How to keep personalization and email marketing running while migrating to a new data platform? That was the central question for Harman International, the company behind Harman Kardon and JBL. Harman International recently transitioned from an advanced platform to a compact tool that combines a CDP and an ESP in one solution. In his presentation at EMAS 2025, Rudi Claassen, CRM and Email Marketing Manager at Harman international, will share insights on personalization: how to use data enrichment and apply it in campaigns. Navigating the complexity of managing multiple brands, markets and languages is something Harman International deals with daily. 

From cars to film theaters

Harman International is best known to the general public for its portable speakers and soundbars. But as explains, that’s just the tip of the iceberg: “We are huge in the automotive industry, for example.” The company supplies audio systems for brands like BMW, Volvo, and Toyota.

What many people don’t know is that Harman International is also a significant player in the professional audio market. The company supplies sound systems to large stadiums and concert halls around the globe. “And,” says Rudi, “more than half of the cinemas worldwide are equipped with JBL speakers.”.

CRM in an international context

A well-configured customer relationship management (CRM) system is essential for Harman International. Managing customer data across different markets and languages brings complex challenges. “The biggest challenge lies in scalability and personalization without losing the human touch or the right tone of voice,” says Rudi.

“The transition from an advanced platform to the simpler yet powerful platform Simon Data revealed the importance of content structures that are flexible enough to accommodate local nuances while still allowing central control”, Rudi explains. Harman International developed a JSON code together with Springbok Agency to work in an efficient way updating live content. This code proved to be a flexible alternative to previous rigid data extensions.

The use of customizable content blocks

Harman International builds emails using content blocks that can be customized by message or region. Each content block can be unique, requiring flexible templates based on complex HTML code. This led to an email architecture that allows dynamic adjustments by country, brand, and language. In other words: a fully automated and personalized system within an extremely complex international marketing landscape.

Rudi’s team works with clear frameworks that form the basis of their email templates. He explains: “We try to create a sense of familiarity for our email recipients so that they can clearly recognize: this is a new product launch, this is branding, this is promotion-driven or an event campaign.” By using recognizable templates, each campaign has a consistent format, while still leaving room for creativity and content relevance per brand and region.

Brand identity plays a key role in designing email campaigns across multiple brands and audiences. Whether it’s the energetic style of JBL or the elegant feel of Harman Kardon, every email must reinforce the brand. “For us, brand identity is the common thread in everything we do,” says Rudi. “With dynamic content blocks, that consistency is maintained.”

Combining technology with creativity: the power of simplicity

Scaling personalization across regions requires not only technical improvements, but also creative flexibility. From campaigns to events, everything needs to be visually and substantively appealing. “Creativity and technology must go hand in hand,” Rudi emphasizes.

The challenge lies in translating creative concepts into local executions. “One of the biggest eye-openers in that regard, is the power of simplicity,” says Rudi. Where the team previously used an extensive enterprise solution with countless cloud modules, the new, more compact yet powerful tool with the advantage of all-in-one functionalities forced them to return to the basics. “We had to rethink what truly adds value to the customer,” Rudi explains. Recognizability for the recipient became key.

Smart technology requires smart data

If he could redesign the global CRM tech stack from scratch, Rudi would advocate building an architecture from day one that can seamlessly switch between brands, markets, and languages. That’s the only way to achieve the agility needed in an international, multi-brand environment. “Scalability and modularity are not luxuries; they are essential,” Rudi stresses.

But technology alone is not enough. Power lies in the combination of infrastructure and data quality. “The data you put into the tech stack is equally important. Without reliable, well-structured data, campaigns remain generic no matter how smart your technology is.” Rudi therefore advocates investing in data quality, not just in availability but especially in usability for scaled personalization.

A look behind the scenes

During his presentation at EMAS 2025, Rudi will offer realistic and applicable insights into what a migration project truly entails. “What I hope to share is a behind-the-scenes look at a migration that was more than just a technical switch,” he says. “We’ll show how we overcame both technical and creative obstacles along the way.”

So don’t expect merely marketing buzzwords, but rather practical insights: how to enrich data, how to use it for personalized campaigns, and how the right architecture lays a scalable, flexible foundation. As Rudi summarizes: “a story that is immediately applicable: pragmatic, realistic, and built from real-world experience.”

Email marketing is no longer a matter of simply “sending and hoping for the best.” The rules are changing, the requirements are becoming stricter, and anyone who doesn’t have their technology or data in order will notice it immediately: lower open rates, higher bounce rates, or worse — the spam folder. But what causes this? Are spam words really a risk? Is DMARC mandatory?

Within the DDMA Email Committee, we decided to put it to the test. Not with theory or slides, but by tackling a practical case to answer the question: Which factors have the most impact on email deliverability?

The assignment: help a struggling email team

We gave ourselves the following scenario:

A company sends 400,000 emails every week. But… they are experiencing deliverability issues. More and more emails are ending up in spam or are not being delivered at all. The question for the committee members: which factors are most likely having a negative impact?

In front of us were 14 cards with possible causes, from technical settings to copywriting choices. Together, we ranked them from “most impact” to “least impact.”

This exercise provided sharp insights and valuable discussions, ultimately resulting in a practical top 14 that serves as a handy checklist.

Top of the list: the must-haves

We quickly agreed on a shared number one: SPF and DKIM. You must have these properly configured; otherwise, your emails simply won’t get delivered. Due to the high sending volume, DMARC came in second place, followed by spam traps.

1. SPF and DKIM
   Without these two, your emails are at a disadvantage. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) specifies which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a digital signature to your emails. Both are essential for email authentication. Missing one? You risk landing directly in spam.
2. DMARC
   DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) builds on SPF and DKIM. It tells the receiving server what to do if authentication fails: block, quarantine, or still deliver the message. Without DMARC, you’re vulnerable to spoofing and have less control over your sender reputation.
3. Spam traps
   Spam traps are not real people’s addresses but addresses set up specifically to catch spammers. If you send emails to these, it signals that your list is not clean. ISPs use this to penalize senders — and rightfully so.

Middle tier: behavior and list hygiene

1. High bounce rate
   Many bounces (emails that return because an address no longer exists) damage your reputation. If your emails often don’t get delivered, providers start to doubt your reliability.
2. Inconsistent sending patterns
   A few weeks of nothing, then suddenly 400,000 emails in one day? Inbox providers like predictability. Irregular patterns can signal that something is wrong.
3. Outdated send list
   Still emailing people who haven’t opened anything in years? That’s asking for trouble. Inactive contacts mean low engagement and hurt your reputation.
4. Low interaction, few clicks
   Engagement is an important factor in reputation. The more people open and click on your emails, the better. Low interaction? Then inbox providers assume your email is unwanted.

Want to learn more about these kinds of technical and strategic challenges? Attend the Email Marketing Automation Summit (EMAS) on June 27! A day full of insights on deliverability, marketing automation, AI, and more. Tickets: emas.nu

Bottom of the list: the refinements

1. Shared IP
   A shared IP address means your reputation can be affected by the behavior of other senders using the same IP. This doesn’t have to be a problem, but it does make you dependent on others.
2. URL shorteners
   Shortened links are sometimes used in phishing and spam. Some filters see this as suspicious. It’s better to use full, recognizable URLs.
3. Errors in HTML
   Poor or sloppy HTML code can cause your email to display incorrectly or even get blocked. Always test thoroughly before sending.
4. Missing plain text version
   Sending only an HTML version without a plain text alternative? Some systems see that as incomplete. Adding a simple text version is easy and prevents problems.
5. Low text-to-image ratio
   An email consisting mainly of images and little text is more likely to be flagged as spam. A healthy balance between visuals and text is important.
6. Spam words like “FREE”
   Long seen as a major red flag for spam filters, but now less important than previously thought. Still, filling your email with exaggerated words and exclamation marks definitely doesn’t help.

