Effective selling should be any business’s number one priority and yet, not all businesses approach their customers the right way. When talking about email marketing, many things can go wrong if key elements are misunderstood or overlooked. One of the great things that makes email a killer opportunity for brands is that unlike other platforms who set up different restrictions, this channel allows you complete control and gives the opportunity to deliver at scale. To do it properly, consider the following major components.
The Who
Before delivering your message you need to know your target audience. With well-researched buyer personas in place, you will have the information you need to reach and engage your ideal customers with content that speaks directly to them and helps them progress through the buyer journey. Here are 4 ways to model the buyer’s journey.
The What
Email is all about delivering on promises and setting them up is a huge part of your campaign strategy. Consumers are now looking for personalised brand experiences and want to feel you’re marketing exactly for them. If you promise amazing, exclusive content suited for their needs and interests and you deliver, you’ll keep them hooked.
The How
This part is all about how you customise your emails to reach your customers and make them act. Here are some things to consider while doing so:
Sending your emails from a real person instead of a company will inspire trust and increase your open rate. It’s more likely to open an email from Jason Smith ( jsmith@companyname.com) than one from the company itself.
Write clear, compelling subject lines. A bad or poorly written subject line can block a prospect from opening your email, no matter how good its content is. Here are some tips on how to write a 5 star one.
Preset the preview of the email. Some email clients display the first few lines of the text from the body of your email. Use this feature to your advantage and provide short, to-the-point synopsis of what you’re offering.
Stick to the point. Time is our number one asset so why waste it? Be clear, say what you have to say and don’t over abuse it.
Have a good and clear Call to Action. You’re sending your email because you want your prospects to act on something you said. Even if someone opens your message, there’s a good chance they will only scan it without reading its content and here’s where a clear CTA comes in handy.
Keep mobile users top of mind. A study conducted by Litmus Software Inc. showed that in April 2016, 56% of emails were opened from a mobile device and recently Gmail announced their new responsive email design. Not designing your emails with these users in mind, might significantly affect your database.
Now, we know email marketing can be tough at times but used wisely, it can become one of your best allies in the marketing strategy. Keep your clients top of mind, update your strategy periodically and always consider the Who-What-How.