We live in an era where everything is digitally inclined and constantly evolving. Effective branding is what makes your business stand out in the cluttered market. While all marketers understand the importance of branding, very few understand how it can be effectively incorporated into their marketing plans. Building your brand reputation through your marketing activities will help your business to grow consistently, acquire new customers, and eventually boost the ROI.
When it comes to content distribution and marketing to prospective customers, 82% of marketers consider email as one of the most effective channels. Email is the easiest-to-use tool for reaching to masses and building the brand. It works 40 times better than social media channels in winning new customers.
So, how can emails be used to strengthen your brand reputation? You will need the right email marketing strategy and a few best practices and tactics that will have a positive impact on your businesses’ overall brand image, as discussed below.
1. Ask for permission before sending the emails
Email is one of the most effective forms of marketing because it is highly personal and relevant. The key to foster good customer relationships is to build trust and make sure you are sending emails to people who want to hear from your brand.
Also, as per the GDPR law, marketers must have the users’ consent to send them marketing emails. Hence, the best practice is to use a double opt-in, which requires your customers to check a box to confirm they want to sign up for your brand’s emails. Only the people who are genuinely interested in what your brand has to say will opt-in for your emails. This approach makes way for more relevant and useful emails, and reduces spam rates, thereby setting strong foundations for customer relationships.
Take a look at this sign-up form from SuperOffice.
2. Introduce your brand using welcome emails
Establishing a strong first impression is the key to building customer relationships and branding. The welcome email is the first chance you get to make a good first impression. It is the best way to introduce your brand and improve brand awareness. Not doing it right can land you directly in the target customers’ junk or spam folder.
You can send a single, well-crafted welcome email or a welcome series wherein you can take the customers through the various USPs and special offers of your brand. A note from the founder, an introductory video or note, or a sneak-peak into all that they will get to experience with your brand are great ways to make a good brand impression.
Here’s an example of a compelling welcome email from the brand Rapha.
3. Maintain a customer-centric approach
Customers of the current era look for highly relevant, bespoke, and personalized experience while using any product or service. Businesses need to move from a business-centric approach to a customer-centric approach to create a good brand reputation.
Give your emails a personal touch by including the likes and interests of the customer. This can be achieved by asking a set of relevant questions during the sign-up. Gather information about their location, age, gender, hobbies, and preferences, which can be used to craft targeted content. You can also track the customers’ activities online to draw insights about their purchase patterns and interests.
Check out this email from Bespoke Post that asks users to answer a few questions and fill out preferences. This will in turn allow them to send personalized emails in the future.
4. Design the emails in line with your branding
The first thing that captures the attention of your customers is the look and feel of your email. With hundreds of emails landing in your customers’ inbox, your emails need to be easily recognizable. In order to stand out, the design of your email must be as per the branding guidelines. Customers tend to remember the graphics, the logo and colors used in your email more than the message. It is therefore important to make the logo and name of your brand prominent in all your emails.
Also, make sure you use the right colors and design elements that are used in your website, social channels, and all other marketing channels. The more familiar your customers feel with your brand, the more likely they are to engage with and trust your brand.
Emails from Headspace create a striking impact by following consistent branding.
5. Use the right tone and content to put across your word
The content and messaging are as important as the visual impact of your emails. The copy or content of your email can make or break the reputation of your brand. The tone of voice used in the emails plays a vital role in determining the level of sophistication of your brand. Make your content or copy as compelling and crisp as possible and make sure it is written in an interactive, welcoming, and friendly tone. Use innovative taglines and headlines to convey your message in a creative format.
6. Include clear, prominent CTAs
Make your customers come back to purchase from you by including enticing CTAs in your emails. If they like your emails and wish to contact you or make a purchase, make it easy for them by providing prominent links and buttons. Use the right offers and discounts to entice them to get in touch with you. The text on the CTA must clearly convey what exactly the customers can expect by clicking on it.
Test your CTAs rigorously to ensure it gives the best results. Your CTAs could lead the customer to your website or social media page. Wherever you redirect them, makes sure it gives them more details about your brand.
This email from eMeals uses CTAs that stand out and entice users to click through.
7. Engage users by creating a unique experience
To make your customers stick to your brand, it is crucial to constantly deliver extra value. Out of the box design and content concepts will make your brand’s emails stand out. Avoid being too pushy by sending emails that convince the users to buy your services or products all the time. Instead, project your brand as a thought leader in your domain and send the users insightful emails. Deliver what the customers are seeking in the form of industry updates, videos, success stories, etc. This will help you in portraying your brand as reputable and trustworthy.
Take a look at this insightful email from the brand The Plum Guide that portrays them as an industry thought leader.
8. Maintain consistent branding across all your emails
The more your emails appear familiar, the more your users will engage with them. Maintaining consistency in your branding across various channels will help your customers in recognizing your brand easily. This will lead to improved engagement and experience.
Chart out your email marketing plan in such a way that each email is linked to the previous one in some way or the other and carries the same theme and layout. This will help the customers to recall your brand’s activities and offerings better. A consistently planned email campaign will draw your brand good results.
Wrapping up
Incorporate the above-mentioned tactics in your email marketing strategy, and you are sure to create a brand reputation that will help you emerge as a successful business eventually. When done right, emails can help you attract more customers and boost your sales.
Have you used these best practices in your emails? Tell us how they have worked out for your brand in the comments below.
