Social media fame is unparalleled. At the same time, unsolicited spam emails are on the rise as well. It might make you wonder how email marketing will help your business grow.
I have three very good reasons to convince you:
- It is the top communication channel
- You can control your list
- It is far more efficient at converting
The number 1 communication channel
Recent study has found that 99 percent of customers regularly check their emails, sometimes several times in a single day. As far as social media is concerned, despite being popular, not everyone visits it regularly.
You own your contact list and content
Social media comes with a set of rules and regulations. A single act of defiance can lead to deletion of your account or temporary suspension. Email does not work like that. No one can control the emails you send, or the content you add in an email.
It efficiently converts
Email marketing gives you an ROI of 4400 percent. The average order value of email is thrice as much as that of social media.
How-To: Email Marketing
Email marketing is quite simple if you get it right. It is a blank canvas which you can paint however you want to. You can add jpeg images, video clips, gifs, written material, etc. to piece together your email.
Create the Contact List
Before compiling an email, your task is to create an apropos contact list. You do not want to bombard random people with your email advertisements. Create a comprehensive list of the target audience if you want email marketing to work.
Add an ESP
An email service provider allows you to section your list, and organize your audience. You can easily send campaigns to a list of subscribers. ESP make it easier for you to build email lists and send emails. With a good ESP you can integrate other marketing tools as well. This way, you will automate everything as your leads continue to grow.
Offer your Audience an Incentive
Who doesn’t like free things, or something extra? Audiences can be lured to your business through incentives you offer through email ads. You can offer something free, or a particular discount. You can also offer simple newsletters with useful information such as health benefits for waking up early, or precautions to take during the pandemic.
Another thing you can offer is an e-book, or some similar downloadable asset, hold contests and giveaways for convincing people to share their email id with you.
Play By the Book
Don’t break rules. What I mean is, don’t send people unethical items, or data that can spam you. Always make sure you respect the local culture of the audience, to appear more appealing.
Provide Great Content through Emails
If I said it once, I have said it a 100 times. Content quality, not quantity matters! Make sure you provide them with captivating subjects, and email descriptions. Also, make sure that you deliver on your promises. Such as, if you have some crucial information that you will share in the next email, do not make them wait for an entire week. Send follow-up emails regularly. Daily would be great.
Start by sending an introductory email, where you appraise the readers with your business. Explain them the basics of your business, and what they can expect from emails. ESPs give you the option of creating an automated welcome sequence.
The follow-up email should be sent instantly after your introductory email. The best thing about emails is that it has no word limit. You can be long and windy without fearing word count. However, you need to keep it interesting, lest the person should lose interest.
Write a Good Email Newsletter
Yes, not every newsletter is send-worthy. Make sure you are regular with your follow-up emails. You don’t want to be forgotten. If you take too much time to send emails, the receiver might forget the purpose of your brand, and unsubscribe from your newsletter.
Combine information with updates. Try to establish a long-term relationship with your reader. Be human. Even if the email is being sent automatically, they need to know that an individual wrote it, who understands their pains, needs and wants.
Understand Analytics and Segmentation of Email Marketing
Majority ESPs give complimentary analytics. The ones you need to look for are: open rate, CTR, and unsubscribes. Open rate determines the number of people who have opened your emails. IT works with the help of a tracking pixel which loads when anyone clicks on the message.
If the open rate is low, it means subscribers are not engaging with your emails. So, you need to vamp up your emails, and focus on providing more value to them.
CTR or click through rate shows how many people have clicked on the link (if you have provided in the email). Having a low CTR means your message is not properly targeted.
Lastly, unsubscribe rate explains how many people have unsubscribed to your newsletter. If the rate is high, it means you have some serious work to do.
Segmenting your market list will also help you establish more targeted emails. You can segment the list on the basis of:
- Newsletter subscribers
- Daily email (weekly, monthly, etc)
- Age group
- Location
- Interests
Conclusion
Email marketing is an ideal way of promoting your business and increasing your leads. As opposed to social media, email marketing is more promising. Even though emails might seem a bit unconventional to many, they still offer a hoard of benefits.
Establishing a sound email marketing strategy can give you leverage over your competition and establish an intimate relationship with your clients.
