One of the important topics of our blog is how email marketing is implemented in large brands and corporations. We have cases on speeding , as well as Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé, Lidl and Colruyt articles in which we discuss the interaction between email marketing teams in corporations . Today we will focus on strategies, automation processes, data collection and problems of email marketing in international brands.
We invited Jasper Van Lathem to share his views on these issues.
Expert
Jasper Van Lathem
Jasper Van Lathe
Senior Email Marketing Strategist Speaker and Educator
Jasper Van Lathem is a distinguished email marketing and CRM expert with over 12 years of experience, having worked with major brands Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé, Lidl and Colruyt . He has become a respected voice in the industry, frequently sharing his knowledge at international conferences including Data and Automation Summit and eCommerce Summit. In 2023, Jasper founded The Future Funnel , an email marketing and CRM agency that positions itself as “your in-house email and CRM experts” dedicated to helping brands achieve effective results.
In this interview with Stripo, Jasper
shares his experiences and insights on america cell phone number list overcoming email marketing challenges, the importance of level zero data, and innovative strategies that have helped brands improve their email marketing efforts.
Overcoming the Challenges of Email Marketing for Big Brands
Stripo: Can you share a challenging case you encountered when implementing Group? How did you overcome the problem and what were the key lessons learned?
Jasper: Absolutely. Working with large Email Marketing for Big Brands
Nestlé, Lidl and Colruyt companies that own large brands often means dealing with legacy systems and tools. In most cases, these systems are not designed with email marketing in mind, let alone developed with email marketers in mind.
For example, when I first started working at Colruyt Group with the ColliShop brand, I encountered very complex tools and interaction systems. It took me months to understand only half of them. Previous attempts to implement automated processes, personalization and dynamic content failed, and very seriously, with a lot of wasted resources.
When discussing ideas with colleagues, I often heard comments like “it’s impossible,” “the technology doesn’t allow it,” or “we need a different tool.” There were many such objections.
However, in the first year we were able to set up 7 processes and increase directly email-related revenue by 16%, when most of them were just starting out.
Key findings:
Strategic Process: It is essential to conduct in-depth analysis, develop a robust email marketing strategy, prioritize effectively, and then execute. This structured approach helps navigate the complex landscape of large organizations.
Avoid technology excuses: Don’t fall for Big Brands Nestlé, Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé, Lidl and Colruyt Group – Insights from Jasper Van Lathem into the trap of blaming technology limitations. Instead, focus on finding creative solutions within existing systems to achieve your marketing goals.
S: When working with big Group, how do you balance the need for global consistency in email marketing with the need for localised content and strategies?
D: At Colruyt Group, I worked in Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé, Lidl and Colruyt an internal agency that served all 27 brands in the group. These brands varied greatly in size. Some were huge, others were very small. Most of them were Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé Lidl and Colruyt email marketers, but our challenge was to meet their diverse needs while maintaining cohesion and doing so cost effectively.
To solve this problem, we created an email design system with a wide range of modules and features. This system allowed all brands to connect to a standard structure that could be easily customized. We added special layers, styles, icons, and other brand-specific elements to make each email unique, while maintaining the integrity of the core structure.
This approach has allowed us to save significant
on design, coding and customization. Using the right tools, we have also achieved significant cost savings in email development, effectively combining global consistency with localized content.
S: Looking back at your time at Colruyt Group, what innovative approaches to CRM and email marketing did you implement, and which of them are considered the best in the industry today?
D: One of the biggest achievements of the Colruyt Group was the development of the email design system that I mentioned earlier.
In the early days of ColliShop, we did some groundbreaking projects using AI . We worked on customer clustering (segments), predicting whether customers had Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé, Lidl and Colruyt a garden or not, developing a CLV model, collecting a lot of customer feedback and zero-level data. We also did sentiment analysis based on this data. These initiatives don’t seem like anything out of the ordinary now, but six or seven years ago they were very advanced and much more difficult to implement than they are today.
S: Tell us a little about teamwork in large projects
like Lidl and Nestlé. How are roles distributed when creating letters? How many people are involved in the development and approval process? What are the main problems you see in teamwork in large projects?
