to determine if you require an enterprise email platform

You need to ask yourself the same questions you would when deciding whether your enterprise needs a email marketing platform. Look at your company’s needs, resources, staff, management support, and budget.

Answer the questions below as a guide.

1. Are we using the right people? In order to succeed in email marketing, it is important that you have employees who are able to handle the many features of the platform. It includes everything from content and design to data and strategy. You may require different levels of expertise to create email template depending on the platform.
2. Do we have disconnected silos of customer data throughout our organization? If different departments such as sales, marketing and customer service don’t collaborate, then your customers may not receive the best experience or the most relevant one with your brand. An enterprise-level platform for email can help you connect these different systems and better understand your customers.
3. Are there gaps in our knowledge of customers that could be filled by trusted second- or third-party information? The relationship between your brand and its customers is built on the first-party information. Email addresses are one such example. They become more valuable when Google and Apple eliminate third-party sources like mobile IDs and cookies. You can enrich your database of customers with data on who they are, their location, and what they purchase. You can use this to fill in any gaps in your knowledge of customers. You may be able create a more complete picture of your customer as you become better at matching and collecting data and have access to additional data sources.
4. Do we comply with CCPA and GDPR? As more and more data breaches and misuse cases are revealed, data privacy has become a major issue. There are more regulations and rules to follow. For example, the GDPR for the EU or the CCPA for the US. Data can be used to give your brand an edge but can also compromise your brand’s legal status. Email marketing platforms can help you stay compliant with changing laws, and increase trust among your customers.
5. Is there C-level support? While email may appear simple, it can be difficult to manage on a large-scale. Businesses can overcome these challenges by using a platform for email marketing. You need to convince executives that a new platform is worth it by showing them results from test projects.
6. Should we invest in training staff? In order to get the best out of your new platform, it is important that you train regularly all members of your team, including those who are responsible for design, marketing, and content. Check with the platform provider to see if they offer or charge for training.
7. How much data should we share with staff who are not email marketers? Some platforms allow you to connect data from different departments, such as customer service or product development, so that they can see the entire customer picture. You should check that the interfaces, connections and reports are accessible to other employees in your company if you plan on using these features.
8. Do we have KPIs in place and a system for measuring and reporting results? It is important to know what you are trying to achieve with your email marketing. You may want to convert newsletter readers into customers or loyal ones. You may want them to like your brand better and help them with a longer purchasing process. You can determine if an enterprise platform is right for your business by defining specific goals.
9. Are our expectations realistic? Switching from your current email platform to a different one can be a long-term investment, especially if the new platform is very different. It may be necessary to alter your work flow and culture. Realistic expectations and goals can help you gain the support of everyone in your company.

Dig deeper to learn more about email marketing: How can platforms help brands?

The post How do you decide if an enterprise email platform is right for your business? first appeared on MarTech.