There seems to be one constant in digital marketing: It’s always going to change, and at an increasingly rapidly pace. There are always new tools and technologies to learn and if that wasn’t complex enough, marketers must also learn how to use the new technologies to enhance those they’re already using. That’s why we recommend all email marketers attend the Association of National Advertisers’ upcoming Email Evolution Conference, which is designed to “keep you on the cutting edge of email marketing.”
From the compliance boot camp to a session about the psychology of email open rates, there’s no shortage of educational workshops in beautiful Savannah, Georgia. But of course, the agenda is the main catalyst for conference attendance.
Luckily, the Email Evolution Conference has a great one. Here are six sessions you won’t want to miss, complete with the times and rooms:
Thursday at 10:15 a.m. (Verelst/Percival/Vernon): How Technology & Customer-Centricity Saved Our Email Channel
Hilton doesn’t send emails like it used to… but that’s a good thing. The hotel brand has increased increased revenue from email despite lower send volumes, thanks to personalization and more sophisticated targeted offers. Holly Moreland and Kathy Profio, Hilton’s respective Directors of Personalization and Email Marketing, will share their secrets for evolving a legacy brand. And few brands encapsulate that term better than Hilton; May 31 marks the company’s 100th birthday.
Thursday at 11:30 a.m. (Scarbrough 1-3): Hot or Not? A Live Critique of Email Capture Forms
Are you trying to grow your email list? Probably. Are your email address capture forms as good as they can be? Eh, maybe. To find out, submit one of your emails on FreshAddress’ website. During the Email Evolution Conference, a panel of experts will critique the submissions. Panelists, including FreshAddress President Austin Bliss, will share best practices. They’ll also talk through target metrics, error messages and confirmation messages, among others.
Thursday at 2 p.m. (Verelst/Percival/Vernon): Truth Revealed: Sort Through the Myths and Legends About Email Deliverability
Deliverability is monumentally important to every email marketer, even those who don’t entirely understand it. What, exactly, are the ISPs looking for? More than ever before, they’re looking at clients’ engagement rates and how those are affected by security issues such as phishing. Verizon Media Postmaster Lili Crowley will share her insights in order to help email marketers optimize for inbox deliverability alongside a panel of experts that includes our own Brooke Hamilton, a Senior Deliverability Manager at Sailthru.
Thursday at 3:50 p.m. (Regency Ballroom): Artificial Intelligence and Marketing: Current Trends and Beyond
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will power the next wave of marketing. That sounds scary, but marketers should embrace this technology, according to Loren McDonald. And as the Program Director for Market Research at IBM Watson Marketing, she would really know. Don’t miss her insights on how AI is likely already embedded in the tools you use — and how you can use them more effectively.
Friday at 10:20 a.m. (Scarbrough 4-5): JustFab’s Absolutely Fab Approach to Email Personalization
Over the last year, JustFab has increased revenue from email from top customers by 11% and RPM for cart abandonment by 56%. What was the key to those successes? Personalization. Using omnichannel data sets and sophisticated customer profiles, JustFab personalizes emails for each of its members, right down to the subject lines and products featured in messages’ hero images. Hear all about it from Monica Deretich, JustFab’s VP of Marketing & CRM, and our Chief Commercial Officer, Cassie Young.
Friday at 11:30 a.m. (Verelst/Percival/Vernon): Reinventing Luxury: Balancing Brand and Technology to Scale the White Glove Approach
Luxury retailers have long been renowned for the customer experiences they deliver in-store. Many have been slow to bring that online, but they’re certainly making up for lost time. Over the past five years, luxury brands have outpaced the global market in ecommerce growth; ecommerce is also on track to make up 19% of the luxury market by 2025. Randi Gladstone, Director of Global Email Marketing at Tory Burch, will be at the Email Evolution Conference presenting on how Tory Burch balances traditional brand management and merchandising with email marketing automation and personalization. You won’t want to miss her take on the new standard for luxury retail marketing.