Interview with Kate Barrett, speaker of Emailing 2020

Kate Barrett is the founder of eFocus Marketing – a specialist email marketing agency providing consultancy, management and training services to companies around the world. She will be speaking at Emailing 2020 with her topic  ‘Putting the customer at the heart of everything that you do in all ways, always’.

How and when did you get into the world of email marketing?

When I was studying for my BA (hons) in business studies, I needed to find a work placement year job as part of the course. I got an interview with SmartFocus (then called EmailVision) and secured myself an assitants role at the company. During my placement year I got to experience the email marketing world and fell in love. The rest as they say, is history!

What does your role consist of at eFocus Marketing company?

As the owner of the business my role is varied. From accounting and employee management, to marketing and sales. I also get involved in client projects still so as to keep my finger on the pulse, and regularly speak at events and contribute to blogs and podcasts.

Several times there was foretell to emails, they are dead. But it is shown, that the opposite is true and the importance of emails is growing up. Why do you believe in the channel?

Everything that we are seeing indicates the exact opoosite, and as the title of my book says… ‚email marketing isn’t dead, the way you’re using it is‘. When companies use email marketing intelligently and strategically to communicate with their customers in a way that speaks TO them, not AT them, the ROI from email marketing is second to none.

What do you forecast to durability of emails?

Email isn’t going anywhere! But the way we use it is changing. If you dont understand who your customers are and what they want and need from you, you wont see the best results from your campaigns. Email marketing now and in the future, is about being customer-centric and using data intelligently to better engage your customers, as well as emerging technology such as interactive email to inspire them and make there journey faster and easier.

The trend of last years was the interactivity of newsletter. What do you perceive as the most popular trend and driving instrument on the field?

AI and interactivity are the top two trends that I’m watching emerge more and more.

What do you think the email community needs to do to evolve?

Get better at talking TO and WITH our subscribers rather than AT – we have to listen to them more and then serve content that inspires, educates, suprises and delights them.

What is your top email tip for this year?

Understand your data in order to truely understand your customers. Great email marketing starts with great data.

What can we expect to see from you at Emailing2020 conference?

PUTTING THE CUSTOMER AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO IN ALL WAYS, ALWAYS.

Since the first email was sent in 1971 by Ray Thomlinson, as marketers our world has changed enormously. From batch and blast to a more personalised, one-to-one experience, what our subscribers want and DEMAND from us is getting more sophisticated.

Putting the customer at the heart of everything that you do in all ways, always, is paramount.

You’ll discover:

– Why you need to truly understand who your subscribers are, what they need and when, in order to increase your email marketing results

– How you can successfully do this as well as utilise advances in technology to enhance the experience

– Why testing is critical to this process, and how you can ensure you perform tests that actually get result

What are you looking forward to experiencing in Prague (home of Emailing2020)?

This will be my first trip to prague so I’m excited to see the city and of course meet up with the other speakers and delegates!

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Take the opportunity to meet the world’s leading e-mail experts live. Get your ticket now.