• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, May 31, 2013

According to a new study by BtoB, “Email Marketing: An Established Channel Evolves,” email marketing is about getting the right content in front of the right customers. Customer acquisition and lead nurturing were the most important purposes of email marketing programs among US B2B marketing professionals surveyed. Brand awareness and customer retention were less important to email marketing efforts.

The report notes that content that inspires registration is the most common trigger for an email campaign:

• 63% of respondents reported that event and trade show registrations provide leads for email marketing campaigns
• 62% say that form registration for webinars and white papers also trigger an email.

However, use of triggered email remains relatively rare. Only a little more than a quarter of marketers reported that their companies use automation platforms to deploy email this way. Requests for demos (36%), website behavior (32%) or call center interaction (17%), are far behind in triggering emails.

Mobile email is also taking a while to enter the mainstream, says the report. Only slightly more than a quarter of marketers said they are developing a mobile strategy as part of their email-marketing program, requiring adaptations to both content and email design.

The report said,  “... both content and mobile marketing are increasingly important central tactics... but B2B marketers... are lagging in adjusting their email campaigns accordingly... “

Among other significant findings:

• 84% of respondents favored homegrown email lists to those they acquire through vendors
• The percentage of marketers spending $150,000 to $250,000 annually rose from 6% to 8% year over year

For more information, please visit B2B Magazine here.