UPDATE VERSION – NOVEMBER 2021

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In the midst of the shopping season, we’re launching a version that allows you to send relevant campaigns to your customers. When customers see only the content that’s relevant to them, the results are superior.

Remove contacts who received Email/SMS campaign or belong to other group

After selecting the contact group that you want to send the campaign to, you can set specific submission restrictions, making it so the campaign isn’t sent to contacts who’ve already received other campaigns, or to contacts who are in other groups without the need for complicated functions in Excel files.

Sending settings - Remove contacts who received specific campaign

Link bar

The new link bar centralizes the possibility of linking texts, buttons, or images to a wide range of options:
Web pages, sending emails, landing pages built in inwise, media, anchors (another component of emails and landing pages), dialing phone numbers, WhatsApp calls, location links on Waze or Google maps, or sending invites through a calendar.

Link bar

What else?

Bug fixes and additional improvements

We would love to hear about your experience with the new version – contact us and tell us.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION TRENDS 2021

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In the last decade, not to mention in the last year of 2020, the way people work and communicate within the organization has changed dramatically. Adapting to those changes and to the evolution of the organization and the people constructing it is as important as adapting to the market and consumer evolution.
Today we are focusing on the most recent trends in internal communications, and how you can easily and quickly adapt to them, optimizing essential elements as company culture, values, employees’ connection to the company and their engagement in its activities.

Remote work

One of the trends that were dramatically accelerated in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and is still as evident in 2021 is remote work. Many organizations switched to a full-on remote work model, while others took on a mixed office/remote work model, and predictions suggest remote work will stick long after the market returns to “normal”. Working remotely has many benefits. At the same time, it also requires a shift in internal communications to keep employees focused, productive, up to date, and feeling connected.

Ever-changing world

We live in an ever-changing era thanks to its dynamic technological nature. Innovation, change, and rapid shifts are the constant in our lives today, work environment being no different. This dynamic nature is manifested in the experience of employers, employees, and candidates, forcing organizations to continuously monitor, adapt, and correspond with the never-ending stream of data and forces of change.

Transparency and clarity

Employees today want and ask for transparency, reliability, and clarity in their workplace. They want the ease and sense of security that comes from receiving data and info that is clear and reliable, allowing them to direct their attention and skills to their future. Employees today do not settle for a false sense of confidence that all will be ok. They wish to be part of an organization that tackles issues with accountability.

Update > Engage > motivate

A motivated employee today is an employee that is up to date with the organization’s doing, that feels connected to its values and significant to achieving its objectives.

Employees touchpoints

Well-being is an integral part of employees’ needs, and organizations’ need to deliver. Well-being is manifested in various ways, including the culture and after hours events and activities usually managed by the HR department; mental health and well-being support in personal and global times of difficulty as we could very well see during the Covid pandemic of 2020, and more.

 

How to optimize internal communications?

To deliver all we have mentioned above and more of the current trends and needs of employees these days, you need to assist in a system able to meet these aspects of internal communications, delivering as many of the following as possible:

  • Easy and friendly to use
  • Accessible across the board from the most to the least tech-savvy employee
  • Available
  • Allowing direct messaging communicating
  • Avoiding the need to wait for IT, designers, and more
  • Multi-channeled: Email, SMS, WhatsApp, chat, video.

Each organization and enterprise has their own language, voice, and colors. Understanding these elements is based on understanding the organizational culture, company values, human mix, and more. To deliver a good internal communication meeting current work trends, there is need to assist in the right system / tools for conveying the right messages in the right manner, time, and format. We hope that after reading this article you have a better sense of how to do that.

 

 

 

ON-PREMISE VS. CLOUD MARKETING SOFTWARE: WHICH BEST SUITS YOUR ORGANIZATION?

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Digital marketing is a must. That is no news. But digital marketing can be done either on-premise or using cloud services. What is the difference between the two? And which best suits your organization?
Today we will take a closer look at on-premise vs. cloud based marketing, layout the differences between the two methods, list the benefits and features of each one, in order to allow you to choose the one best suited to your businesses and organizations based on its needs, requirements, and characteristics.

What is On-premise Marketing Software?

On-premise marketing refers to marketing services that are delivered locally by installing the marketing system on the company servers. Using inwise marketing system on-premise, for example, means that inwise platform is installed on your company servers, allowing you to use all inwise services and solutions locally.
On-premise allows companies to integrate existing systems with marketing, logistic, or other communication channels with customers, employees, or any other audience.

What is Cloud Marketing Software?

Cloud marketing refers to marketing services that are delivered via cloud, which is basically an online server. Using inwise marketing system via cloud, your business can use all inwise features and services online, using the cloud.

