Email campaigns are among the most successful marketing strategies, so it’s no wonder we’re seeing a rise in online “experts” offering advice on how to better them. Although some tips are commanded by common sense, some others are the result of long and laborious brainstorming. It is important to note, however, that not every strategy will fit every business. It is only to be expected that different brands will have different clientele, which by extension means that the tone of the message and overall communication style differs greatly.
Segmentation and Targeting
The very first rule for an email marketing campaign (any campaign!) to be successful is that it must be segmented and targeted. Basically, that means that you should know your audience well.
It comes as no surprise that marketing strategies begin even before the planning of an email campaign. If you don’t know who you are addressing or what these people expect from your brand, it is only logical to assume that your campaigns will not have much effect.
Much has been said about the strategies to get to know your audience better. In a nutshell, use insights and offer giveaway surveys to gain additional information. Note that asking for too much info no matter the incentive is more likely to scare people away than render beneficial results. Be mindful and ask for the information crucial for your strategy only. In most cases, that applies to people’s occupations, location and industries.
Efficient Communication Is Key to Mastering Email Campaigns
No matter how much times may change, communication remains the single most important factor in keeping your customers happy.
Nowadays, this is mostly done online, via emails and social media channels. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that online communication somewhat differs from eye-to-eye communication.
For one thing, your customers won’t be able to see you. In a sense, it is a one-way communication on your end, so you must know how to get people to respond.
Large businesses employ many people who deal only with answering customers’ queries online. Small businesses should consider having at least one person checking social media profiles on a regular basis.
Tip: Start your relationship with new customers the right way. Send a welcome message to every new subscriber and a thank you message after every purchase. Always address people by their first name and include contact information in every email you send.
It is indeed surprising that even some of the largest brands fail to send welcome messages to new customers, especially if we keep in mind that these messages stand for the first impression.
Brainstorm Content, Especially Subject Lines
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Quality content is absolutely crucial. Unfortunately, what people tend to forget quite frequently is that literacy matters. Install an app of your choosing to check your spelling – many of them are free.
As regards the quality of the content, it comes second only to the subject line. How come?
Well, in terms of email marketing, it’s all about getting the recipient to actually open the message. Great many messages are instantaneously being flagged as spam or deleted simply because the subject line fails to grab the attention of the recipient.
In this context, it is important to keep in mind that your customers are subscribers of other similar brands, which means they’ll be getting lots of promotional emails. Nobody has that amount of free time to casually study all of the offers – that’s where subject lines step in. They should be written cleverly and concisely, and they must announce the forthcoming offer.
Technically speaking, subject lines should not exceed the word count displayed on mobile devices. The great majority of your customers access incoming emails on their mobile devices, so mind the optimization! Secondly, the message body must expand on the subject line.
Keep an Eye on the Competition
As mentioned above, your customers are likely to compare the offers and so should you. The easiest way to do this is to follow the social media profiles of your competitors and subscribe to their newsletters.
Note that every brand operating within the same industry is to be considered competition. Only successful brands serving the same area/audience as yours should be considered. A simple online search should be able to help you determine who the competitors are.
Adjust the offer, prices, giveaways, promotions, etc. to remain competitive in the long run.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s more to email campaigns than meets the eye, and this is just the beginning!
It is important to track the success of your campaigns and adjust the content and the offer as necessary. Also, keep in mind that audiences change over time. This is a regular process faced by all brands. It is recommended to revisit your strategy annually.
Finally, to be able to remain evergreen, listen to your customers’ feedback. You might be surprised to learn that, in the online world, people actually look forward to sharing their views.
As your brand grows, so will your marketing campaigns. And, in a sense, so will you. Cherish your customers, and success will naturally follow.