Email Myths and Misconceptions - Part Two

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A? few weeks ago, I wrote the first of a three-part series about Email Myths and Tips. Part One, myths one to six, focused on using email campaigns; today - Part Two, myths seven to eleven, - looks at deliverability, and Part Three will be about maintaining good email campaign health.

This time for fun, rather than revisiting the two myths that ruled my fear of large mud puddles and flying, I going to send you on a grand little squirrel-chase, “50 Well-Known "Facts" That Are Actually Just Common Myths”, set to open in a new tab of course. I don’t want y’all leaving my post yet…?

But you need to see number 9, “Dogs only see in black and white”.

I can tell you this is most definitely a myth - mine live their lives in technicolour - inspiring, really.

Myth Seven: Not Testing and Iterating

Misconception:?

Once you find a formula that works, there's no need to test or make changes.

Reality:?

A/B testing different elements (subject lines, content, send times) helps optimize your campaigns. Consumer preferences and behaviours can change, and your outcomes and preferences can change, so ongoing testing and iteration are essential.

Tip:

I am a big propionate of change and iteration. With everything, from processes to service offerings to honing your 5-Star Client Profile, we must constantly evolve - and our marketing efforts are a key element of our business to iterate on.?

I played with subject lines, titles, and content for quite a while before I settled on what was effective and not too onerous to produce. I had cooking tips in for a short while simply because I love cooking and thought it would be a fun distraction from accounting-related content, but it turned out I ran out of my favourite tips pretty quickly. I had a “Sociables” section to lead back to fun topics from X and my Facebook Group, but I didn’t have an easy-for-me way of getting the good stuff to my marketing gal. I added a post-related joke or quote last year, which, for the win, has been fun and well-received.?

You never know what will stick, so start with what resonates with you and evolve from there.

Myth Eight: Mailchimp already backs up my CRM data

Misconception:?

You don’t need a website, e-commerce store or email backups.?

Reality:?

You are responsible for backing up your own Mailchimp data.

Rewind Solution:?

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Myth Nine: One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Misconception:?

Sending the same email to all subscribers is effective.

Reality:?

Personalization is key. Tailoring content based on user behaviour, preferences, and demographics can significantly improve engagement.?

Tip:

This is where having a niche is impactful in your marketing efforts. You can really hone in on content that speaks to them.?

As to personalization using placeholders - oh my - this can be troublesome if you haven’t managed your list tightly. In particular, you need to ensure that peeps have entered their names in a way that suits your placeholders. If they enter all caps or all lowercase or put first and last names in the same field, your email will go out goofy. I speak from experience here - don’t be like Kellie…

Myth Ten: Believing You Will Not Lose Your Valuable Marketing And Sales Data

Misconception:?

The probability of data loss in Mailchimp is too low to invest in backups.

Reality:?

Viruses, malicious actions or simple mistakes happen every day in the business world and cost countless hours and money. Any business-critical data should be backed up as part of your disaster recovery strategy.

Rewind Solution:?

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Myth Eleven: Opting Out Spells Trouble

Misconception:?

Folks unsubscribing means your campaigns are ineffective.

Reality:?

Many folks take pride in their subscription numbers, and although it’s good for social proof, it doesn’t lead to better engagement outcomes.?

Unsubscribing doesn't necessarily indicate shortcomings in your email marketing strategy; it simply implies that the individual wasn't actively interested or likely to make a purchase from you in the first place. In such cases, having a smaller list may actually be cost-effective, and despite personalized email efforts, the likelihood of them becoming a customer was low from the start.

Tip:

Pay attention to your unsubscribe rates, not just numbers, but to what content generates them. This goes back to iterating. If there is a consistent pattern to messaging that bumps people from your list, you need to change it up. Is the content too long, is mild profanity an issue for your audience (not that I drop the s-bomb occasionally or anything…), have you gotten too sales-y, and the value ratio is offputting for your readers…? Take stock of what pushes your readers away, not just how many drop-offs.

After Part Three of Myths and Tips, I will start giving you some actionable marketing suggestions.

Here’s a taste of what’s to come; my personal example of intentionally writing notes. You don’t need to be the writer, of course; you could have someone do it for you or buy pre-built content.

In 2023 I started to write more intentionally to y’all. I’m posting regular articles on Security, QBO Tips, Client Engagement and Efficiency related to processes, Marketing and Cloud Technology. I had my marketing company set up categories so my blog would be more navigable and SEO-y, which has motivated me to fill those categories with meaningful content.?

I am doing this because I want to accomplish two outcomes (establishing goals is key to writing effectively - they are key to doing almost everything effectively).?

• Outcome one is a simple capitalistic reason; I want to sell things, mostly my templates and my Accounting For Accountants service to you, the accounting community. It’s fun and silly that I write blogs and emails about why I write blogs and emails to the people I am selling to, using blogs and emails as a selling tactic…
• Outcome two is a little more give-back. I have been helped along my cloud accounting journey by so many folks, many of them by blogs and emails they write. I love to peck out thoughts, so it seems a natural fit to lift a few people up with the notes I post.

So there you go. My first suggestion to you is to write intentionally, craft up your outcome statements, and then make your musing match these outcomes.