The emfluence team discusses what we're excited about in the future of email marketing strategy, tactics, and trends for 2017 and beyond. Plus, we'll throw in things you should know about if you're building automated email campaigns and how to incorporate automation into your existing email strategies.

1. #emflconf@emfluence
emfluence panel discussion
What’s New in Email Marketing and
Automation
expert@emfluence.com

2. #emflconf@emfluence
Welcome!
Today, our panel of emfluencer’s will share some upcoming email
marketing strategy, tactics and trends!
Natalie Jackson
Marketing Director
Lindsay Waters
Email Strategist
Krissy Head
Sr. Account Manager
Alan Rapp
Platform Support Specialist

3. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #1: Evolving Email Creative
Web-based email programs are on the rise – growing 4% points in
the past year to a total of 31% of all opens. Gmail has grown to
claim 21% of market share, up 16% a year ago.
More creative elements are being supported. Gmail now supports
responsive design, improved font styling and better support for
many CSS properties. HTML5 Video is now supported in iOS 10.

4. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #2: HTML 5 Video
iOS 10 allows video to be embedded in emails, allowing for a more
interactive experience right in the email itself.

5. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #3: Interactive Emails
Email interactivity brings some of the interactions that would normally
take place on the landing page and pulls them into email. By allowing
more to happen inside an email, it reduces barriers to engagement
and makes clickers have an even higher intent. - (Litmus, 2017)
This can include:
• Hamburger menus and other navigation
• Carousels, image galleries and slides
• Hot spots (product tour)
• Offer reveals
• Quizzes
• Reviews
• Search bars
• Add-to-cart functionality

6. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #4: List Quality and Personalization
A bigger emails list isn’t always better. Improved data quality leads
to better inbox deliverability, subscriber engagement and
conversions.
Segmented emails generate higher engagement than “blanket
emails” This is particularly true when emails are opt in. (Email
Monday, Getting Smart with Email Segmentation)

7. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #5: What Counts As Spam
Any unwanted or poor email experience can count as spam.
Top reasons that consumers report spam:
1. Brand sent irrelevant or too many emails
2. Subscriber was no longer interested in the brand
3. Recipient didn’t knowingly and willingly subscribe to receive emails
4. Subscriber couldn’t easily figure out how to unsubscribe
5. Subscriber had a bad customer service experience with the brand
6. Brands emails didn’t display or work well on subscribers smartphone

8. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #6: Abandon Cart Strategy
The majority of online shoppers abandon their shopping carts.
Using email as a well-timed budget to remind them of their
shopping cart increases the opportunity that the shopper will
convert.

9. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #7: Focus on Customer Metrics
The focus needs to be on contextual messaging (triggered
messaging, automated journeys, lifecycle messaging, etc) to
increase the engagement, loyalty and share of wallet for customers
in key segments.
“Reporting and analysis will move for measure the increase in value
and health of key customer segments.” (Return Path, 2017)

10. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #8: Custom Audiences to Drive Value
Email marketers need to understand the pains and gains for their
distinct audiences. Take audience insights and turn them into
strong value propositions that drive increased customer value over
time.

11. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #9: Consistent Customer Interactions
Across all Channels
Your consumers expect brands to recognize them across all
channels and to treat them consistently.
Email is not a separate marketing activity, but must be an
integrated part of your overall marketing strategy that is similar to
all their experiences with your brand.

12. #emflconf@emfluence
Trend #10 Marketing Automation Platform
67% of Marketing Leaders currently use a Marketing Automation
Platform (Salesforce, 2017).
Over the next two years, an additional 21% of Marketing Leaders
will plan to use a Marketing Automation Platform (SalesForce, 2017)