The Enduring Power of Email

Previously in this space, we considered the uses of social media for establishing proof in our marketing https://lnkd.in/gw-_NjA . Today, we consider an overlooked, but still very viable form of marketing that has a reach social media may not always or necessarily attain: good old, familiar, dependable, accessible email.

What Is Email Marketing?

Email marketing uses email as the means to promote your products or services with a customer base that has shown its willingness to be informed about them by opting in to your email list. It can involve multiple aims and purposes, from the promotion of your products and services, to the development of relationships with potential customers through company updates and newsletters, to customer base maintenance through follow ups on completed orders. Used well, it can be a powerful driver of sales, a tool for keeping the customer base informed on what’s new, and a method for tailoring your message to specific members of your list. Used poorly, it can drive your customers away when it becomes too frequent and thus perceived as spam, or alternately it can make your customers drop out when promised updates don’t appear as often as expected or promised. The crucial thing about contemporary email marketing is its extremely targeted nature based on consent, personalization, and segmentation.

Why Email Still Matters

Contrary to the perception of some, email is not outmoded and past its usefulness despite being in existence for a half century. To this day, marketers may realize an ROI 4400%, or $42 for every $1 spent on email marketing. Further, email is very accessible to every age group, being the one computer skill nearly everyone has. Surveys have indicated that 80% of people check their personal email daily and a quarter of those checking their email multiple times a day. It has also been found that those who make purchases through email spend an average of 138% more than non-recipients of email offers. Because it is targeted to a list of people who have opted-in, you may be surer that your message is being seen, which may not be the case with the more scattershot approach of marketing with social media.

Email Types/Purposes

The kind of email marketing used will vary depending on what we need our email to do. Email types can be said to fall within three broad categories:

• Promotional: This is the first type of email that usually comes to mind--the kind that deals in offers and sales.
• Relational: These are the emails that build up goodwill by cultivating relationships with the subscriber base. This can be done by delivering on certain promised benefits such as providing a weekly newsletter, a free gift (e.g., a downloadable report in .pdf format), company updates, or other relevant information subscribers can use.
• Transactional: This type is usually triggered by subscribers’ actions and includes things like subscriber signup confirmations, welcome messages, order/purchase confirmations, and acknowledgments of changes in subscriber information.

As to some specific email types, some of the more common ones include…

Direct Sales Emails--Here, you will be closest to the revenue because you will be asking for the sale. All the methods of direct marketing will be brought to bear, with calls-to-action throughout.

Content Emails/Advertorials--These emails are similar to articles and blog posts, but have a selling intent. These differ from direct sales emails in that the focus is on preparing the reader’s mind for the solution provided by the product or service.

Lead Generation Follow-Up--These emails are sent to qualified leads (potential buyers) as indicated by a demonstrated interest in your product or service by filling out a form, downloading a white paper or other free report, signing up for a free trial of the software, etc. The goal is to move the buyer forward in the buying process by answering questions or directing them to a sales rep who can close the deal.

Email Funnels--Similar to lead generation emails, email funnels are also sent to potential buyers, but the process is more indirect. The prospect is not necessarily aware of the product but may have shown an interest in a topic related to the product by signing up for a free report, webinar, or other training. From here, the product is then introduced as the solution to the problem of the related topic.

Best Practices: Do’s and Don’ts

There are multiple things to consider when putting together an email marketing campaign--things to be sure to include and execute, and other things that are pitfalls to avoid. To begin with the “Do’s”....

Do--build a legitimate email list from those who’ve opted-in from visiting your website, social media platforms, or other channels. Never buy a list. This is crucial because of applicable privacy laws such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation--an EU law) and the CAN-SCAM act that strictly protect data privacy.

Do--use list segmentation to break down your subscriber list by age, geographic location, lead score, first-time purchasers, and other variables that serve to personalize your message.

Do--optimize your deliverability by avoiding trigger words in your subject lines that could kick your mail to the spam folder.

And similarly…

Don’t--fail to engage your subscriber base on a regular basis which is neither too frequent nor too seldom. Autoresponders can aid greatly in the consistent delivery of your emails.

Don’t--compromise on any point of professionalism. Take special care to watch for any errors in grammar or spelling. Avoid stock images. Don’t include attachments. Use only respectful and professional language in your copy.

Don’t--play the “numbers game” at the expense of thinking through the goal of each email, the awareness level/need of your subscribers, and the process of bringing your audience to recognize their need.

Don’t--neglect a clear Call To Action. Make it easy to find, set it off from other copy, and include appropriate CTA words such as “read more” and “buy now.”

Don’t--get off on the wrong foot in the crucial “welcome” email. From the outset you should welcome new subscribers, introduce them to the business or organization, and generally set the stage for what is to follow--similar to “coming attractions”.

Action Items

• Subscribe to an Email Service Provider to automate and streamline your campaigns.
• Test and track each element of your emails, with special attention to design and layout, the body copy, subject lines, send times, calls-to-action, and analytics measuring clicks, opens, forwards, and unsubscribes.
• Make sure your emails are readable for all devices, especially phones and other mobile devices.
• Use personalization elements in the copy and pertinent (but spare) imagery.
• Build a targeted email list by turning your website, blog, landing page, and social media visitors into opt-in subscribers.

A Final Word…

When clients hire me, they do so in the confidence that I will go forth boldly, and take the initiative in harnessing the proven power of email in their marketing campaigns. For more information, go to www.ramoncranert.com.