Social media and email marketing are two of the most common marketing channels. However, many marketers tend to think of their channels as separate entities.

 

The truth is that you could be getting more value from your channels by synergizing them – using them to reinforce each other.

 

Today, we’re going to cover how to get your email and social channels working together.

 

How to Synergize Social Media and Email Marketing

 

The first step is to stop looking at your marketing channels as isolated, solitary things.

 

If you think about how you can use one channel to reinforce others, you’ll probably get a few ideas right off the bat.

 

If you have a blog and send out regular newsletters with your latest posts, you’re already doing it.

 

 

Amplify Social Engagement with Email

You can do the same thing for your social channels. In fact, you probably already are, at least a little.

 

Does your email template include social icons with links in the footer? That’s a very common way for businesses to let their contacts know they’re on social media.

 

It’s so common, though, that most people won’t consciously see them. They’re in every email, after all.

 

If you want to encourage people to engage with your social media content, do it actively.

 

Here’s what I mean: in your emails, you’re (hopefully) giving your recipients something valuable, right? What happens after that?

 

Often, you’re just waiting for a response, or for the next email in your nurturing campaign to get sent.

 

If, instead, you include a message like “If you found this useful, we’re always sharing tips like this with our followers on Facebook and Twitter”, you’re actively reminding them that not only are you on social media, it’s worth their time to follow you.

 

 

Amplify Email Engagement with Social Media

This concept works both ways. It goes farther than just posting a “here’s our newsletter link, subscribe to it please” message, too.

 

With social media, you have a wide variety of ways you can drive engagement. Things like sharing your blog posts and driving traffic to your website are standard fare.

 

Try this: entice them with some form of additional value, as well as whatever post you’re sharing. “Sign up for our newsletter for weekly B2B marketing tips – and get this eBook free!”

 

Nowadays, people are often wary of giving out their email, particularly for newsletters or blog subscriptions. Even if it’s something they get value from, many people would rather avoid the extra clutter in their inbox.

 

If your post links to a valuable article, clearly states what ongoing value they’d get by subscribing, and sweetens the deal with some extra free content, it’s going to be a whole lot more persuasive.

 

Here’s the really good part, though. When they sign up for that eBook, that can trigger a whole separate nurturing campaign (in addition to your newsletter).

 

So you’re getting new email subscribers, more leads coming into your funnel, and more social media engagement. All at once!

 

Not to mention building brand authority and recognition.

 

 

Keep Contacts Updated

Another method you can use is to encourage contacts to connect with you on social media to get the latest news or updates.

 

Let’s say you’re going to be attending a trade show. You’ve got a booth, and you’ll be giving a couple of presentations, including a keynote. You want your subscribers to know, so you send out an email.

 

You can close off your email with something like “We’re hoping to see you there, but if you can’t make it – or want to keep up with what’s happening at the show – follow us on Facebook or Twitter for all the highlights!”

 

If you get creative with it, you can create all sorts of synergies where your social media bolsters your emails, and vice versa.

 

 

Remind People to Check Emails

This one’s simple, but you don’t see it too often.

 

If you’ve sent out an email campaign to your subscribers – whether it’s a newsletter, or a promotion, or something else – you can use social media to remind them to go look at it.

 

For example: you’ve got a special offer in place, and are making it available to your subscribers first. You send them an email about it, then post on your social media.

 

“We’ll be offering our Digital Marketing masterclass package for 50% off! There’s limited seats, and our subscribers get first dibs – so go ahead and subscribe to our newsletter. It’s free!”

 

There’s a great incentive for people to sign up for your newsletter, to get access to a great deal before others. It plays on the fear of missing out, our natural tendency to want to take advantage of a deal, and lets your existing subscribers know they’re getting something sweet.

 

Then, on the day your deal goes live, post something like:

 

“Our Digital Marketing masterclass is on sale for 50% off! Newsletter subscribers get first dibs on seats, so go check your email!”

 

This works for any kind of promotion, new offering, fresh content or anything else you can think of.