D: In large projects at companies like Lidl and Nestlé, the email design process is usually very fragmented and involves many people. There are those who decide on the email campaigns, others who do the planning, those who decide on the content of the email, copywriters, designers who create the images, and specialists who create the email.
This fragmentation can involve a significant number of people, each responsible for different aspects of the process.
The main problem with this approach is that not everyone agrees on the overall goals of email marketing. They may not be fully informed about the different customer segments or understand the customers themselves. There is often a lack of feedback from team members, so they don’t know how effective previous emails have been.
One of the main tasks is to involve everyone in the process and ensure that all team members are on the same page . It is important to focus everyone’s efforts on achieving common goals and improve communication so that insights from past campaigns form the basis for future strategies.
Level 0 data: how to collect and use it correctly
S: As brands increasingly focus on personalization, how do you think the role of level zero data in email marketing will change, especially in the context of privacy-conscious consumers?
D: That’s a great question. I’ve given several Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé Lidl and Colruyt presentations in the past year on the importance of Level 0 data, including examples of how to collect and use it well. Its importance will only increase with several changes in digital marketing data, such as new rules and regulations, the decline or uncertainty around third-party cookies, changing user sentiment, and increased privacy efforts by companies like Apple.
Note: Level 0 data is data you make your customers fall in love with your brand through reviews and receive directly from the consumer that reflects their preferences, interests, and intentions, which directly impacts their choices.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as asking . Instead of relying too much on third-party data that isn’t ours, it’s better to turn to your data — level zero data and level one data. While level one data includes large amounts of information that is difficult to collect, store, and process, level zero data is information that a user consciously and proactively shares with a brand . It’s typically small in quantity but highly actionable, allowing for immediate action and making it extremely valuable.
A common question is whether consumers are willing to share their data. Research shows that 82% of consumers are willing to share their personal data in exchange for a more personalized experience .
The key is to make the value exchange clear—if consumers understand the benefit, they are more willing to share their data. When combined with trust in your brand, their willingness to share increases even more.
Jasper Van Lathem
Jasper Van Lathem,
Senior email marketing strategist speaker and educator.
It’s important to only ask for the data you need . Some information is impossible to track or infer; in those cases, it’s best to just ask. Relying solely on click data can sometimes lead you down the wrong path.
S: What are some effective email marketing strategies that allow you to collect and use level 0 data to create relevant email campaigns without overwhelming or alienating subscribers?
D: One of the best strategies we’ve discovered is collecting zero-level data during the sign-up process . When a new customer or prospect signs up, you can ask a few questions to get to know them better and make the process as stress-free as possible. This could be through a survey , a simple question in an email, or adding gamification to a preference center.
Another effective tactic is at the top of the funnel . Instead of spending a lot of money on third-party platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google, you can run a contest, quiz, or game to promote your brand or products. This will allow you to collect data directly from users or potential buyers, and since you have their contact information and email addresses, you can reach out to them again without spending money on third-party channels.
These two tactics are extremely valuable in collecting and using level zero data to create personalized email campaigns without overwhelming subscribers.
How are CRM marketing analytics
S: CRM and marketing automation tools are constantly evolving. How do you stay ahead of the curve, and what trends do you think will shape the next wave of CRM strategies?
D: I try not to focus too much on the tools themselves, but rather on the marketing side of things . Tools come and go, they change all the time, but the fundamentals of marketing remain the same.
Often I see people focusing too much on cn numbers and technology, especially the limitations of their current systems, instead of focusing on their marketing strategy and making progress with what they have.
We have already implemented several of them and have seen how useful they can be for both businesses and consumers.
The rise of AI and CDPs will likely shape the next wave of CRM strategies.
S: Do you use GenAI to develop email marketing strategies or to create emails? How exactly do you use it and what do you consider to be the strengths of AI tools?
D: Yes. As I said, I have been using Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé Lidl and Colruyt AI for a long time for predictive analytics, sentiment analysis and other similar tasks. With GenAI, we can achieve personalization at scale and create more relevant content.
AI is likely to become even more important in the near future. As we move away from one-size-fits-all emails and toward more segmented and personalized communications, we will require more creative assets — images, text, and so on. Therefore, tools like AI and automation will become increasingly necessary.
