With so many digital options for promotion these days, email marketing is often overlooked for splashier alternatives. Our research proves that when email marketing is incorporated into a complete overall online marketing strategy and delivered using a powerful email marketing tool, it can be very effective. Unfortunately some business leaders feel hesitant about targeting their customers via email as they think their messages will be viewed as an intrusion and either deleted or ignored altogether.
Another obstacle that companies who are considering using email marketing face is having their messages forwarded to their end user’s spam folders without even getting a single view or click. If you open your own email account and go to your spam folder you will see an assortment of marketing messages about a number of things you no doubt have little to no interest in. That is just one reason those emails found their way into the junk folder.
Emails from senders that are rarely ever opened also wind up resting in the bulk folder as well. There are ways that businesses and organizations can avoid this fate.
1. Be customer focused: Knowing what your customers and clients want and need is the first step to creating email marketing campaigns that encourage them to not only read your messages, but also adhere to your calls to action and then share your information and content across their own professional networks. Creating polls, surveys and having personal interactions via webinars, events and conversations will aide in helping businesses form lasting and continuing connections with their customers and grow their base.
2. Create compelling subject lines: Subject lines that feature action words, promotional information and words like “new”, “free”, and “you” will most likely get opened. The reader needs to immediately see the benefit in opening your message.
3. Offer useful tips and information that are read-worthy: The phrase “Teach One, Reach One” holds true in email marketing. When you send your customers information that advises them on how to solve a problem, reach a goal or gives them knowledge about a subject of importance they are passionate about then you have empowered them to be an ambassador for your brand. They will also be more willing to receive, open and share any future messages you send.
4. Personalize, personalize, personalize: When we say personalize, we don’t just mean addressing your customer by their name in the message, but we also think it’s vital to personalize the look and feel of your message. That means incorporating your business or brand logo, colors and specialized customization (newsletters, e-postcards, templates, etc.…) so that when your email is opened the customer feels like they are in your brick and mortar store (if you have one) or on your e-commerce site. That feeling of uniformity and consistency speaks to paying attention to detail, creativity and excellence.
5. Share engaging content: Make sure all of the content you use in your email marketing is engaging, creative and contains exclusive information that only your subscribers will have access to. If they can go to your website or social media page and get the same messaging, they may find it’s not worth for them to remain on your mailing list.
6. Diversify mailings based on web analytics: When you use an email marketing tool to send out your email campaigns, you can easily access analytic reports that can illustrate which messages really worked and which didn’t so you can make assessments and changes when you need to.
Follow these guidelines and you’ll generate more leads and stay out of the spam folder!
Enabler is an enterprise email marketing solution designed and supported by one of the UK’s leading digital agencies. Boost your email performance with smart software features and automated emails that convert, welcome and nurture your customers.
