The Basics of Email Marketing for Virtual Reality and Gaming Industry Leaders

It’s a new frontier of equally new possibilities, but that doesn’t mean it’s a dormant marketplace. Virtual reality is an ever-expanding slice of the economy, and cashing in on that interest requires more than technical know-how.

Regardless of your place on the industry’s map, you must understand and connect to your audience. Otherwise, you’ll stagnate. That failure to grow becomes a failure to thrive, and you’ll wind up finding a new business venture.

Fortunately, there’s a (fairly) easy and reliable way to court new customers and boost customer satisfaction. Yes, I’m talking about email marketing, the perennially significant revenue driver of the digital world.

Why Use Email Marketing?

I’ll start with the facts.

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to expand your audience. It boasts ROI prospects of 3,600–4,200%, meaning you’ll earn $36–$42 for every dollar spent.

Much of its power is due to its flexibility. Email marketing campaigns can be adapted to fit any industry and audience. Today, marketing emails power growth across the board, aiding businesses in diverse sectors, such as finance, healthcare, hospitality, and retail. Moreover, each individual email campaign can be molded to fit any niche. Personalized experiences are plentiful, and they fuel many of today’s greatest digital advertising conversion rates.

5 Massive Benefits of Email Marketing in the Gaming Industry

In many ways, the gaming industry is one of email marketing’s more innovative applications.

It’s not necessarily the age of the medium itself, though! In fact, both the method and the application have similar development timelines. Email marketing campaigns have been around since 1978 when an office supply company employee sent the world’s first promotional email. Video games have similar roots: Most modern iterations can be traced to the early 1970s. (Although, technically, video games have existed since the early 1950s!)

However, the combination of these elements is surprisingly fresh. Despite being one of the most engaging marketing strategies, email marketing is often wrongly grouped with old-fashioned direct mail campaigns.

I’m here to dispel that myth!

Anyone working in the ever-evolving field of virtual reality or gaming must understand the benefits of email marketing. Otherwise, they’re missing out on a massive source of potential revenue.

Today, most of email marketing’s continued success hinges on one of five major benefits:

• Flexibility: I already mentioned it briefly, but email marketing’s adaptability is one of its greatest assets. Modern marketing platforms allow developers near-limitless freedom, providing blank canvases for customer engagement. In a way, modern email campaigns can become their own virtual environment, acting as showcases for immersive experiences and innovative features.
• Loyalty: Email marketing campaigns are the perfect way to cultivate consumer loyalty. In fact, I bet you probably have some loyalty rewards emails in your inbox right now! Those e-commerce marketing efforts are the bread and butter of many online storefronts. Why ignore their potential?
• Portability: The widespread proliferation of mobile devices has turned an otherwise static experience into on-the-go consumer access. Consumers can now access emails anywhere, and email marketing professionals can and should use that unprecedented accessibility to their advantage.
• Retention: Gaming and virtual reality are ever-evolving fields. New products take time to develop, and what was once new quickly loses traction in today’s fast-paced market. In that sense, gaming and real estate share a common sore spot: retention. Fortunately, email marketing campaigns fill the gaps and prop up players as development teams brew up something new!
• Value: Finally, email campaigns have value. For subscribers, email marketing offers informative content and potential perks within their beloved virtual world. For businesses, email marketing provides revenue and interest.

These five perks are some of the biggest factors behind the medium’s success. They’re why email marketing remains relevant and fresh, even as other marketing channels fall out of favor.

1. The Importance of Adaptability in Email Marketing

So, I’ll start at the top.

Email marketing campaigns can be whatever you want. They can serve any role and support any business goal. Your basic email campaigns are perfect for promotional and informative content, and they remain many businesses’ go-to method for announcing virtual events.

