As with everything in B2B marketing, taking action in email marketing should be preceded by a strategy and setting clear goals. Only if you define in advance what you want to achieve can you plan precise measures.
Email marketing enables a wide range of use cases. Focusing on specific objectives helps avoid wasting time on use cases that may be exciting, innovative, or challenging but ultimately don’t pay off in achieving your business goals.
There are various methods for formulating objectives in marketing, or in business management in general. The S.M.A.R.T. method is widely used. Goals are S.M.A.R.T. when they are:
- S pecific: They are precise, concise and on topic.
- M easurable: With clear KPIs. Learn more about KPIs in email marketing in our checklist: The 25 Most Important Email Marketing KPIs (https://www.elaine.io/email-marketing-kennzahlen/)
- A ccepted: All involved parties have accepted the goals and are on board.
- R ealistic: The goal is achievable in regards to the available resources.
- T ime-bound: With a clear Deadline.
Perhaps the most important goals of email marketing in B2B companies include among others:
- acquisition of leads
- further development of leads in the sales funnel
- increasing the quality of data
- acquiring new customers
- reduction of effort in communicating with leads and customers
- increase in sales •activation of partners in indirect sales
- increase in the intensity of use of your products prevention of service cases
Although there are many worthwhile goals, it is important not to take on too much at once. It’s best to focus on three goals first.