We primarily use AI for copywriting, ideation, image creation, and analysis . However human input and oversight are still required to ensure the results are aligned with our brand and strategy.
S: In your experience. How can companies better integrate behavioral science principles into their CRM and email marketing strategies to increase customer engagement and loyalty?
D: Integrating behavioral science and persuasion principles into campaigns is critical. I’ve often seen people create campaigns — whether it’s copywriting. Concepts, or design — that look appealing but lack focus on the end goal or the consumer.
It is important to really know your customer and understand their “problem to be solved.” Think about your strategy and tactics from a behavioral science perspective to motivate them to take action. When considering loyalty and retention focus on how to keep customers engaged and taking action on an ongoing basis.
It is also important to consider that not all clients are the same
You need to check the persuasion principles you use because sometimes they can even backfire.
S: As data plays an increasingly important role in email marketing what common mistakes do you see companies making when interpreting email marketing analytics and how can these pitfalls be avoid?
D: One of the biggest mistakes I see is that companies lack the resources to properly analyze their email marketing efforts or they do so superficially. Often automated emails don’t get much attention once they’re set up even though they’re usually the most valuable to optimize.
To avoid this pitfall, it is necessary to ensure a continuous optimization process . To do this, it is necessary to define the circle of participants, their roles and tasks, and organize regular meetings. It is also necessary to determine when everything will be analyzed – campaigns, processes, etc. Good planning is crucial here.
But it’s not that easy. Often people are busy with their own things and don’t have time. This is where we usually help – providing analysis, suggestions for optimization and testing of programs for automated processes. Since many companies or email marketing teams do not have the ability to do this on their own.
User focus at all levels is crucial
S: User experience and conversion rate optimization (CRO) are critical in email marketing. How do you approach optimizing the email campaign journey from a UX perspective, especially in complex campaigns for large organizations?
D: When optimizing a route from a UX perspective, a few key factors come to mind:
Consistency: It is important to maintain consistency across all emails and ensure they are consistent with other channels and the overall brand style.
Accessibility: Make sure your emails are accessible to all clients, browsers, and devices. This will ensure a positive experience for all users, no matter how they access your emails.
User-Centered Design: Take a user-centered approach to design and follow best practices. I often refer to Steve Krug’s book. Don’t Make Me Think. Which emphasizes that interfaces should be intuitive and uncomplicated for the user. The goal is to make the email journey as smooth as possible, minimizing any barriers to engagement or conversion.
S: Could you elaborate a little bit on your philosophy that we saw on your page?
D: This is the philosophy I try to convey to my colleagues and clients. And this is how I approach projects:
Think big, start small: I try to think big, but approach the project pragmatically. By breaking it down into smaller pieces we don’t get paralyzed by the sheer volume of tasks and can get to work and getting to work is very important.
Think analytically act creatively: I strive to understand very clearly the essence of the problem the real end goals to be achieve as well as the customer and their “problem to be solve”. This allows us to approach the problem creatively. Only in this way can we move from linear to more lateral thinking.
Think about progress. Not perfection: It’s important to focus on achieving small successes rather than becoming paralyzed by the pursuit of perfection and ending up doing nothing at all.
In conclusion
Here are some insights into big brand email marketing, using level 0 data. Email automation, and strategies we gleaned from this interview:
Balancing global consistency and localization
Jasper’s team created a responsive email design system that provides both global consistency and local customization, saving time and resources.
The Growing Importance of Level Zero Data – As privacy regulations change. Level Zero data offers a more effective way to personalize emails and build customer trust.
Strategic use of AI and automation – AI plays a key role in scaling personalization and campaign optimization. But human oversight is critical for strategic alignment.
The importance of continuous optimization and team collaboration — Large-scale email marketing
campaigns often involve multiple
stakeholders, making communication Email Marketing for Big Brands Nestlé, Lidl and alignment critical. Continuous optimization. Regular analysis. And feedback are critical to improving the effectiveness of emails — especially when working with complex systems and large teams.
Jasper’s experience sheds light on how large organizations can evolve their email marketing strategies. leverage data and AI while keeping the customer journey at the core of their approach. We are grateful to Jasper Van Lathem for interviewing us on important topics for the email marketing industry.
