Using Email Marketing Correctly
As the new year gets underway, there’s no better time to assess your email marketing tactics and strategies. Email marketing continues to be an effective way to engage consumers, with this channel being
40% more effective in creating conversions when compared to Facebook if utilised correctly. Here are 8 things you should start, stop and continue doing with your email marketing this year!
START:
1. Send targeted emails to people who WANT to hear from you.
There is no point in sending countless emails to lists that have low engagement rates. Try categorising your customers into lists based on past purchases or by their wants and needs.
2. Sending emails from a personalised account.
Sending your emails from a personalised email (ie. Martha@company.com) will ensure two things: one, that people actually receive your email because often, NoReply emails will go straight to their clutter/junk folders. Two, personalised email addresses give a company more credibility, which usually results in a better engagement rate.
3. Engaging with contacts who have submitted forms, not contacts whose information you’ve imported.
Customers who have submitted a ‘subscribe to my newsletter’ form are much more likely to engage with your emails as they have chosen to receive them. These people WANT to hear from you, so it may even be a plan to segment them into a different list.
STOP:
4. Bombarding your customers with emails.
Don’t be that company that sends out 3-4 emails a week. People don’t often appreciate it, and you’ll find that they will be far more likely to unsubscribe than if you only send out communication pieces once a week (or even once a month). Our rule is to regularly keep in touch but to never overdo it – make sure you have something new to say or offer. You must offer valuable content for the reader to engage.
5. Worrying about people unsubscribing.
Don’t stop worrying completely, but at least, don’t stress too much about it. You are never going to please 100% of your customer base with your emails, 100% of the time – it’s a simple fact. It is normal to lose up to
0.5% of your list as recipients unsubscribe. If the rate is higher than this, consider sending fewer emails or reviewing the content within your emails.
6. Buying email lists.
Do not buy email lists. These lists will often degrade your overall brand and will result in drastic drops in engagement. These lists won’t give you the advantage you are looking for and aren’t worth the money.
KEEP:
7. Be thoughtful about your subject line.
Don’t clickbait people, the bounce rate will skyrocket and you may lose click-throughs and engagement in the future due to the distrust you create. But do try to spark their curiosity. Get creative with your wording, try using emojis, or personalise your subject line.
8. Setting a clear purpose for your email.
Start setting objectives and goals before sending out an email. You’ll get a better ROI if you know what you want out of your emails. Goals don’t need to be overly complicated, they could be: filling out a contact form, redeeming a promo code or reading the featured blog. Providing multiple avenues to achieve these goals (e.g Calls to Action, Links in-text, Hyperlinked Images) will improve your chances of converting.
Outsource2Us provides its clients with
a range of copywriting services which include blog and article writing, website content and press releases as well as email marketing.