The benefits of On-premise Marketing Software

Installed directly on the company servers, this approach provides the following advantages and benefits:

  • Greater control – limited to the organization servers and not existing it, a marketing system installed on the company servers allows the company greater control and monitoring.
  • Maximum security and privacy – All data is kept within the company servers. No data exists the company realms when using on-premise, and communication between the company and its recipients is done directly with no third or mitigating parties. Recipients’ communication back to the company is also direct and kept within the safe borders of the company servers.
  • Regulation requirements – some organizations are under regulatory requirements to use on-premise / local server services, keeping all data within the company server borders.

The benefits of Cloud Marketing Software

  • Accessibility – anytime, anywhere: Using cloud services allows all company employees to access the organization info and data and perform actions anywhere, anytime.
  • Cost – Cloud services are significantly more cost effective, allowing companies to pay for what they use.
  • Plug & Play – No need for installing, IT support, maintenance, or upgrades.

 

In summary, On-premise marketing is ideal for businesses with in-house IT teams for support, businesses handling sensitive data, or under a regulatory obligation to keep all data within the company servers only.

Cloud based marketing, on the other hand, is ideal for smaller budget organizations that need a plug and play service accessible by company employees anywhere, anytime.

 

Related – Which digital marketing tools included in inwise Marketing Cloud platform?

 

 

CREATE AN EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS WITH SALESFORCE

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Email is still one of the most influential ways to communicate online with your customers. The ROI on an email campaign is huge and that is why email is still a popular communication channel.
Salesforce is one of the best CRM platforms, its provides the right tools that can help you to build your email marketing campaigns.
here are the key things to keep in mind while creating email marketing campaigns with Salesforce.

Purpose

When you start to design an email campaign, identify the purpose of it and make sure the purpose of the campaign is not compromised for any other reasons. It so happens that the main purpose is lost or forgotten as your progress through the campaign design process. It is also important to communicate this purpose to the customers if needed. Customers are well aware of why they signed up with you in the first place and they expect that to be the only reason why you’d be contacting them. If you promised to send discounts while signing up customers, make sure the campaigns you design are for the same. Do not lose the focus on your main goal, the purpose of the campaign.

Data Segmentation

If a customer has signed up to receive promotional emails of a particular product, send them promotional emails of that particular product only. This is where your data segmentation comes into the picture and is a huge factor in defining who receives what email. Also, do not mix the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly campaigns data – Customers must receive emails in the frequency they have signed up for.

Another important trick your data segmentation supports in your campaigns is ‘personalization’. Customers have evolved and they expect personalization. Personalized messages, personalized offers, recommended products personalized for them, personalized customer service. Hence it is imperative to listen to customers, capture their preferences and use it to personalize the email messages.

Email Design

Subject lines are crucial. Keep your subject line to 40 characters. The subject should indicate what your email is about. No fooling around. Make sure the From Name and From email address are correct and reflect your brand. These will be defined in your Sender Profiles. Build a responsive email design so the mobile users enjoy a great user experience. Have a clear call-to-action (CTA) button defined in your email. Include your physical mailing address to give a sense of existence to your customers and a mechanism for customers to opt out from your campaigns.

Deliverability

Strictly follow the CAN-SPAM requirements while designing your emails. Failure to do so will result in your emails being marked as spam and eventually your email domain. It will impact your IP reputation. You must process opt-out request promptly within days. And the unsubscribe mechanism must be in place for at least 30 days after the mailing. Most importantly have a consent (opt-in) from the customer to improve your deliverability.

Tracking

Tracking provides you with key metrics of how your campaigns are performing and is a pivotal deciding factor in designing your future campaigns. Tracking helps in identifying what kind of campaigns are your customers interested in, which is the best and least performing campaigns. Tracking also helps in re-designing your emails structure as well as you will know how your customers are interacting with your emails.

Email marketing is the main and leading platform to communicate online with your customer. It’s important to build an email campaign in the right way and use good tools to do so.

UPDATE VERSION – INWISE FOR SALESFORCE – 1.53.8

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What’s new?

​Report syncing

Salesforce to inwise contact/lead syncing using preset reports.

Contact/lead analytics

Overall display of contact/lead actions in campaigns sent from inwise (opened, clicked, unsubscribed).

Contact/lead analytics

 

To enjoy these valuable features, please download the updated version from here.

 

What else?

Bug fixes and additional improvements

We would love to hear about your experience with the new version – contact us and tell us.

UPDATE VERSION – AUGUST 2021

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August’s newest version is up and running, with improvements and innovations that will add some extra help, order, and lightness to the system since we could always use more of those.