What this exercise taught us

The strength of this session lay not only in ranking the cards but especially in the discussion. By working as a team to analyze a concrete case, we quickly arrived at valuable insights:

• Many problems stem from a weak technical foundation. Start there.
• Behavior and list quality are the next logical steps. Send regularly, clean your list, and send only relevant content.
• Refinements like spam words and image ratios only make sense once the basics are in place.

In short: Deliverability is a chain. And like any chain, it’s only as strong as its weakest link.

Summary

Want to be sure your emails keep reaching the inbox? Start with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Then work on your sending rhythm and list quality. And always keep monitoring, because today’s rules could change tomorrow.

Curious how to put this into practice? Visit EMAS 2025 on June 27 at Circa Amsterdam. Be inspired by international speakers and discover how to take your email marketing to the next level. Tickets and program: shop.emas.nu

Marketing automation offers wonderful opportunities to make marketing, sales and service work better together. But in practice, it still often proves difficult to get systems to really land well in an organization.

Common bottlenecks?
Data scattered across different systems. Teams working on their own islands. Marketing and sales that evaluate leads differently. And platforms that are set up primarily from technology, not daily processes.

At Bikkelhart (part of Conclusion), we believe that marketing automation only works when the foundation is right. We’ll show you how we built that foundation together with organizations like Conclusion and Hiscox – and which steps are involved.

The approach: building a solid foundation

1. Discovery: first understand, then furnish

Before we configure anything, we map out the situation:

• What does the customer journey look like?
• What products and propositions are there?
• What is the existing system landscape?
• How do the marketing, sales and service teams now work together?

Based on this, we determine which processes are important to support first, which links are needed and where quick wins lie.

The first insights often arise during this phase. For example, that teams manage the same customer data in three different places. Or that the sales pipeline is not kept up to date anywhere.

2. Configuration: getting the basics right

Then we set up HubSpot to fit the organization:

• Basic settings per team
• Integrations with tools such as Google Analytics, LinkedIn Ads and CRM systems
• Migration and cleanup of existing data
• Training and documentation for users

In many cases, we use AI to accelerate data cleaning and duplicate checking. This not only makes the base cleaner, but also future-proof.

By paying immediate attention to data quality, you reduce the risk of score models becoming unreliable or dashboards giving false insights.

3. Adoption: making sure it works in practice

Good configuration is important, but only when people use the system on a daily basis does real value emerge. “Shit in, is shit out.” If people can’t work well with the system, data quality deteriorates and your analyses don’t add up.

Therefore, we provide intensive guidance for adoption. Consider:

• Practical explanation of new ways of working
• Relevant dashboards that align with targets and consultation structures
• Alignment between marketing and sales on lead definitions

We often see that a few small choices here make all the difference. For example, by discussing the pipeline from HubSpot by default in the sales meeting, or by making clear agreements about enriching lead data.

4. Accelerate: optimize based on data

Once the foundation is in place and teams are actively working in HubSpot, the focus shifts to growth.

Together we analyze where opportunities for improvement lie:

• Which phases in the funnel have the highest failure rates?
• What content leads to quality leads?
• Where is the delay in follow-up?

Based on insights from CRM data, visit reports and customer feedback, we continuously adjust processes, campaigns and sales materials. AI helps to recognize patterns faster, but choices are always made together with people who know the context.

Cases: proven in practice

Conclusion: 42 companies, one central structure

The 42 Conclusion companies each individually work from the passion for their own specialty, but with the drive to realize better solutions together. This unique approach offers clients the advantage of a complete service provider, combined with far-reaching expertise in specific sub-topics.

The challenge lies in the sales approach, and that’s where HubSpot comes in. The question was: how do you maintain the diversity but create general overview and even more collaboration/cross sell?

We set up one HubSpot environment in which:

• Sales processes are standardized where necessary
• Labels continue to work flexibly within their own accounts
• Insights about networks, pipelines, and customer relationships can be shared

The biggest win? Sales staff now all work from the same system, with uniform data and a shared understanding of opportunities and relationships.

Hiscox: marketing, sales and service connected in one platform

At Hiscox, another challenge was at play: lead follow-up, sales activities and service inquiries were handled in different systems.

By bringing marketing, sales and service together in HubSpot:

• Can transfer marketing leads directly with the right context
• Scores sales leads based on behavior and interactions
• Every customer request from service is tracked and used to improve campaigns

With short feedback loops between teams, the connection to the customer journey has become much stronger.

The success formula of Bikkelhart

What makes this approach different from others? It’s in the combination of people and technology. We believe in:

• AI as an accelerator: For data cleansing, lead scoring, behavioral analysis and real-time insights.
• Human in the loop: Experts who understand processes and make sure technology is really used.
• Central data as a source of truth: No fragmentation, but one truth for all.

We do not just build systems, but create real transformations.

This article was written by Ralph Kaan, Growth & Content Director at Bikkelhart. Bikkelhart is sponsor of the 2025 DDMA EMAS (Email Marketing Automation Summit).

Customer expectations have significantly evolved. Relying solely on email for customer communication is no longer enough. Modern consumers expect personalized experiences across multiple touchpoints, making it necessary for businesses to adopt a holistic, omnichannel approach to customer engagement. This shift creates both challenges and opportunities for marketers and customer experience professionals.

This article explores how businesses can move beyond email to create cohesive, engaging experiences that truly resonate with their audience. We’ll examine the key components of a successful omnichannel strategy and discuss how to implement effective technologies to support your efforts.

Whether you’re new to omnichannel marketing or looking to refine your existing strategies, this guide will equip you with practical insights to enhance your customer engagement in an increasingly complex digital ecosystem.

Understanding the omnichannel approach

To effectively craft holistic customer journeys, it’s important to grasp the concept of an omnichannel approach and how it differs from traditional multichannel strategies.

Omnichannel vs. multichannel: Key distinctions

Both omnichannel and multichannel approaches involve using multiple channels to reach customers, but they differ significantly in execution:

• Multichannel: This approach uses various channels to communicate with customers, but these channels often operate independently. Each channel has its own strategy and goals, with minimal integration between them.
• Omnichannel: An omnichannel strategy creates a seamless, integrated experience across all channels. It recognizes that customers may start their journey on one channel and continue it on another, ensuring consistency and personalization throughout.

The tangible benefits of an omnichannel strategy

Implementing an omnichannel approach offers concrete advantages for both businesses and customers:

1. Enhanced customer experience: A consistent experience across all touchpoints increases customer satisfaction and fosters loyalty.
2. Improved data insights: An integrated approach enables better data collection and analysis, providing deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences.
3. Higher conversion rates: A seamless journey across channels can boost conversion rates, as customers can easily resume their journey regardless of the channel they’re using.
4. Optimized resource allocation: Understanding which channels are most effective for different stages of the customer journey allows for more efficient resource allocation.
5. Competitive edge: In a crowded marketplace, a superior omnichannel experience can significantly differentiate your brand.

Key components of a successful omnichannel strategy

Creating an effective omnichannel strategy requires careful planning and integration of several key elements. Let’s explore these components in detail:

Consistent brand messaging

A cohesive brand experience across all channels is fundamental to a successful omnichannel strategy. This means:

• Maintaining a consistent tone of voice
• Using uniform visual elements (logos, color schemes, typography)
• Ensuring that your brand values are reflected in every interaction

Consistency builds trust and reinforces brand recognition, making it easier for customers to engage with your brand regardless of the channel they choose.

