The topic of email marketing brings about a mixed bag of emotions for business owners.
While many understand that it is an effective channel to reach current and potential customers, some view it as a necessary evil that comes with many challenges.
The topic of email marketing brings about a mixed bag of emotions for business owners.
While many understand that it is an effective channel to reach current and potential customers, some view it as a necessary evil that comes with many challenges.
The latter group is often put off by the thought of, amongst other things, having to design email newsletters, manage lists of subscribers, and deal with the ever-changing landscape of spam filters.
However, email marketing does not have to be complicated or overwhelming. With the right approach and tools, it can be a powerful asset for your business.
This post will show you how to make email marketing great for your business, leading to more customers, sales, and ROI.
Read more: Email Marketing Automation Strategy to Follow in 2022
What is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is a form of online marketing that uses email to promote products or services. Email marketing can be used to build relationships with potential and existing customers, promote new products or services, or stay in touch with customers.
As a channel, email is a versatile and effective way to reach out to your customers and keep them updated on what’s happening with your business. It’s also an affordable way to communicate with large groups of people.
What Makes an Email Campaign Successful?
An email campaign is successful when it achieves the desired goal. It can be anything from generating leads to increased sales. But there are some things that you need to keep in mind while designing a successful email campaign.
Here are the main aspects of successful email marketing campaigns.
1. A great offer
First off, you need to have a great offer. This could be a discount, free shipping, a freebie, or anything else that would entice someone to purchase your business.
Your offer should be relevant to your target audience and aligned with your business goals. For example, if you’re trying to increase sales of winter apparel, then an offer for free shipping on orders over $100 would be more effective than an offer for 10% off all orders.
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2. The right target audience
Secondly, you must ensure you’re targeting the right people with your email campaign. This means segmenting your list so that you’re only sending messages to those interested in what you have to say.
There’s no use in sending a message about your latest winter collection to someone who lives in the tropics and does not need winter apparel. Not only will they be uninterested in your offer, but they’re also likely to unsubscribe from your list or mark your messages as spam.
3. An engaging subject line
Your subject line is one of the essential elements of your email campaign. This will determine whether or not someone opens and reads your message.
Ensure your subject lines are clear, concise, and to the point. Avoid using misleading or clickbait-y language, as this will only lead to people unsubscribing from your list or marking your messages as spam.
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4. A mobile-responsive design
With more people opening emails on mobile devices, your messages must be optimized for small screens. This means using a responsive email template that automatically adjusts to whatever device it’s being viewed on.
5. Segmentation
By segmenting your list, you can send more targeted and relevant messages that are more likely to be opened and read by your subscribers.
You can segment your list in several ways, such as by location, age, gender, interests, etc. The important thing is to ensure you’re only sending messages to those interested in what you have to say.
6. An eye catchy email signature
People who send emails should always include a relevant and professional email signature. A good email signature is the first impression of your company. It is what people see when they open an email.
It is important to have a professional-looking email signature because it will make you look more trustworthy and successful. If you want to improve the appearance of your emails and make them stand out, then you should include an email signature in them. Because it will help people remember your company better.
9 Most Common Reasons Why Your Email Marketing Sucks
With the above in mind, here are some of the most common reasons why email marketing campaigns suck:
- You buy email lists instead of building your own: Not only is this a waste of money, but it’s also likely to lead to many bounces and unsubscribes. Email addresses on bought lists are often outdated or no longer active, so your messages are more likely to end up in the spam folder. Even if some of the addresses on the list are still active, chances are they’ll be uninterested in your message since they weren’t actively seeking out your business in the first place.
- You don’t segment your list: By not segmenting your list, you’re more likely to send irrelevant messages to your subscribers. This will not only lead to low open rates and higher unsubscribe rates, but it can also damage your sender's reputation. Most email marketing software can segment your list for you, so there’s no excuse for not doing it.
- You're not using sales automation: Sales automation is a must for any business that wants to improve its email marketing results. You can nurture leads and close deals by automating your sales process without manually doing everything.
- Your emails are all about you, not your recipients: Your emails should focus on providing value to your recipients, not promoting your product or service. Just as you wouldn't use a landing page builder to start a potential customer experience on the wrong foot, there's no reason for things to take a negative turn when people start receiving your emails.
- You don’t personalize your emails: Personalization is crucial if you want your emails to stand out in the inbox. By addressing your recipients by name and tailoring your content to their specific needs, you’re much more likely to get them to engage with your message.
- You have a bad sender reputation: If you have a bad sender reputation, then your messages are more likely to be marked as spam. This can be caused by several things, such as sending too many messages or even using an unprofessional email address.
- You don’t review your emails: Always double-check emails before sending them out to your entire list. This includes testing the subject line, the email content, and the call to action. By doing this, you can ensure that your message is correctly formatted and that there are no spelling or grammar errors.
- You’re not mobile-friendly: With more people reading emails on their mobile devices than ever, it’s essential to ensure your messages are optimized for small screens. This means using a responsive email template and keeping the number of images to a minimum.
- You neglect your subject lines: People see your subject line first when they receive your email, so it’s essential to make sure it grabs attention and is super relevant to the rest of your message. A good subject line should be short, descriptive, and to the point.
Statistics That Prove That Email Marketing Doesn’t Suck
Here are some key statistics that show email marketing is not all doom and gloom:
- On average, emailing provides an ROI of $36 for each dollar spent, which is higher than any other marketing method.
- Approximately 37% of companies are raising their spending on email usage.
- A full one-third of all marketers drive traffic to their blog or website using SEO techniques, while the second most popular method (32%) is email marketing.
- Email is the primary customer acquisition and retention channel for 81% of small businesses.
- The two most essential factors in opening an email are recognizing the sender and having the time to read it.
How Digital Marketing Disrupted Traditional Email Marketing
Although email marketing is still a powerful tool, it's been disrupted by digital marketing.
Digital marketing is more effective because it allows businesses to target potential customers based on their interests and behavior, leading to higher open and click-through rates. Additionally, digital marketing platforms are more affordable and more accessible to use than traditional email marketing software.
Digital marketing has enabled businesses to reach a wider audience with less effort. Email marketing is no longer the only game in town, and companies must adapt their strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
The right digital marketing strategy will help you reach your target audience, build relationships, and generate leads and sales.
How To Fix Your Broken Email Marketing Strategy
Here are the key steps to take to fix your broken email marketing strategy
1. Define your audience and their needs
Knowing your target audience is the first and most crucial step in fixing your email marketing strategy. To do this, you need to understand who your ideal customer is, their needs, and what they're interested in.
2. Write relevant and valuable content
Successful email marketing is all about creating campaigns specifically designed to meet the needs of your target audience. Your content should be interesting, informative, and valuable if you want people to read it.
3. Optimize your subject line, preview text, and CTA
Your email's three essential elements are your subject line, preview text, and call-to-action (CTA). These three elements will determine whether or not people open and click through to your email.
Ensure your subject line is short, descriptive, and to the point. Your preview text should be equally attention-grabbing, and your CTA should be clear and concise.
4. Measure your success & repeat
Finally, measuring your success and repeating the steps that work well for you is essential. Keep track of your open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. This data will give you valuable insights into whether your customer retention strategy is working.
Wrapping Up!
Email marketing is a powerful tool that can help you achieve various goals for your business. However, it's important to remember that email marketing is not a set-and-forget strategy. To be successful, you need to put in the work and continually optimize your campaigns.
Only then can you hope to achieve the kind of results that will make a difference for your business.
Author Bio
Hanson Cheng is the founder of Freedom to Ascend. He empowers online entrepreneurs and business owners to 10x their business and become financially independent.
