What is Social E-mail?

E-mail is evolving

E-mail has been around for years as a means for people to communicate with one another from anywhere in the world. It has evolved immensely over the past 5 years, however in recent times the term ‘social e-mail’ have been made popular online. So, what is social e-mail?

In a nutshell, social email is what you get when you combine the best features of social networks such as Twitter and Facebook with the reliability and focus of your email system. This is a fun thing to do on an individual basis, but when you hitch the potential of social media to your online business, then you have created a very powerful tool for increasing sales and conversions. Let’s take a closer look at what social email is – and what it can bring to your business if you use it efficiently.

Two powerful tools working together

Online marketing campaigns use email marketing as a matter of routine. The best email marketing software compiles and manages a database of client and customer contacts, and this then allows for targeted email campaigns, the issuing of a regular e-newsletter for subscribers and other tactics. When the immediacy and sense of community found in social media is joined to the powerful data management that exists with email, then the overall effectiveness of the email marketing strategy is also improved, as well as achieving greater community engagement and more sales.

Creating social email

So transform a workaday email list into social media requires action. One good way to start is to ensure that your business social media pages, such as Facebook fan pages, contain sign-up forms for your email list and/or newsletter. You can also make sure that ‘fans’ who do sign up receive a personalised welcome pack, including a customer questionnaire so you can gather more data for future campaigns. A business blog can be easily integrated into your email marketing, with email notifications of updates and other messages, boosting both aspects and sending you soaring up the Google ratings.

Become iconic

Consolidate your new social email network by ensuring there are icons with links to all your social media pages on every email template. You ideally want email recipients to click on these and be taken straight to your Facebook fan page, your Twitter feed or your LinkedIn profile. You can then encourage your subscribers to share their thoughts on your pages.

A volunteer army

Email subscribers with a large social media presence can work wonders for your business. They will be sharing your blog posts and communicating with their friends and family about your brand and its products or services. Your email marketing software ought to be able to identify such subscribers, who can then be courted with special offers and rewards such as online discount coupons, vouchers for reduced or even free products, invitations to special events and other goodies. In doing so you will further increase their loyalty and the chances that they will sing your praises far and wide.

About Jakk: Jakk Ogden is a professional self-employed blogger and the founder / owner of Technology Blogged. 22, with a love for good writing, you'll find me playing 'Drag Racing' on my HTC One X and rocking a pair of Grado headphones. If you love technology, be sure to subscribe to my feed for unique editorials. Find me on Google+. View author profile.