Integrated customer data management

To deliver a truly personalized omnichannel experience, you need a unified view of your customer data. This involves:

• Implementing a robust Customer Data Platform (CDP)
• Integrating data from all touchpoints (website, mobile apps, in-store interactions, etc.)
• Ensuring real-time data synchronization across channels

Personalized interactions

With integrated data at your fingertips, you can create highly personalized experiences:

• Tailoring content based on customer preferences and behavior
• Offering product recommendations based on purchase history
• Sending targeted communications at the right time and through the right channel

Seamless channel transitions

An essential aspect of omnichannel marketing is allowing customers to switch between channels effortlessly:

• Enabling customers to start a process on one channel and complete it on another
• Ensuring that customer service representatives have access to full interaction history
• Creating a consistent user interface across digital platforms

Beyond email: Exploring complementary channels

While email remains a powerful tool, an effective omnichannel strategy incorporates various other channels to create a comprehensive customer experience. Let’s examine some key channels:

Mobile marketing

Mobile has become an integral part of the customer journey:

• SMS: For time-sensitive notifications and promotions
• Mobile apps: Offering personalized experiences and easy access to products/services
• Push notifications: Engaging users with relevant, timely information

Social media

Social platforms offer unique opportunities for engagement:

• Customer service: Responding to queries and complaints in real-time
• Content marketing: Sharing valuable, brand-relevant content
• Social commerce: Enabling purchases directly through social platforms

Personalized web content

Your website should adapt to each visitor:

• Dynamic content: Showing relevant products or content based on user behavior
• Personalized recommendations: Suggesting items based on browsing and purchase history
• Custom landing pages: Creating targeted pages for specific customer segments or campaigns

Advertising

Integrated advertising can reinforce your omnichannel efforts:

• Retargeting: Showing ads based on previous interactions with your brand
• Cross-channel campaigns: Ensuring consistency in messaging across different ad platforms
• Personalized ad content: Tailoring ad creative and copy to specific customer segments

By effectively integrating these channels, you can create a cohesive customer journey that goes far beyond traditional email marketing.

Implementing an omnichannel strategy

Moving from theory to practice, let’s explore how to effectively implement an omnichannel strategy in your organization.

Mapping the customer journey

Understanding your customers’ paths is essential for creating a seamless omnichannel experience:

• Identify key touchpoints: List all possible interactions a customer might have with your brand
• Analyze customer behavior: Use data to understand how customers move between channels
• Spot pain points: Identify areas where customers might face difficulties or drop off
• Create journey maps: Visualize typical customer journeys to guide your strategy

Selecting the right technologies

The right tech stack is fundamental for executing an omnichannel strategy:

• Customer Data Platform (CDP): To unify and manage customer data across channels
• Marketing automation tools: For orchestrating personalized communications
• CRM systems: To manage customer relationships and track interactions
• Analytics tools: To measure performance and gain insights

Training your teams

An omnichannel approach often requires a shift in organizational mindset:

• Cross-department collaboration: Encourage communication between marketing, sales, and customer service teams
• Skill development: Train staff on new technologies and customer-centric approaches
• Change management: Help teams understand the importance of an integrated approach

Measuring and optimizing performance

Continuous improvement is key to a successful omnichannel strategy:

• Define KPIs: Establish clear metrics for measuring success across channels
• Regular reporting: Set up dashboards to monitor performance in real-time
• A/B testing: Continuously test and refine your approach
• Customer feedback: Regularly collect and act on customer input

The future of omnichannel customer engagement

As technology evolves, so do the possibilities for omnichannel engagement. Here are some trends to watch:

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

AI and ML are set to play a larger role in omnichannel strategies:

• Predictive analytics: Anticipating customer needs and behaviors
• Chatbots and virtual assistants: Providing 24/7 personalized support
• Dynamic content optimization: Automatically adjusting content based on real-time data

Voice and conversational interfaces

As voice-activated devices become more prevalent, they’re likely to become an important channel:

• Voice search optimization: Adapting content for voice queries
• Voice-activated purchasing: Enabling transactions through voice commands
• Conversational marketing: Creating more natural, dialogue-based interactions

Augmented and Virtual Reality

AR and VR technologies offer new ways to engage customers:

• Virtual try-ons: Allowing customers to test products virtually
• Immersive brand experiences: Creating engaging, memorable interactions
• Enhanced customer support: Using AR for visual, step-by-step guidance

Key Takeaways

Crafting holistic customer journeys across multiple channels is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity in today’s competitive landscape. By moving beyond email and embracing a true omnichannel approach, businesses can create more engaging, personalized, and effective customer experiences.

Remember, the key to success lies in:

• Maintaining consistent brand messaging across all channels
• Integrating customer data for a unified view
• Personalizing interactions at every touchpoint
• Ensuring seamless transitions between channels
• Continuously measuring and optimizing your approach

As you embark on or refine your omnichannel journey, keep the customer at the center of your strategy. By doing so, you’ll not only meet but exceed their expectations, fostering loyalty and driving business growth in an increasingly complex digital world.

This article was written by Isabelle Henry, Head of Marketing at Actito. Actito is sponsor of the 2025 DDMA EMAS (Email Marketing Automation Summit).

“Let’s grow by attracting as many new leads as possible. The more, the better!”. Does this sound familiar? It’s a common mindset in business. And sure—it makes sense at first glance. But in reality, a big mailing list doesn’t always mean big results, as well as being an effective one.

Here’s a secret that might surprise you: one of your biggest growth opportunities may already be hiding in your existing email list. Yes, we’re talking about dormant leads. Contacts who used to open your emails, maybe even clicked through or purchased… and then stopped at one time. They haven’t unsubscribed, but they’ve gone radio silent.

Before you rush to pour more budget into ads or new lead magnets, consider this: hidden inside that quiet group could be a goldmine. With the right re-engagement strategy, you can bring those sleepy leads back to life—and turn them into paying customers again.

Let’s dive into how that works.

Why Dormant Subscribers Can Be A Goldmine

Let’s clear something up right away: just because a contact has stopped engaging doesn’t mean they’re no longer interested in you. After all, there was once a good reason they signed up in the first place—maybe it was because of your products, services, content or a one-time offer. So why aren’t they now?

Understanding why someone stopped interacting is key—because reactivating a lead you already have is way cheaper than constantly chasing new ones through expensive ads.

Here are some common reasons leads go inactive:

• You’re sending irrelevant content that doesn’t speak to their interests anymore.
• You’re emailing too much (overload!) or too little (easy to forget you).
• Their personal situation or interests changed and your messaging hasn’t.
• Your value proposition isn’t clear anymore—what’s in it for them?

Dormant Leads = Hidden Potential

Sure, they’re not clicking right now—but that doesn’t mean you should write them off. Dormant leads are still yours—you already have their permission to reach out. And if even 20% of your list is in this “sleeping” category, that’s a huge chunk of opportunity, just waiting for you to do something with it.

Instead of throwing money at new lead generation, why not focus part of your strategy on bringing these contacts back? It’s more budget-friendly and (often) much more effective.

4 Smart Ways to Re-Engage Dormant Leads

Irrelevant content is one of the big reasons many leads do not show you any interest anymore. So how do you get them excited again, especially to take action?

Here are four proven strategies:

1. Profile Enrichment for Better Targeting

One of the top reasons leads will disengage? Mostly because of irrelevant emails they’re not interested in. If your content no longer fits their needs or interests, they’ll stop opening it —and eventually forget about you.

That’s where profile enrichment comes in. The more you know about your subscribers, the more relevant (and personalized) your content can be.

How do you gather that extra info? Try things like:

• Short preference surveys (“Do you prefer gold or silver jewelry?”)
• Tracking browsing or purchasing behavior through your website or webshop
• Reviewing which links they’ve clicked in past emails

Even a simple follow-up question can give you valuable insight. Relevance is everything when it comes to re-engagement.