Shortening the process of updating names and titles

It is now much easier and faster to update the names of campaigns, contact groups, pages and forms on your account. Just click on the name and update (Inline).

Update version - Inline text

The names and titles can be updates out of the editor itself during the work process.

Update version - Inline text - 2

All the help you need on the go

We’ve added a link to tutorials and guides that will assist you in the various stages and actions during the work process in the system. Just click on the question mark icon wherever you are in the system. The help menu and relevant guides are waiting for you there.

 

What else?

Bug fixes and additional improvements

We would love to hear about your experience with the new version – contact us and tell us.

How Apple’s Ios- 15 Affects Email Marketing

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For the purpose of improving the privacy of the clients using its platforms, Apple enables its users to block tracking of applications and hiding their IP addresses.

How will this update affect Apple’s email software?

  • Receiving an indication of opening an email even if the contact did not open it at all.
  • The precise date of opening the email and as a result, sending emails on the optimal timing will no longer be possible – regarding the emails scheduled to be sent exactly when the contact usually opens the email he receives.
  • No indication will be given as to the type of device on which the email was opened.
  • The geographical location of the contact when opening the email will no longer be available
  • Disturbing the campaign analytics process.

What can be done?

Even before Apple’s update, it was recommended to refer to the campaign execution analytics according to clicks on email links and not according to their opening.
In order to properly prepare, we’ve developed an email sending feature in an optimal timing based on the calculation of clicking on links (instead of according to the opening of emails).

This update is currently only relevant to Apple’s email software users and not relevant to the other email applications and software (such as the Gmail app on the iPhone).

FROM ZERO TO ONE: THE YEAR DIGITAL TRASNFORMATION BECAME A MUST

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Year 2020 is behind us. But the dramatic changes it has brought to our lives are still very relevant, even after the years’ digits changed from 0 to 1. 

One of the key changes for businesses was the need to be digital to stay in the game. If prior to the global Covid pandemic crisis, a business who chose to provide its customers and/or employees digital tools and solutions enjoyed a list of benefits, now that the rules have changed digitalizing businesses is no longer a good idea. It is a must.

The process of business digitalizing is called digital transformation. 

After reading the lines below you will have a clear understanding as to what digital transformation includes, where it starts and where it doesn’t necessarily end, and what are the key advantages of leading a digital business. 

Digitalization does not end with website or Facebook page

Digital transformation does not boil down to digital presence (i.e. website, social media, and additional digital elements your business may already use). Digital transformation refers to developing innovative digital solutions and services for your customers and employees. Let’s begin with your customers.

 

Enhanced and upgraded customer experience

One of the key advantages to digital transformation is enhancing customer experience. This means that your customers enjoy a streamlined, clear, and pleasant experience every time they interact with your business, use its services, or purchase its products. Some examples and advantages to help better understand what it all means in practice? You got it!

  • Customers can choose their preferred means of performing actions and communication with your business, whether it’s Whatsapp, SMS text messages, email, or phone.
  • All communication is documented for a streamlined and monitored process. 
  • Customers can receive newsletter updates via email and/or phone SMS text message.
  • When there is need to send personal files (i.e. invoices, policies etc.), customers can easily and conveniently get them directly via email. 
  • Newsletters are sent to customers at different times depending on the specific day and times they each tend to open and read them. 
  • Blocking distribution of newsletters at sensitive dates and times like memorial days is optional. 

Innovative & streamlined work environment that “gets things done”

Employees are no less important than customers to a business. That is why digital transformation provides employees with a customer experience that is as good as that of customers, with key advantages like digital access to employees, internal organization communication keeping employees UpToDate, event and activity registration via forms, and more.
Bettering daily work using friendly and easy to use systems making more streamlined work and saving valuable time.
Creating a smart, fast, and innovative work environment using digital tools and solutions unblocking bottlenecks and work “traffic jams”, allowing independent work free from the need to wait for response and assistance from IT, graphic designers etc. 

Streamlining without getting lost in the process

Digital tools can achieve significant streamlining of the business activity. There are countless tools and solutions for various needs available in the market. One of the most important things to remember is to use systems integrating as many tools and solutions as possible under. Such systems are called integrative systems. They allow streamlining without getting lost in the process, preventing confusion and discrepancies that may result from working with several systems, each responsible for different elements. 

Automation: solutions that do the work for you

One of the key examples delivering enhanced customer experience and streamlined processes is automation. When you digitalize your business using an integrative system a whole new world of automation opens, automating as many business processes as you wish. It allows, for example, to easily create customer journeys automatically responding to customers’ actions. Customer journeys are an innovative streamline way to create sales, increase engagement, involvement, positive dialogue, and enthusiasm of customers. 

