BTW: We Should Meet IRL

"For too long, too many marketers have underestimated the value of email's impact on offline retail," say Lisa Harmon and Alex Madison in a post at the Email Experience Council blog. If you focus entirely on generating online sales, they argue, you might be missing out on bricks-and-mortar opportunities. They've seen retailers use multichannel "noteworthy tactics" like these:

In-store discounts that are unavailable online. The pair cite an email offer from Betsey Johnson touting a special perk for in-store shoppers: a gift card worth at least $25 for those who spend $250 or more.

Images and copy that heighten the appeal of an in-store visit. "Apple reminds subscribers … of their great in-store service by including a picture of a blue-shirted expert alongside store offerings," they say, "and also by using beautiful store photography to make subscribers eager to experience in-store shopping."

Personalized invitations. Have your sales associates write personal emails with an invitation to a special in-store event. Nordstrom, for instance, did this when inviting its most loyal customers to a special sneak-peek ahead of an anniversary sale.

The Po!nt: Link your 2D and 3D. "Remember that there's likely much overlap between your most loyal email subscribers and your loyal store visitors," say Harmon and Madison. If you haven't leveraged that crossover, try using strategies like these to help make it happen.

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