2. Trigger-Based Re-Engagement Emails

“We haven’t seen you in a while—here’s a 10% off for your next order.”

This example is a classic re-engagement email in action. A well-crafted message like this can do wonders to spark curiosity and get a dormant lead to open your email again.

The formula? Keep it friendly, a little personal (“We miss you!”), and add a trigger—like a discount, free gift or exclusive content. Bonus points for a powerful subject line that grabs attention.

Set up an effective automation that will be sent to your dormant lead, based on inactivity (like no opens in 30, 60 or 90 days). No response after that? Then it might be time to clean your list and remove the contact.

3. Go Beyond the Inbox: Multichannel Outreach

Let’s be honest—not everyone checks their email every day or multiple times a day. But you know what is always within reach? Their phone.

So if email alone isn’t cutting it, mix things up:

• Send a short, friendly SMS reminder with a special offer.
• Try a handwritten postcard—yes, a personal note can still be surprisingly impactful.
• Make a personal phone call (especially in B2B settings).
• Use retargeting ads on Facebook, Instagram or Google to pop up in their feed.

Using multiple touchpoints boosts your visibility and increases your chances of getting a response.

4. Behavior-Based Automations

This one’s a game-changer. With the help of modern email marketing platforms (like MailBlue), you can set up behavior-triggered automations that respond in real time to your contacts’ actions.

For example:

• The ‘abandoned cart’ email after someone leaves your webshop
• A follow-up when someone opens a newsletter but doesn’t click
• A reminder email when someone visits a product page but doesn’t buy

These most powerful targeted and real-time automations are personal and perfectly timed —exactly the ingredients you need to re-capture their interest.

Re-Engagement Campaigns: The Do’s & Don’ts

Irrelevant content is one of the biggest reasons for losing the lead’s interest. Do you want to avoid a click on the “unsubscribe” button? Then keep these tips in mind:

DO:

• Keep your message short, warm and personal: nobody likes unnecessary details.
• Include one clear call-to-action (like “Claim your 15% discount” or “Update your preferences”). Keep the goal clear.
• A/B test your subject lines and send times to find your ‘golden formula’ —you’d be amazed what a small tweak can do.
• Offer a genuine reason to come back (a special promo, relevant content or even just a warm check-in).

DON’T:

• Send generic emails to inactive lists. They probably won’t even open them—and it can hurt your sender reputation.
• Push too hard. Re-engagement is about empathy and timing, not pressure. Always be gentle and subtle, not some ‘aggressive’ seller.
• Hold onto permanently inactive contacts. This damages your email deliverability, and you don’t want e-mail providers like Outlook or Gmail to think you’re spammy.

But… When Should You Say Goodbye?

If someone hasn’t opened or clicked in months—even after several re-engagement attempts—it might be time to let them go. It might feel tough, but keeping truly inactive subscribers can actually harm your sender reputation.

Here’s why: Email providers like Gmail and Outlook track how many contacts open and engage with your emails. If too many don’t, your deliverability drops. That means even your engaged subscribers might start seeing your emails in their spam folder.

So, do your interested and active contacts a favor—keep your list clean and healthy by letting go of those who’ve gone totally cold.

Final Thoughts: Reawakening Your Sleeping Subscribers

Dormant leads might not be your most active customers right now, but with the right approach, they absolutely can be again.

So instead of focusing only on new acquisitions, take a good look at your current list. Learn the interests of your contacts, bring them back with relevant, personal campaigns and use smart automations to strike and reach your goal.

And if someone just isn’t coming back? That’s okay too. Say goodbye, clean up your list and keep your focus on quality over quantity.

Remember: growth doesn’t always mean chasing the new. Sometimes, it’s about nurturing what you already have—and waking up the goldmine that’s been snoozing in your inbox all along.

Want to hit the ground running with your email marketing?
Check out the Dutch-language Email Marketing Manual by MailBlue and learn how to build powerful campaigns in under 30 minutes—perfect for beginners and pros alike!

MailBlue is a platform for email marketing and the Dutch reseller partner of ActiveCampaign. The software offers tools such as marketing automation, lead generation, and the creation of creative campaigns.

This article was written by Youri Meuleman (Co-Founder MailBlue & Head of Marketing) & co-author Dominique Janssens (Copywriter / Content Strategist) at MailBlue. MailBlue is sponsor of the 2025 DDMA EMAS (Email Marketing Automation Summit).

Dominique Janssens
Copywriter / Content Strategist | MailBlue

Youri Meuleman
Co-Founder MailBlue & Head of Marketing | MailBlue

Accessible emails: essential, not optional

Imagine opening an email and seeing only a blurry image with no explanation. Or trying to click a link that doesn’t work. For millions of people with disabilities, this is a daily reality.

Across the European Union, an estimated 80 million people live with some form of disability, a number that’s only expected to grow as the population ages source: European Commission, European Disability Strategy 2010–2020.

Accessible emails are no longer a nice-to-have; they’re a must. Not only do they help you reach a broader audience, they also support compliance with broader accessibility regulations, such as the  European Accessibility Act (EAA),  a new EU law aimed at making digital services more accessible, which comes into effect on June 28, 2025.

While email is not explicitly mentioned in the EAA, messages that provide access to covered digital services (like e-commerce, transport, or banking) may fall under its scope.

Still, email accessibility is often overlooked in practice. So, how can you ensure your emails are truly readable and usable for everyone?

In this article, we’ll explore why email accessibility is so important, what improvements you can make, and how to get started today to ensure your emails are accessible to all readers.

Why accessibility in email matters

For millions of people with disabilities, digital tools like email can present significant challenges. Whether due to visual impairments, hearing loss, motor disabilities, or difficulties understanding text, these barriers can make tasks like reading or interacting with an email frustrating, or even impossible.

According to the World Health Organization, over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. If your emails aren’t accessible, you risk excluding a large portion of your audience, not just socially, but also commercially. Poor accessibility doesn’t just limit reach; it can directly impact clicks, conversions, and missed conversions.

By making accessibility a priority, you ensure that your content is not only compliant, but also reaches and resonates with a wider audience.

How to make your emails accessible

Creating accessible emails involves both technical and content-based improvements. A well-structured email helps screen readers interpret your message correctly and enhances the experience for all users.

Practical tips to improve email accessibility

With just a few simple tweaks, you can improve user experience, reach a broader audience, and boost the performance of your email campaigns.

Here are ten practical tips you can start using right away:

1. Use clear headings for a logical structure
   Like on a website, structure matters. Use <h1> for your main headline, <h2> for subheadings, and <p> for regular text. This helps screen readers  and skimming readers quickly grasp the layout of your email.
2. Choose readable fonts
   Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, and Tahoma are easy to read on screens. If you’re using custom web fonts (like Google Fonts), always include a fallback — such as Arial or Verdana — in case the main font doesn’t load.Some email clients don’t support web fonts, or they block external content like fonts by default. When that happens, your fallback font keeps your email readable and looking good. Here’s an example of a font stack:

   font-family: ‘Roboto’, Arial, sans-serif;

This tells the email client to use Roboto first. If that doesn’t work, it switches to Arial — and if that also fails, it falls back to any available sans-serif font.

1. Ensure sufficient color contrast
   Text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background. Tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker can help. Avoid pure black on white — a dark gray is often more comfortable on the eyes.
2. Don’t make your text too small
   The ideal text size for a main text is 16 to 18 pixels. This ensures good readability. Here are some guidelines:

• Text: 16px – 18px
• Subheads: 18px – 22px
• Headings: 22px – 28px (or larger, depending on hierarchy)
• Call-to-action (buttons): 16px – 20px (clear and clickable)
• Never smaller than 12 pixels

1. Add descriptive alt text to images
   Every meaningful image should include descriptive alt text. This helps screen reader users understand the content — and provides fallback text if the image fails to load.
2. Make links easy to recognize
   If links blend in with the rest of your text, many users might miss them — especially those who rely on visual cues. For instance, using color alone to indicate a link can be problematic for people with color blindness.