 

In summary, if your business is not using integrative systems using digital tools to enhance customers’ and employees experience, streamline work and internal organization communication, automate sales and marketing, there is no better time than now to ensure your business stays in the game under year 2021’s new rules. 

 

 

 

LEAD NURTURE WITH SALESFORCE

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Converting leads into customers is one of the company’s top marketing challenges. Lead conversion is not a straightforward process. Lead nurturing is a critical process of converting your leads. 48% of businesses say leads require ‘long cycle’ nurturing to successfully convert them into customers.

Leads come from various ways as we discussed in our previous article. You have used all the methods described in the article to capture the leads successfully, and now what? What are you going to do with those contact lists? What will be your next steps? How will you build strong relationships with them and make them your customers? Here are our recommendations on how to nurture the leads to convert them.

Lead Nurture

Leads showing interest do not mean they’re ready to purchase your product. They have only shown interest and would like to know more about your product before they pull out the money. That’s why it is important to nurture the leads instead of hard selling straightaway. So, how would you nurture the leads?

Strategize

Do not just send an ad-hoc sales pitch to the leads. Put together a plan to be in touch with the leads and to showcase your products. Plan a lead nurture journey where they receive your communications over some time learning more about your products and services. Automate the marketing communication which helps in reducing the marketing team’s efforts during the lead nurturing phase.

Segmentation

It is very important to segment the leads correctly before you reach out to them via different communication channels. To send each lead the right message with the solution, segmentation becomes the key. Instead of sending the same campaign to all your leads, use dynamic content to customize and display the content based on its relevance to your leads.

Build

Whether the lead comes from your website or social media or any other source, your whole purpose is to not only sell them but also educate them about the product you offer.
Use Process Builder of Salesforce to design the journey flow and to incorporate the leads into the lead nurture process. Based on the lead source and segmentation of your business needs, allow the leads to enter different paths in the flow and receive timely communication.

Track

Monitor the progress of the leads. Track the open rate and click rate of each individual email, build reports and dashboards in Salesforce that help you to understand whether the lead nurture process is giving the results you expect. Tweak the flow and the communication content if needed after tracking for at least a couple of weeks.

Conclusion

Understand that not all leads convert. There are different types of lead nurturing campaigns as well, but email marketing automation is one of the most popular. The idea here is to carefully nurture your leads and not oversell.

 

LEVERAGE DIGITAL MARKETING THROUGH SALESFORCE DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

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With Coronavirus is forcing many of us to work from our home offices, including our clients,
a large number of people are consuming much more screen time on websites, social media and other apps. There has never been a better time than now to invest in the digital transformation of your sales and marketing processes.

keeping in touch and communicating with your customers is always important, especially at a time when the physical distance is greater than ever. With a direct marketing cloud, you can maintain customer relationships. However, if you have Salesforce, you have the right tool to do it well and ease.

Here are a few tips for boosting business relationships by communicating with your customers:

Talk with your customers directly from Salesforce

SMS is a great way to communicate with your contacts in a fast and efficient way. Before you send the messages please note:

  • Send messages only if you have something useful to say, special offer, updates or information which is important for your contact.
  • Keep it short and simple. If you want to expand the content, insert a responsive link to a landing page.
  • Include personalization – when customers get messages that are tailored specifically to them, they’re more likely to pay attention and take action.
  • Choose the right time – SMS lands directly into customers’ hands so you must consider the times of day when it is most appropriate to send it.
  • Frequency is important – don’t bombard customers with messages.

Send designed newsletters & email campaigns to your contacts

They can cover a variety of topics around new offerings, products and services you may be able to provide. It’s important to pay attention to:

  • Communicate more often, but send only genuinely useful content and updates.
  • Use sensitive language and avoid discount codes or promotional sales related to the crisis (for example don’t use COVID19 for 19% off).
  • Change the subject – customer fatigue is real. During an emergency, it is time to use new subject lines, change it up in a way that is thoughtful and helpful.

Take a look at old projects that were previously pushed aside

Such as effective marketing processes that take a lot of time to design and build. Also, review your current material and push for continued enhancements, such as personalized customer journeys.

 

In the end, we all really are in this together. This is a situation none of us have ever experienced before. One thing is for certain: COVID-19 has surely created a turbulent environment with a lot of uncertainty. In the midst of all of this, your customers need to hear from you. While it’s unknown when you may be able to work with your customers face to face, you can still have a positive impact on your company and continue to build your brand.