kind of emails your customers are looking for.
For example, email marketing software company, Campaign Monitor, offers marketers a way to personalize email content dynamically based on how they engage with each email. For example, email workflows can be created that send emails to each individual subscriber based on what video they view or link they click on from a previous email. This ensures that subsequent emails are tailored to each subscriber based on their interests.
There is a fine line, however, between using personal information about a customer to deliver them the information and content they want and violating their privacy. So, be careful with your personalization and consider making it opt-in.
2. Include Rich Media In Email
For the small business looking to win a new client, one great new technology to consider can turn your email into a presentation device.
Mixmax, a productivity platform , makes it easy to embed rich media in emails. For example, using Mixmax you can put a slideshow presentation, PDF, video calendar or even poll directly into an email, making the content more engaging for your audience. Embedding rich media makes your email stand out in a crowd and also makes it easier for the recipient to respond, meaning you are likely to get more responses.
If you look down the line, you can see how this technology could end up making each email into a potential channel of its own, delivering content by putting it right in front of the user in their inbox.
3. Group Messaging
We mentioned Slack already, and if you don’t know what that is, check it out. It’s just one solution for business teams who want to work together through an integrated messaging app. Rather than using a group email, you can log in to Slack to check messages from other employees and join topical discussions.
Keep Up with the Changing Face of Email Technology
Email will still exist in some form for the foreseeable future. However, you can also count on new developments in email and personal and group messaging to change and grow as time goes on. For your business to remain competitive in this dynamic environment, make sure you keep up with the latest news and trends in email technology. You will be ahead of the game and better able to serve your customers well in the long run.