To ensure everyone can spot your links, make them instantly recognizable. Underlining is one of the most familiar and effective ways to signal that text is clickable. Plus, underlined links stand out visually, helping scanning readers quickly find key information.

1. Make links meaningful
   Use descriptive link text like “Learn more about WCAG in email” instead of generic phrases like “Click here” or “Read more”. This benefits both screen reader users and visual skimmers.
2. Align text to the left
   Left-aligned text improves readability, especially for longer content. It helps the eye track lines more easily and reduces fatigue.
3. Mind your column width
   When we read, our eyes make quick, small jumps and pause briefly on words. With each jump, we take in about 5 to 10 characters. If a line of text is too long, it becomes harder to follow, readers may lose their place when moving to the next line.

On the flip side, lines that are too short force the eyes to jump more often, which can feel tiring and slow down the reading flow.

The ideal line length is between 45 and 75 characters, including spaces. This range allows for a smooth reading rhythm that feels natural and comfortable.

1. Offer a text-only version
   Not everyone can view HTML emails properly. A plain-text alternative ensures your content stays accessible regardless of device or assistive technology.Make sure this version isn’t just a summary, it should reflect the full message, including important links. Many ESPs let you generate a plain-text version with one click. AI tools can also assist in creating accessible versions automatically.

Technical considerations

1. Add a title to your HTML document
   When your newsletter is viewed online, the document title appears in the browser tab. Make sure it’s clear and descriptive, so readers immediately understand what your email is about.
2. Specify the language in the HTML tag
   People who are blind or have low vision often use a screen reader to access websites, emails, and apps. A screen reader is a tool that reads out what’s on the screen.

Since screen reader users don’t see the layout, it’s important that the content is clear and well-structured behind the scenes.

Adding the main language to your HTML (e.g., lang=”en”) helps screen readers pronounce the text correctly, improving the experience.

1. Use role=presentation for tables that do not contain data
   Tables are often used in email design to arrange content visually, for example, to place text next to an image or align buttons.

However, screen readers treat all tables as data tables by default, expecting structured content like names, prices, or other information.

That’s because, in their original purpose, tables are meant to present data in a logical, tabular format, for example, product listings or performance overviews.

But if you’re using a table purely for layout purposes (e.g. to position elements in your email), make sure to add role=”presentation” to the HTML code.

This tells screen readers to treat the table as decorative rather than informative, allowing them to skip or handle it differently. The result? A smoother experience for assistive technology users — and a more accessible email overall.

1. Use semantic sections
   Make your content more accessible and easier to navigate by dividing it into meaningful sections. This helps screen reader users move through your content more easily. Examples of sections you can include in your email are:

• <header> – for introductory content
• <main> – for the primary message
• <article> – for standalone content pieces (ideal for newsletters)
• <footer> – for closing info like contact details

Many email service providers (ESPs) already support this structure in their templates. Want to check your code manually? Tools like Accessible Email can help.

Ready for an accessibility check?

Accessible emails aren’t just more inclusive — they’re also more effective. With just a few thoughtful changes, you’ll create emails that everyone can engage with. You’ll meet legal standards, but more importantly, you’ll improve the experience for every reader.

This article was written by Wilco Bakker, Specialist Email Marketing at Happy Horizon. Happy Horizon is sponsor of the 2025 DDMA EMAS (Email Marketing Automation Summit).

Author

Wilco Bakker
Specialist Email Marketing
| Happy Horizon

Introduction

In the dynamic world of digital marketing, Claro Carwash has positioned itself as a leading player in the Benelux carwash industry. The company’s ambition is clear: to become the premium carwash service provider in the region. To achieve this, Claro Carwash has partnered with 100procent (part of United Playgrounds), leveraging their expertise in marketing automation to enhance customer engagement and drive growth. This article narrates the story of this transformative journey, as presented by Martijn van Asten, a seasoned marketing technologist at 100procent, with the help of Actito.

This article is written by Martijn van Asten, Marketing Technologist at 100procent, in collaboration with Actito, one of this year’s sponsors of the DDMA Email Marketing Automation Summit. Tickets are available at: emas.nu.

The Vision and Initial Challenges

Setting the Stage

Let us first highlight the strategic pillars that were uses to drive results: strategy, data, creation, and technology. These elements, when harmoniously integrated, can deliver omnichannel personalization across all customer touchpoints.

Claro Carwash: The Beginning

Claro Carwash, with over 15 locations, approached 100procent in early 2023. They were looking for a partner to help them set up a top-tier marketing automation system. The initial discussions quickly revealed that the challenges were broader than anticipated. Claro Carwash was dealing with fragmented data, manual email processes, and a lack of personalization.

The Partnership and Strategic Implementation

Understanding the Scope

The collaboration began with a comprehensive analysis of Claro Carwash’s existing systems and processes. This included their use of license plate recognition cameras, multiple point-of-sale systems, and various databases that were not centrally managed. The goal was to create a seamless, omnichannel marketing strategy that could utilize all available customer data effectively and find the appropriate tool that could centralise and activate all that data.

The New Website Launch

One of the early successes of the partnership was the launch of Claro Carwash’s new website by LiveWall, also part of United Playgrounds. This new website not only reflected the updated branding of Claro Carwash but also served as a foundation for future marketing activities. The design was carried over to their email communications, ensuring brand consistency across channels.

Overcoming Challenges

Data Integration and Personalization

A major hurdle was the lack of available data and the manual nature of the email processes. To address this, Claro Carwash implemented a robust data collection and management strategy. This involved using data from various sources, including license plate recognition and third-party data from RDW (the Netherlands Vehicle Authority), to create detailed customer profiles.

Creating a Centralized Data Hub

Centralizing data was crucial for the success of the marketing automation strategy. By consolidating data into a single repository, Claro Carwash could achieve a unified customer view, essential for personalized marketing efforts. This platform grouping strategy enabled Claro Carwash to transition from a fragmented system to an integrated marketing automation platform.

The Ideal Martech Setup

The Centralized Approach

The ideal Martech setup for Claro Carwash includes the central storage of data, integration of various customer touchpoints (web, email, social, app, print, and onsite), and the development of a custom voucher system. This system allowed for real-time validation of coupons, enhancing the customer experience and driving loyalty towards the Claro Carwash brand.

Achieving Omnichannel Marketing

The goal was to reach customers through their preferred communication channels, creating a seamless and engaging customer journey. By leveraging the centralized data hub from Actito, Claro Carwash could deliver personalized messages and offers, significantly improving customer engagement and satisfaction.

Results and Future Prospects

Early Successes

The initial results of this comprehensive marketing automation strategy have been promising. Claro Carwash has seen improvements in customer engagement and operational efficiency. The custom voucher system has been a hit, allowing for real-time, personalized interactions with customers.

Looking Ahead

Claro Carwash aims to continue its growth trajectory, with plans to expand its services and further refine its marketing strategies. The partnership with 100procent and Actito is expected to play a pivotal role in this journey, driving innovation and excellence in customer engagement.

Conclusion

The story of Claro Carwash and 100procent is a testament to the power of strategic marketing automation. By overcoming initial challenges and leveraging a centralized data approach, Claro Carwash has set a new standard in the carwash industry. This partnership highlights the importance of integrating strategy, data, creation, and technology to achieve remarkable business outcomes.

