There is no question that we are living in the age of technology. People are more digitally accessible than they have ever been and can be reached 24/7 through social media platforms and digital media channels, such as email. Accessibility via email can be beneficial when trying to grow a business, but only if done correctly. If done incorrectly, your emails can blend in with the hundreds of other emails people are receiving, or worse- end up in the spam folder.
So why should you care about email marketing? When compared to social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, email marketing is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers¹. 40 times. But crafting the perfect email that acquires these new customers isn’t as easy as it sounds. But have no fear. We have created a list of the 10 most important rules that all successful marketing campaigns follow:
Rule 1: Develop an Email Marketing Strategy
Email marketing is not marketing without a strategy in place. Ask yourself a few questions before you begin writing your emails, they will help guide your strategy. Examples of some questions are:
- Why am I sending out this email?
- Who am I sending this email to?
- How often do I plan on sending out emails?
- What are my goals for this email?
If the answers to these questions stump you, then you shouldn’t be sending out any emails until you have a better strategy in place.
Rule 2: Segment your Email Campaigns
Email segmentation is one of the most important aspects of your marketing strategy. Without it, you might as well send your emails straight to a spam folder. Segmentation comes after you have built a solid list of email subscribers. Segmenting your lists based off of demographic data can tell you information about your leads such as their interests, needs, and concerns that will be especially helpful when you begin to nurture them through the buyer’s journey. Not convinced? Segmented email campaigns have a 14% higher open rate than non-segmented campaigns².
Rule 3: Catch them with a Good Hook
If your emails don’t have a catchy subject line, then chances are it won’t be opened. Think about the subject line from emails you’ve opened recently. Incorporate some of the same methods when creating your subject lines. Here are some tips to help:
- Keep it short
- Don’t use all caps. You’re not yelling at your subscribers.
- Make readers curious by asking a question.
- Entice with an incentive or offer
- Use numbers
This is where you have the opportunity to let your creativity flow!
Rule 4: Add a Personal Touch
In today’s busy world personalization is everything. This can be done by using your recipient’s first name in the introduction and adding targeted information in the body, mentioning their industry or location. This is another aspect where demographic data is helpful, as it will give you different ways to personalize the email. Marketing Automation also has many features that make personalization easy. For example, dynamic content play will let you use one email to appeal to a variety of recipients.
Rule 5: Have a Template Ready
Your template will be the foundation of all of your emails. When creating a template, make sure it includes:
- Your brand’s logo
- A headline
- A call to action
- Social Media buttons
- An unsubscribe button
- Any and all links that are relevant! (ie your website, articles you’ve written )
Rule 6: Create Copy that Will Entice
We mentioned how important it was to have a good subject line, but it’s just as important to have a well thought out body. The headline will get your reader, but the body is what will keep them. Your email body should feature information that adds value to your reader’s life. Take some time to think through what you want to say and how you want to say it before writing your email. Outline the types of content you want to share with your subscribers, and why they will find it relevant without being too wordy. Make your body short so that it will entice your readers instead of making their eyes glaze.
Rule 7: Content is King
The real power of your email lies in the content. Use your segmented lists and marketing automation to send emails with targeted content to the subscribers that it appeals to. This also adds another layer of personalization.
Rule 8: Don’t Forget to Test your Email
Before hitting send make sure to test all aspects of your email. You won’t have a second chance to send a first email. Take the time to check all of your links to make sure they work. If a subscriber clicks on the link to visit your website and it’s broken, there’s a chance they’ll think the email escaped spam and write you off. Additionally, since most people check emails on smart devices, it’s important to know how your email will appear to mobile and desktop readers.
Rule 9: There is such a thing as a “Right Time”
When it comes to sending out emails there is a right time and a wrong time. Use analytics to determine what time your subscribers are most responsive. This can also be done by testing the waters and sending out emails at different times and days. From there you will be able to set a schedule. Determine if your emails will be sent out on a daily, weekly or biweekly basis. But be careful not to inundate your subscribers with emails- nothing will make them unsubscribe faster.
Rule 10: Invest in Marketing Automation Software
After you have developed a solid email marketing strategy, the next step in growing your business is to invest in marketing automation software. Marketing automation allows you to create personalized emails that can be automated and sent out at specific times, such as when someone signs up for your newsletter or downloads any premium content offers.
Marketing automation also gives you the ability to see how readers interact with the content you send them. You can view click rates and open rates for any email to help you determine what aspects of your campaign are working and which aren’t.
If you would like to learn more about marketing automation, click the banner below to schedule your free 30 minute consultation with us!
References:
- Aufreiter, Nora, et al. “Why marketers should keep sending you e-Mails.” McKinsey & Company, Jan. 2014, www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/why-marketers-should-keep-sending-you-emails.
- “25 Email Marketing Statistics to Know in 2017.” Web Presence Solutions – Digital Marketing, SEO Services, 5 Feb. 2017, www.webpresencesolutions.net/email-marketing-statistics-2017/.
