Is your relationship with your Email Service Provider (ESP) feeling a bit stale? It’s easy for the dynamic discussions about deeper strategy to devolve into the everyday routine of campaigns, email creation, and sending. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to reignite that crucial partnership.
Your ESP should be more than just a tool; it’s a valuable ally that can help you achieve your most ambitious business goals. Don’t miss out on having another dedicated team pulling for your success! By proactively engaging with your provider, you can unlock greater value and drive impactful results. Here are four strategic “fire-starters” to bring back those in-depth, goal-oriented conversations.
1. Provoke a Discussion Around Your Email Aspirations and Business Goals
Don’t just share your email marketing goals – reveal your broader business objectives to your ESP. While it’s essential to cover email-specific targets, the real power comes from aligning with your overall strategic vision.
Start with your core email marketing metrics:
* How many new subscribers do you aim to acquire this year?
* What is your current deliverability rate, and where do you want it to be?
* What are your desired open and click-through rates, and what’s your strategy to reduce unsubscribes?
However, the conversation becomes truly impactful when you discuss your overarching **business goals**:
* How is your target audience evolving, and how will your email strategy adapt?
* What does your ideal customer journey look like, and how can email enhance it?
* Are you meeting customer loyalty and satisfaction benchmarks, and how can email contribute to improving them?
By envisioning how your email program can directly contribute to your business growth, you empower your ESP to offer tailored solutions. They can’t help you realize strategic goals if they don’t know what they are. Sharing these goals in a clear, compelling manner will spark a constructive dialogue, driving action and identifying how your ESP can become a more effective partner.
2. Lay Out the Plan to Achieve Those Goals
If you’ve invested in an enterprise-level ESP, you should be leveraging their extensive expertise to elevate your business. Failing to do so is a missed opportunity. Your ESP works with countless clients across various industries, giving them a unique perspective on what works. They likely have a wealth of ideas from other successful implementations or upcoming features on their roadmap that could be prioritized once they understand your specific needs.
For example, imagine a custom reporting solution that could dramatically simplify your team’s workflow. A media company, similar to the Golf Channel, once spent significant time pulling and cleaning reports for advertisers, overwhelming their team. After collaborating with their ESP, a custom report was developed, reducing a 45-minute task to just 5 minutes. You’ll never uncover all the innovative ways your ESP can support you until you proactively ask and share your challenges.
Custom stats reporting can be a game-changer when your ESP understands your needs.
3. Find the Gaps Together
A critical question to ask your ESP is: “What should we be doing that we aren’t doing yet?” It can be challenging to keep track of the vast array of features and advanced options an enterprise-level ESP offers.
According to The Relevancy Group’s 2016 Executive Survey, many email marketing tactics remain unimplemented, often not due to a lack of tools, but rather a shortage of time, staff, and access to data.
Don’t let your team’s daily busyness impede your program’s potential results. Your ESP possesses a deep understanding of its own platform’s capabilities. Once they grasp your strategic objectives, they can help identify lesser-known features, unused functionalities, or creative applications that could significantly boost your email program’s performance.
4. Share Your Ideas and Frustrations
No ESP can fix problems they don’t know exist. Clearly articulate what’s slowing your team down and present your ideas for overcoming these obstacles. Remember, the “squeaky wheel” often gets the attention, influencing roadmap prioritization and feature development. Open communication about your pain points can lead to valuable solutions and a more efficient partnership.
An enterprise-level ESP should transcend its role as mere software; it ought to be a dynamic, ongoing partnership that delivers maximum value to your business. Share your comprehensive strategy and actively seek their expertise and support. Should these conversations fail to generate positive change and tangible business improvements, it might be an opportune time to explore partnerships with alternative ESPs.