Author

Martijn van Asten
Marketing Technologist |
| 100procent

Neleman wijnen, a leading producer of organic wines, has experienced impressive growth since its founding in 2014 by Derrick Neleman. The company is committed to sustainability and social responsibility, which is reflected in their motto: “Together we drink the world more beautifully.” These core values form the basis of their marketing strategy, which relies heavily on email marketing automation. In this article, we will discuss how Neleman wijnen have significantly increased their marketing power with the help of a well-thought-out combination of automation strategies.

This article is written by Hendrik Westerhuis, Senior Content Marketeer at Spotler. Spotler is one of the sponsors of the 2024 Email Marketing Automation Summit. Have you got your tickets yet? Get them at: shop.emas.nu.

The power of CDP and email marketing automation

The use of a Customer Data Platform (CDP) that drives email marketing automation, plays a crucial role in the success of Neleman Wijnen. Email is accountable for about 60% of their total turnover. Neleman uses more than twenty well-coordinated automations and commercial newsletters to convert prospects and nurture customers. This approach ensures that customers receive relevant and personalized content at every point in their customer journey.

Collaboration with mailmeisters and Spotler

Neleman works closely with digital agency mailmeisters to set up and realise the various automations. The collected customer data is managed in the Customer Data Platform (CDP) Spotler Activate, which then triggers the right email flows in Spotler Mail+. This collaboration ensures that Neleman wijnen has set up the right automations at all important touchpoints.

The Customer Matrix

The Customer Matrix of Neleman wijnen is a detailed plan with more than ten important touchpoints, on which various automatic campaigns have been set up. This keeps a customer or prospect in the picture, no matter where they are in the buyer or customer journey. Here are some key automations in the matrix:

1. Onboarding new customers: New customers are welcomed and taken into the world of Neleman wijnen, including the benefits of their organic products.
2. Increase customer engagement: Customers are incentivised to buy more often through personalised recommendations and special offers.
3. Personalised product recommendations: Based on previous purchases, customers get recommendations that align with their preferences.
4. Lead generation of valuable customers: Generating leads through look-a-like models, who seek similar profiles to attract new customers.
5. Upsell active customers: Active customers get offers that entice them to buy more and more often.
6. Preventing churn: Customers who are at risk of dropping out are reactivated with targeted campaigns.
7. Funnel recovery: Customers who do not complete their purchase process are encouraged to complete their order.
8. Personalising content: Each communication is tailored to the individual customer to increase relevance and engagement.

Defining customer groups

Neleman wijnen uses an RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary Value) analysis from their CDP to divide customers into different groups. This format helps create targeted campaigns that cater to the specific needs and behaviours of each customer group. Examples of these customer groups are:

1. Prospects (unknown visitor/no order placed yet)
2. New customers (1st order < 3 months)
3. Green customers (1st, 2nd, or 3rd order < 12 months)
4. Potential Loyal customers (active customers with 3 to 4 orders < 12 months)
5. Loyal customers (active customers with 5-10 orders)
6. Top customers (active customers with 10 orders or more)
7. Risk Churn customers (no order last 6-12 months)
8. Valuable Inactive customers (no order last 12-36 months with initial high order value)
9. Inactive customers 12-36 months (no order last 12-36 months with low order value/one-time order)
10. Shareholders (to be)

For each customer group, specific campaigns are set up with relevant content and dynamic product blocks, tailored to the customer’s preferences and behaviours.

Campaigns that connect with the different customer groups

The customer groups are based on an RFM analysis, which is a well-known method in eCommerce marketing to classify customers. This classification is done by answering the following three questions:

1. How recently did a customer make a purchase?
2. How frequently does a customer buy?
3. What is the value of the customer’s purchases?

The Customer Data Platform Spotler Activate can define customer groups for you based on such an RFM analysis. The values that the CDP uses for this can be adjusted manually. In this way, the proposed customer groups can be easily adapted to the specific circumstances of – in this case – Neleman wijnen.

Of course, mailmeisters first determined the right strategy for the definition of the RFM groups. After that, different personal campaigns were set up for each group. The emails of the various campaigns work with relevant content and dynamic product blocks, so that each email always meets the wishes of the customer. But also, in these product blocks there is variation with different recommendation sets. In this way, mailmeisters can show the right recommendations for Neleman per target group and per campaign. From the most popular wines to similar in taste and from favourite grape variety to “recommended for you” and much more. Separate flows have now been set up for the most important customer groups.

To name a few examples:

• For new customers, the aim is to make a second (and third) purchase as soon as possible, because Mailmeisters has seen that Neleman customers with multiple orders in the first half of the year appear to be more loyal customers.
• The “About to Lose” customer group is seduced with great offers and short-term campaigns, with the aim of reactivating customers and encouraging them to place a new order.
• For the “Promising” and “Champions” customer group, Neleman prefers to emphasize the relationship and Mailmeisters ensures that this group receives relevant content specifically tailored to behaviour.

Connection to active and inactive customers

Neleman’s automations are aimed at engaging and converting both active and inactive customers. Automatic email campaigns are triggered by actions or lack of action from different customer groups. The goal is to motivate customers to reach the next destination in their customer journey.

The ideal customer journey

The ultimate goal of Neleman wijnen is to turn prospects into loyal customers and ultimately shareholders. This journey starts with a first acquaintance and continues to engage customers in the world of Neleman wines through welcome offers, personal stories and highlighting the benefits of organic and sustainable viticulture. The ideal customer journey looks like this:

1. Welcome potential customers with a nice welcome offer.
2. Bringing new customers into the story behind Neleman. Split into segments: newsletter subscription, direct customers or buyers via retailer.
3. Entice active customers to make a repeat purchase.
4. Upsell from 1st to 2nd order and 2nd to 3rd order.
5. Attention to top customers.
6. Specific flows for shareholders (to be).

 

Birthday campaign

A good example of a campaign that is not directly driven by specific customer behaviour, but is dependent on customer segmentation, is the birthday campaign. Loyal customers receive an extra reward for thanking them for their trust, while new customers receive a warm welcome. The flow consists of three consecutive mailings around the customer’s birthday, with the aim of earning a purchase.

From prospect to customer

Neleman wijnen uses various methods to entice visitors to their website to sign up for the newsletter. This is done through a regular newsletter pop-up, a message bar or personal wine advice from Derrick Neleman. This approach results in an average conversion uplift of 25%, with peaks of up to 56%.

From customer to loyal customer

The ideal customer journey at Neleman consists of several phases:

1. Welcome potential customers with a nice welcome offer.
2. Bringing new customers into the story behind Neleman, segmented into newsletter subscribers, direct customers or buyers via retailer.
3. Entice active customers to make a repeat purchase.
4. Upsell from 1st to 2nd order and 2nd to 3rd order.
5. Attention to top customers.
6. Specific flows for shareholders (to be).

This approach makes customers feel valued and important, which contributes to their loyalty.

Grow into a shareholder

Neleman invites clients to become shareholders. This starts in the third email of the welcome flow and is reflected in various post purchase campaigns and commercial mailings. The goal is to allow customers to actively participate in the company.

Conclusion and future

The combination of different automations is a huge added value for Neleman wijnen. By approaching customers at different touchpoints in their journey, the chance of a repeat purchase increases. This strengthens communication and ultimately has a positive impact on conversion. Neleman wijnen continues to optimise and professionalise to take their email marketing to the next level.

Want to know more about marketing automation for your organisation? Visit Spotler and find out how you can optimize your marketing strategy.

Author

Hendrik Westerhuis
Senior Content Marketeer | Spotler

In the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing, brands are constantly competing for consumers’ attention. With hundreds of emails flooding inboxes daily, it’s crucial to stand out and remain relevant. By integrating interactive elements into emails, simple newsletters are transformed into dynamic mini-websites that capture attention and are hyper-personalized.

