The key to a successful internet marketing campaign lies in engaging customers and getting them back to your website. Email marketing is incredibly effective in attracting, retaining and engaging customers. In fact, email marketing is more popular than any other form of digital marketing.
According to Radicati Group research, over 34% of the world’s population use email, which is approximately 2.5 billion people. By 2020, this figure is likely to reach 2.8 billion daily email users. The research also revealed that 196 billion emails are sent every day, and 109 billion of these are business emails.
Smart businesses are looking for innovative ways to incorporate influential email marketing strategies into their business. Because email marketing is the incredibly simple and effective way of communicating with your customers, it has a wider reach and higher conversion rate.
Moreover, email marketing is a more personal approach of communicating with your target clients. Email updates wait in the queue along with messages coming from friends and family. That makes this strategy work better than most marketing tactics. You can tailor email content to communicate more effectively, using relevant ad copy and covering your customer’s preferences.
Still wondering if email marketing is good for your business? Here are some secrets to adopting email marketing as your next big online marketing strategy:
- Effective Customer Acquisition: While social media is a popular component in internet marketing, email marketing is the greatest engagement tool to strengthen interaction with your audience and build a personal relationship, which further converts into members, customers, and supporters.
- Cost Effective Strategy: Small businesses should consider email marketing as a cost-effective and economic strategy. It allows your business to reach a larger audience base for a nominal cost. Instead of publishing ads on print media, TV or other channels, email marketing has greater potential and reach.
- Customized Approach: Email marketing allows you to segment your audience, list them, and send customized emails to each list. Such emails resonate with the reader and provide them the right value they are looking for. According to DMA, targeted and segmented emails generate 58% of the entire amount of revenue. Likewise, marketers using segmented campaigns have witnessed 760% revenue growth, as per Campaign Monitor reports. For segmentation, choose Askly to get instant insight into your target audience.
- Transactional: When you receive an email, an instant reaction is to reply, forward, sign up or buy. An email is more action-oriented than any other form of marketing. You can leverage this to get direct traffic to your business and drive potential sales. As you build your startup marketing strategy or small business, using email for marketing can give you instant results.
- Easy to Track: Internet marketing is a dicey game. It is crucial to track every move and action. Using an email marketing software, you can track the response of your emails, see who and how many people opened it, check the links that received clicks, and see how many people subscribed/unsubscribed it. That’s precisely what you want to know – the performance of your email marketing strategy. Make sure you study email marketing mistakes properly to avoid any disaster.
Now that you know how important it is to create an email marketing campaign, let’s dive into how you can do it the right way. Here are the steps to get you started:
Step 1: Write an indomitable preview message
Preview message is as important as the subject line of an email sent out for marketing. People generally do not open emails coming from unknown sources. So, they choose to preview the email before opening it. So, make your preview message a curiosity generator and compelling enough to get an assured click. You can test multiple email providers for your limits before selecting the right words for the mail to entice your target audience.
The key is to use the right amount of words and do it correctly. Using flattery language is fine as long as you don’t overdo it. Likewise, unpredictable subject lines draw instant attention. Ask questions, compel your readers to open the email by reading the subject line, create interest, and see the magic unfold.
Make sure the content of your email marketing campaign is top-notch. Find your target audience and convert them into loyal customers with your perfectly curated content.
Step 2: Choose colors & themes to match your branding
We love colors! But when it comes to your business, be careful and don’t go overboard.
When you are announcing a new offer or presenting something new to your customers in an email, be careful with the choice of colors. The brand shows also has a uniform look with a strong and consistent concept. Color has an entirely different effect on your customers. So, doing it right is crucial for any new campaign.
Colors should be enticing, convincing, bold yet subtle. Steer clear from bright and glaring hues and choose warm, appealing and subtle colors. Ensure the aesthetics of the email layout matches with the design, color, and logo.
Step 3: Smart space management
Emails are not necessarily long. The message is usually short and to-the-point. So, you have to use the space properly, separating texts and images, maintaining layout rules, and not making it messy. Sloppy images, unprofessional layout, unnecessary pictures just to occupy space, and overlapping text are not what you want to show your audience.
Become the audience when you visualize the preview of an email you are going to send. If there’s something you don’t like, change it. Utilize space wisely.
Step 4: Image & font size
High-resolution pictures can be a part of emails but keep both image and font size low. Depending on the screen resolution and browser settings of your recipients, things can go wrong. The idea is to keep it basic, simple, and least messy. Even if you upload 79 dpi sized images, it would still look better than a messy upload. Moreover, people mainly use tablets and smartphones to open emails and large sizes would not fit. However, it would increase your risks of losing a customer.
Similarly, being crazy over fonts is also not advisable. Most customers may not have the non-standard fonts on their mobile devices. Using such Gothic fonts would only lead to a lack of response. So, stick to the conventional fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia or Calibri.
Always test the final email ad copy. Keep the text justified and see how it appears on different devices and browsers.
Step 5: Create a seamless experience
The first and foremost goal of an incredible email marketing campaign is to deliver seamless user experience. Of course! We know that!!
Isn’t that always accepted?
It is, for sure, but seldom appropriately implemented.
When your customers open an email, they should get an experience of receiving something. That counts!
Make them curious to know what you are offering as soon as they receive your email. Offer a promotional discount along with it to exceed their expectations. Personalize the experience, captivate them, and make it relevant so that they open it.
Step 6: Keep it short & simple
KISS!
Your email should pass the message across and not die down. So, use short and relevant phrases, simple words, easy to visualize, and least overwhelming. The digital world is full of ads, sales pitches, and annoying interruptions, which people want to avoid. You may be feeling that your offer or product is unique, but if it does not appeal to your audience, it won’t matter.
You have to focus on direct email marketing to entice your audience. That is only possible when you reach their private inbox. However, don’t give them a feeling of getting way too much into their privacy and annoying them. Your audience is your guest. Treat them well, and they shall get back to you.
Step 7: Add value to your business
Marketing emails generally hit the junk/spam folder. In order to reach the inbox of your customers, you have to stand out in the crowd and competition. The only way is to utilize your creativity to the maximum and provide value through your emails.
The best way to deliver value is to use curated content. You can choose software that collects relevant information and curates content for a targeted audience. You can offer a real guide, suggestion, or advice to your customers through your email. Set up a bold image to attract more user attention. However, avoid those tacky lines like QUICK Cash, FREEBIES, etc. Such emails never get attention. In fact, you should also avoid shouty capitals in your subject line.
If you are selling something, be innovative in your approach. Instead of using too many graphics, which create confusion, be simple and subtle.
Final word
Email marketing is an incredible method to reach your audience and grab their attention, especially if you are running a small business. Be savvy and place your customer’s needs and demands before anything else. Regardless of what you do, ensure that your customers are always on your mind. Prove to them that you have something valuable and unique to offer, and commit to excellence. Make your business stand out with direct email marketing campaigns.
To learn how to get your email marketing done for you, click here!