What creates a better customer experience – email marketing or messenger marketing?

The debate on which marketing channel is more effective is heating up. With new messaging platforms emerging that focus on attracting more audiences via chat apps such as WhatsApp for Business, it’s hard to ignore the new communication channels that engage billions of people around the world.

Both email and real time messaging are powerful communication channels. The argument isn’t about which one is better – it’s about how each channel complements the other when they work together.

In this post, you’ll learn about how your business benefits from a combination of email and messenger marketing.

What is email marketing?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines email marketing as “the process of using email to advertise and sell products and services.” However, email marketing is more than just converting leads into sales.

A key aspect of email marketing is that it allows you to build relationships with customers using segmentation, personalization, and automation.

Email marketing consists of 4 elements that every person should know:

1. Lists: grow your list contacts
2. Segmentation: target groups of your contacts for specific communication
3. Personalization: Make emails specific to the contact recipients, like using their first name
4. Automation: automate message sending based on customer interactions

If you’re wondering how to get started with email marketing, the first step is to grow your list of subscribers. You can, for example, offer your website visitors the option to sign up for your newsletter by filling out a landing page form with their information. This can include any information that helps you personalize email marketing messages in the future – like age or employment status.

Once you build your subscribers’ list, you can segment and target certain people based on factors like location, customer behavior, and industry. in. For example, you can send targeted tech content to a segment of software-minded people, or keep them informed on the latest tech news that they might have missed.

By gathering all the necessary information, you can personalize your subscribers’ customer experience with your brand and send them the most relevant information.

Another important element of email marketing is automation. With email automation, you can automatically send out emails that reach the right audience and the right time. You can, for instance, boost your productivity by sending automated follow up emails or reminders instead of doing it all manually.

The 4 elements of email marketing helps you create a customer connection that’s almost as personal as an in-person greeting.

What is messenger marketing?

Messenger marketing is the process of drawing attention to your product or service via chat apps – including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, WeChat or any other messenger.

The idea behind messenger marketing is to grow brand awareness and boost leads and conversions by chatting. And just like with emails, creating a customized journey with messengers and automating your messages is essential.

The benefits of messenger marketing:

• Making a payment: instead of redirecting your customers to your website, with messengers, you allow them to buy stuff directly from the app.
• Polls: using a live chat poll is a quick way to learn about what the person is specifically looking for.
• Quick replies: you can customize a greeting message or thank someone for getting in touch with you.
• Automation: when your business is closed, you can use automatic messages to let your potential clients know when you’ll be back.

Why are we so addicted to live chats? The answer is convenience and speed. No one wants to waste time – especially their own. Plus, chat messenger apps blend into our everyday lifestyle and we can answer messages on our own terms.

It’s no surprise that new marketing approaches like messengers or conversational marketing are evolving. Companies around the world are integrating messengers into their business and communication strategies.

The one-to-one nature of messaging apps is extremely convenient for both customers and companies, as it gives both parties control over the conversation.

Messaging apps have over a billion monthly users, which makes them one of the most popular types of apps. Between communicating with family, friends, and colleagues, we use them all the time.

And we’ll keep using them.

4 tips to combine email and messenger marketing

Although email marketing and messenger marketing share many similarities, such as personalization and automation, blending both powerful channels is key for creating a good customer experience. Here’s how you can effectively combine them.

1. Create a visible chat button
2. Create lead generation auto-replies
3. Offer multiple communication options
4. Consider which messages make sense as emails or as live communication

1. Create a visible chat button

Just like adding your social media to your email signature, you can add a “Chat with me” button. This gives your subscribers or customers the option to speak with you on their own terms and on whatever platform they prefer.

Example of an email signature that includes a chat option.

2. Create lead generation auto-replies

If you’re building your email list and the lead decides to interact with your brand via messaging app, you can ask them directly if they would like to sign up for your newsletter via messenger.
Salesbot chatting with a lead via amoCRM in Facebook Messenger

3. Offer multiple communication options

Nothing has become more important than creating a convenient and seamless customer experience. Another way you can do this is by giving your subscribers, webinar participants, or current customers a selection of options.

As demonstrated in the example below, you can give your contacts the option to choose the channel on which they would like to receive webinar reminders and link to the live stream.

By grouping your contacts into those who prefer email and those who want to be messaged, you can run the same sequence of messages based on their preference.

Salesbot asking how to send a link via Facebook Messenger

4. Consider which messages make sense as emails or as live communication

Another way you can combine both channels is by using both to deliver different messages. Since emails tend to be lengthier and more formal than messengers, sending ticket confirmation to a live concert or receipt via email would make more sense. Sending a short reminder to this event, however, can be done via messenger.

By mixing both marketing strategies, you provide your leads, subscribers and customers with the multi-channel experience, irrespective of the device they’re using, the time zone they’re in or where they are.