This article is written by Jordi Griffioen, COO at RapidSugar, one of this year’s sponsors of the DDMA Email Marketing Automation Summit. Tickets are available at: emas.nu.

What is Interactive Email Marketing?

Interactive emails use elements like tabs, accordions, and sliders that recipients can actively engage with within the email itself. This type of email resembles a small, interactive website. Users can hover over items, click, and scroll without leaving the email. This not only increases engagement but also the likelihood of conversion.

3 Benefits of Interactive Email Marketing:

• Enhanced Experience and Engagement: By offering recipients interactive content, they stay longer within the email. The dynamic elements pique curiosity and encourage users to explore the email more deeply.
• Increased (First Party) Data Collection: Every interaction within an email provides valuable insights into users’ preferences and behaviors, enabling future campaigns to be better tailored to the recipient. For example, integrating a quiz into an email can gather valuable first-party data about recipients’ interests, needs, and purchase intentions.
• Improved Performance: Interactive elements significantly enhance the performance of email campaigns. They not only attract more attention but also boost engagement within the email. By giving recipients control over their experience through interactive navigation, such as exploring different product options, the dynamic of user interaction changes. The sales funnel moves to the user’s inbox, streamlining the user experience and increasing the chance of conversion.

How Does Interactive Email Marketing Work?

Interactive emails can be set up in virtually any email tool using HTML and CSS. Most modern devices, such as Apple iOS and Samsung Android, generally support interactive emails. In some outdated email clients, these elements might not display correctly. Therefore, it’s crucial to implement fallbacks. This means providing an alternative version of the email for those email clients that cannot properly display the interactive elements. Using fallbacks ensures a consistent user experience regardless of the recipient’s email client, minimizing the risk of disrupting the message.

How to Implement Interactivity?

Interactivity can be employed in various ways to improve user experience, increase engagement, and enhance effectiveness:

Reveal Techniques for Curiosity:
Hide essential information that is only revealed through user interaction, such as clicking or hovering over an element. This could involve special offers or important announcements that prompt users to take action.

Showcase: Advent Calendar
Bol took advantage of Christmas to thank loyal customers. For five days, they received an email with an interactive advent calendar. Each day, a new window with a surprise could be opened.
View the showcase

Tabs and Sliders for Structured Content:
Organize content using tabs or sliders. This allows users to explore extensive content without feeling overwhelmed and gives them more control over their experience in the email.

Showcase: Film Year Review
To thank movie lovers for their cinema visits, Pathé sent an interactive email full of film facts and personal highlights.
View the showcase

Using Interactive Surveys and Quizzes:
Create more engagement by including surveys or quizzes in emails, gaining valuable insights into users’ preferences. These techniques can also be used to make personalized recommendations, improving the user experience.

Showcase: Delivery Preferences
PostNL helped consumers discover their best delivery option. Via an interactive email, recipients were asked three short questions. Once the preference was discovered, setting the delivery preferences was a breeze in the PostNL app or online account.
View the showcase

Gamification Elements like Mini-Games:
Integrate simple games such as a ‘wheel of fortune’ to give away discounts, chances to win, or other rewards. Such playful interactions can strongly motivate users to take action.

Parallax Scrolling Effect for Long Emails:
Create the illusion that an element in the email moves along as you scroll through the email using the parallax scroll effect. Especially in long emails, this can keep the recipient’s attention longer. Additionally, the effect can be used to tell a story or present information in a more engaging way.

Showcase: Parking at Q-ParkQ-Park makes it possible to park on the street and in Q-Park garages with one app. In a clever, personalized email flow, the benefits were introduced, and valuable insights were gathered. In a parallax scroll email, recipients drove their virtual car along all the advantages of parking in a Q-Park garage with the Q-Park app.
View the showcase

Zero- and First Party Data Enrichment:
Interactive techniques enable zero- and first-party data collection without the recipient having to leave the email. Polls and quizzes can be integrated into emails, and consent can be given with a single click.

Showcase: Interactive Opt-In Enrichment
In an email full of special Black Friday deals, Bol hid extra offers that were only visible if customers gave an additional opt-in. This could be done with a simple click, making the hidden deals immediately visible.
View the showcase

Measuring Interactive Clicks

With the use of interactivity in email marketing, a crucial new metric has become available, alongside the traditional click-through rate (CTR). Interactions with dynamic elements in emails are measurable in most email marketing tools. These tools can collect and store valuable first party data, providing marketers with better insights. With this valuable information, future emails can be better tailored to the needs and preferences of the recipients, making them more relevant and personalized.

Conclusion

Interactive email marketing transforms the way brands communicate with their target audience. By integrating interactive elements, emails become not only more engaging and personal but also more effective. With the benefits of an improved user experience and higher conversion rates, interactive email marketing is an essential strategy for marketers.

Author

Jordi Griffioen
COO | RapidSugar

As marketers, we’re familiar with the classic marketing channels. Email, PPC, SEO, social media, even SMS. But, what about WhatsApp…? WhatsApp isn’t just a personal messaging app, it also boasts marketing automation functionality which is perfect for businesses to communicate and engage with their audience. In this blog post, we will help you understand what WhatsApp marketing automation is, the benefits of this channel, tips and tricks, some common challenges, and offer a little inspiration.

This article is written by Deployteq, one of the sponsors of the DDMA Email Marketing Automation Summit 2024.

What is WhatsApp marketing automation?

When discussing WhatsApp marketing automation, we are referring to the use of technology to streamline marketing efforts via the WhatsApp platform without the need of manually triggered every message. With the use of WhatsApp API, WhatsApp Business app, and chatbots, businesses can automate entire conversations and message flows. Below are just some of the automation features available:

Automated message flows

Via the WhatsApp API, businesses can create custom message flows of any length, including an entire conversation. Businesses can for example, utilise this functionality for auto-replies to FAQ, provide opening hours, or pointing customers to useful information.

Streamlined sales process

Businesses can automate their sales flow through the WhatsApp chatbot. This functionality can enquire about a customer’s intent, provide assistance when choosing a product, and enable instant purchasing.

Proactive messaging

Proactive message templates can be created through the WhatsApp API to target customers that have opted in to receive updates related to a specific order, appointment, service, or payment.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) call deflection

This feature can be utilised to send phone calls to WhatsApp. Businesses can assign a number in their IVR system which asks the users if they would like to continue the conversation via WhatsApp. Once they accept, they are automatically directed to WhatsApp to continue, either with a real-life agent or WhatsApp chatbot.

What are the benefits of WhatsApp marketing automation?

Using WhatsApp marketing automation offers several benefits for businesses looking to enhance their marketing efforts and engage with their target audience effectively.

Extensive reach

WhatsApp boasts over 2 billion users worldwide. For businesses, this means the opportunity to reach audiences, globally, in a simple and straightforward way. This is particularly useful for businesses who have a global audience that they want to engage.

Increased conversions

WhatsApp has a significantly higher conversion rate than many traditional marketing channels, even email! In fact, WhatsApp boasts a 98% open rate, an average response time of only 90 seconds, and an impressive conversion rate of 45-60%. Resulting in immediate and near-guaranteed engagement.

Better customer satisfaction

Customers love WhatsApp. Notably, the app is favoured by audiences aged between 26-35, followed by audiences aged between 36-45. Even better, WhatsApp offers the ability to communicate with audiences in a direct and personalised way, which has been proven to increase engagement and overall customer satisfaction.

WhatsApp marketing automation tips and tricks

WhatsApp marketing automation can be a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their audience effectively. Here are some valuable tips for using WhatsApp marketing automation to maximise your results:

Building a subscriber list

To start building a robust subscriber list we recommend promoting your WhatsApp across a variety of marketing channels. Use cross-promotion techniques to encourage users on other platforms, such as social media or email, to join your WhatsApp subscriber list. You can even offer exclusive incentives such as discounts, content, or early access to new products.

