We carefully analyze click and sales results for all of our client's e-mail campaigns. So when we hear about an e-mail test like the one by the Email Experience Council, we are happy to take the challenge. Their challenge is to analyze the efficiency of a top navigation bar if it is included as part of the e-mail.

What we have found is, it depends. It depends on the nature and audience of the e-mail. For example, a product heavy e-mail's top navigation is a useful guide to the rest of the site and should be included, while a lifestyle or offer-based e-mail will get little benefit from including the top navigation.

Using analytics to help guide the creative message will allow marketers to stay connected with their audiences. It's these types of customer behavior insights which will help with effective, one-to-one database marketing.