However, I don’t want you to think of a “basic” email as something devoid of meaning or depth! You don’t need eye-popping virtual elements or AR features to create successful email campaigns. Today’s consumers are just as engaged with simple emails and memorable experiences. More importantly, today’s email marketing platforms give marketers access to all the tools they need to succeed, including:

• Automation: Email clients appreciate consistency. Fortunately, automated email marketing tools let you schedule future campaigns. Brands can expand the concept further by creating logic-based flows for common interactions (e.g., abandoned carts, new subscribers, and updates).
• Personalization: Personalized content increases conversion rates and forms the basis of more immersive experiences. Even the smallest touches matter, turning otherwise bland push notifications into eye-catching tidbits. Moreover, personalized messages support positive consumer relationships.
• Segmentation: Cater to your audience by implementing automated list segmentation. Once you’ve established these lists, you can easily contact the best consumers for each scenario. Not everyone wants to attend your interactive product demonstrations, but those who do will appreciate the invite.
• Templatization: Email templates help businesses save time by providing a basic guideline for future campaigns. Companies often use these building blocks to ensure consistent branding across different devices and campaigns. However, the best templates can still be reworked and molded into any shape.

2. Email Marketing Increases Customer Loyalty

These tools ultimately form the basis for engaging and exciting customer experiences.

Think of it this way: Users want to see your content. They want to learn more and interact with your brand. However, many other digital content is one-sided. Banner ads are little more than static images, and digital product demos require an enthusiastic audience. On the other hand, social media can be too much of an interactive experience. Email marketing balances the two mediums, providing an engaging experience without the requisite risks of open social media commentary.

Email marketing is a collaboration tool. You can influence the consumer, and the consumer gains direct access to your brand. That ability — the power to interact — is perfect grounds for increased trust and loyalty.

3. Email Marketing Is Accessible

Moreover, more than half the global population now owns a smartphone. Even more have regular email access.

Use the sheer numeric force of email marketing to your advantage. Target your ideal consumer and promote your content. Your messages will reach their target. Your customers will see your messages.

I must also emphasize the future potential of email marketing. Its flexibility and scalability make it the perfect solution for many companies, and its popularity is skyrocketing. That means tech companies are investing more in the requisite infrastructure. More support is also being given to advanced integrations and embeddable content.

4. Email Marketing Promotes Customer Retention

Eventually, your subscribers become more than customers. Their loyalty grows to long-term commitment. Now, you can focus on retention.

Your most avid supporters are your brand’s best customers. Promote their enthusiasm and keep the excitement going with retention-oriented strategies. Use emails to thank users for their long-term commitment and promote your dedication to your fans. You can also use this opportunity to call for user-generated content (UGC).

5. Email Marketing Provides Value

Of course, you don’t win supporters overnight!

Pack your email campaigns with value. Go beyond a basic subject line and online store link. Emphasize that call-to-action with user-generated content and engaging experiences. Think of each email as a canvas — a physical space to populate with valuable content.

Now, you are obviously getting value from your email campaigns. You’re getting brand awareness, exposure, loyalty, and revenue. Think, instead, of what you can offer to users. Think of your products and consider the possibilities. Many retailers boost click-through rates with discounts. However, gaming companies can go a step further.

Make your email strategy part of a holistic, immersive experience. Offer tangible rewards for continued engagement, such as in-game currency and exclusive virtual objects. You can also consider rewarding enthusiastic subscribers with power-ups and boosters.

Earn More With Less Work

Needless to say, achieving email marketing success isn’t easy. In some ways, creating a truly remarkable email marketing plan is akin to developing immersive AR experiences. Both require time, experience, and an innate understanding of customers’ needs and desires.

Your company could chart its own path. You could hire in-house marketers to develop tentative campaigns and appease customers. However, there’s a more efficient way.

At The Email Marketers, you’ll find an on-demand team of professionals ready to tackle any problem. You’ll find experts willing to dive deep into the minds of your customers and truly understand how and why they interact with your brand.

My hand-picked team of marketing’s brightest minds is always ready, and they can be your newest asset. Schedule a free consultation session to see how The Email Marketers can create such amazing results. I’ll show you a behind-the-scenes look at email marketing’s development secrets. More excitingly, you’ll get a personally tailored plan to grow your audience and nurture deeper connections with your valued users.