Increasing targeting with segmentation

Just as with any marketing channel, segmentation is ideal for increasing the relevance of your communications alongside your engagement rates. Segmentation through WhatsApp marketing automation is comparable to many other channels, and can be achieved through a range of criteria, such as behavioural, demographic, or product specific.

Creating compelling messages

To ensure your messages are engaging, start with a personalised greeting to create a more emotional connection. Follow this with visuals such as images or GIFs to enhance the visual appeal of your messages. And keep your messages concise and clear, focusing on the key information you want to convey. And why not experiment with different types of messages? Consider product recommendations, order updates, or interactive surveys.

Integrating WhatsApp with other systems

You can also utilise WhatsApp APIs or third-party tools to integrate WhatsApp with your CRM or marketing automation systems. This allows you to synchronise customer data, automate processes, and trigger personalised messages based on user interactions.

Monitoring and iterating

To optimise your WhatsApp marketing automation efforts, it’s crucial to monitor and analyse the performance of your campaigns. Track metrics such as engagement rates, conversion rates, and customer behaviour, and use the insights gained to refine your messaging, segmenting strategies, and automation workflows.

Common challenges with WhatsApp marketing automation

We’re big fans of WhatsApp marketing automation. But as with any marketing channel, there can be drawbacks, such as the below:

Compliance

WhatsApp boasts fairly strict terms of service which ensure that businesses cannot spam their recipients, or send unsolicited messages. Whilst this can make communications more complicated, overall the effects are positive. Businesses simply need to ensure they follow best practice guidelines, just as they would with any other marketing channel. Therefore avoiding any account suspensions or penalties.

Basic functionality

Whilst WhatsApp leads the way in personal messaging, it is fairly new to marketing automation. Which means it lacks some of the functionality that more traditional channels boast. This can cause drawbacks with design, visual content, or more complex automation requirements.

Limited broadcast lists

Broadcast lists for WhatsApp are limited to only 256 people. Whilst you can still contact more than 256 people, you will have to create multiple lists to do so. This can take some manual effort. So to make the most of it, we’d recommend using these lists to create different segments to increase the relevance of your messages.

WhatsApp marketing automation success stories

Understanding how WhatsApp marketing automation works is all well and good, but we know you want to see it in action. Here are a couple of our favourite WhatsApp campaigns to inspire you.

Adidas Rent-A-Pred

Adidas utilised WhatsApp to create a hotline to help amateur football teams across London to replace missing players, by providing some of London’s best Predator players to those in need. The campaign ran for 6 days and generated some fantastic results, notable press attention in football media, retail websites, blogs, and social media.

 

Hellmann’s

Hellmann’s wanted to inspire consumers to embrace mayonnaise for more than just sandwiches. So they created WhatsCook, a live recipe service via WhatsApp. Users received messages from real-life chefs requesting photos of the ingredients users had in their fridge. In return, the chef would suggest recipes with the use of Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

Not only did the campaign generate media attention, but it also boasted a 99% user satisfaction rate.

Next steps

We hope you’ve been inspired to consider WhatsApp Marketing Channel as a new and exciting technology to add to your marketing stack.

Grace Roberts

Content Marketer | Deployteq

In today’s hyper-connected world, customers expect a seamless experience, whether they are shopping online from their couch or visiting a brand’s physical retail location. However, creating a cohesive omnichannel experience is easier said than done. One powerful tool that retailers are leveraging to bridge the digital-physical divide is personalized email marketing.

This article is written by Becki Francis, Director of Client Strategy, Retail at Movable Ink (Sponsor of the 2024 Email Marketing Automation Summit).

Drive Footfall with Location-Based Personalization

While many think of email solely for e-commerce, retailers can capitalize on location data to drive customers into nearby boutiques and stores. Dutch jewelry brand My Jewellery does this effectively by using live map integrations to showcase the closest boutique locations to each email recipient based on their preferred postal code . This personalized local experience makes it seamless for customers to easily visit a physical store after being inspired by an email campaign.

In the example below, you can see how during peak season, My Jewellery wanted to drive foot traffic to their boutiques. To support this goal, they created a store locator that not only displays the information about recipients’ preferred store in their local city but also incorporates a personalized QR Code. The QR code is tailored to each recipient and offers a 10% discount that can only be redeemed within their boutiques. This innovative approach helps drive engagement but also incentivises customers to visit and make purchases in-store during peak season.

Another way to drive offline engagement is through live polling integrated into email. My Jewellery uses this interactive experience to not only collect voice-of-customer data, but also to segment audiences for triggered location-based messages. For example, if a customer indicates they will be shopping for a necklace in an urban city center through a poll, they can trigger a personalized follow-up email displaying boutiques in that area. My Jewellery is an example of a brand that uses polling systematically and creatively to ensure that they capture zero-party data and personalize their campaigns as much as possible.

For mother’s day, they wanted to fully embody the concept of ‘a gift guide for every kind of mother figure in your life’. In order to gather information of what customers’ preferred mother’s day jewelry was (from minimalist to statement pieces), they launched a live poll.

Once they gathered enough responses, they used progressive polling in order to personalize products based on the customers’ preferred style – be it to gift their mother, a friend who recently became a mom, or any other type of mother figure.

Although this may seem like a heavy lift for marketers, by leveraging the right technology to automate the process, brands can actually reduce production time significantly. By personalizing just one element of the team’s emails, production time went down dramatically — by as much as 300%.

Sustain Online Engagement with Behavioural Personalisation

While driving foot traffic is a crucial revenue stream, maintaining digital engagement is also essential for direct-to-consumer (DTC) retailers. Fossil is a best-in-class example of a brand that has found success engaging online audiences through the use of behavioral personalisation.

Using a series of customer behavioral cues and pre-defined “Waterfall logic,” Fossil is able to customize their newsletter campaigns to each customer’s needs at the moment of engagement.

Below is an example of how Fossil Outlet, one of the diverse array of brands produced by Fossil Group, leveraged a ‘Key Message Module’ that incorporated waterfall logic.

This module effectively displayed abandoned cart and recently browsed items, as well as the customer’s most recently visited categories if the previous two data points were unavailable.

Each banner within the campaign directed customers to their respective shopping carts, product pages, or category pages, motivating them to make a purchase.

This tactic, coupling Abandoned Cart and Browse Banners generated a 27% lift in conversions for the brand.

Retailers can enhance this approach even further by layering in additional data enrichment such as social proof messaging highlighting product popularity or dynamic checkout promotions that resurface discounts when customers are ready to buy.

Recognise that your customer uses various channels and optimize for mobile

The reality is that if you’re a multi-channel retailer, your customers are likely interacting with your brand both online and offline, even if they mostly engage in one channel. The experiences are interwoven throughout the customer’s consideration journey so it’s important to strive to mimic that within your marketing strategy.

The importance of a comprehensive mobile strategy also can’t be overstated here: whether they’re purchasing or researching, it’s probably a mobile device that customers are engaging on. Beyond the basics – designing mobile-first email campaigns, cutting down lengthy text and prioritizing eye-catching images – marketers should lean into mobile-specific channels like push notifications and SMS to drive engagement. Because mobile phones by default travel with the customer wherever he/she is on their journey – this channel is best used to deliver time-sensitive offer messaging as well as location-targeted, helpful communications when a customer is in a store.

As consumer expectations continue to rise, personalizing the email experience is becoming table stakes for retailers. Those who can master people-based marketing and connect the digital-physical dots will be the winners in earning customer loyalty and wallet share.

Author

Becki Francis
Director of Client Strategy Retail | Movable Ink