Email is nothing new; it’s a tried-and-tested platform that businesses all around the world rely on every single day. But ‘tried and tested’ doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways to spruce up your email marketing and bring in results.
Email is widely considered to be the top communication channel thanks to its unbeatable return on investment. So, if you want to make the most of your digital marketing strategy, you better be using email.
We’ve run through 12 tips on how to maximise the benefits of email marketing for a successful campaign…
1. Build your database
Constructing a distribution list that’s personal to your business means you can segment, refine and target exactly who you want to be reaching with your emails. You can start building your database through enquiry forms or newsletter sign-ups on your website or purchase a GDPR-compliant database specific to your sector.
2. Segment your audience
Segmenting your email recipients is central to ensuring the right message reaches the right people. Tailoring content to specific segments of your database allows you to speak to customers more directly and offer them relevant content. In fact, segmenting your audience can lead to a 19% increase in open rates and a 22% increase in click-through rates.
3. Personalise your content
Once you’ve identified your customer segments, you can begin to personalise email content based on your subscribers’ interests, location, email preference and job title. And to make things really personal, you can use the fields in your email database to address recipients by their first name — a technique that could increase open and clicks by 35%!
4. Don’t shy away from EDM platforms
If HTML isn’t your thing, EDM (electronic direct mail) tools such as MailChimp and dotdigital give you effortless control over the layout of your emails, with the ability to make design and content changes on the front-end. These platforms allow for intuitive editing, simple inbox testing, advanced reporting and straightforward automation.
5. Regularly cull your subscriber list
Removing any inactive subscribers and frequently refreshing your mail list will help improve your emails’ deliverability, bring down costs and give you a more accurate overview of your emails’ performance. Tools such as dotditigal have a function that can do this for you automatically.
6. Write a snappy subject line
A short, descriptive subject line that hooks the audience is vital for any email marketing campaign. While a successful subject line can take many forms, it should be clear, catchy and give the recipient a relevant snapshot of the email they’re about to read. When crafting a subject line, you also need to keep SPAM trigger words in mind — you don’t want to put all that effort in only for the email to end up in people’s junk folder.
7. Get creative with media
Nobody’s going to stay interested in an email that looks like an essay. Likewise, a dull, lifeless email without an appealing design will direct people straight to the ‘unsubscribe’ button. But did you know that adding videos to your email can increase CTR (click-through rate) by 300%? So, be sure to use an aesthetically pleasing colour palette, an eye-catching layout and a mix of media to keep readers interested.
8. Don’t neglect your copy
Your written content is just as important as the visuals. Particularly if your email isn’t going to be copy-heavy, the copy that is included needs to be purposeful, engaging and memorable. Conversational yet informative content is what will drive the success of your email marketing.
9. Have a strong call to action
CTA buttons should act as a signpost for your readers, giving them an idea of what they’ll find behind the button; for example, if it links through to a contact page, you might have a button saying, ‘Get in touch’. It can also be very effective to write your CTAs from the reader’s perspective, such as ‘Show me’ or ‘Tell me more’, to make it sound more enticing and less like an order.
10. Optimise for mobile
Over two-thirds of email opens take place on mobile accounts. So, optimising your emails for mobile devices is integral to driving opens and clicks. Doing so can look like using a responsive or scalable template and utilising the pre-header text effectively.
11. Monitor your open rates
Like all marketing strategies, it’s key to understand who’s engaging with your content and who isn’t. Monitoring your open rates gives you a benchmark to work from and is the first step in helping you understand why people aren’t opening your emails and what you can change to increase engagement.
12. Run regular A/B tests
Running A/B tests is also a valuable way to identify which aspects of your email perform better or worse. By switching up one small area of your email, such as the subject line or header image, you can establish what’s resonating with your customers. You can also use A/B tests to determine what time of day is best to send your emails. Just remember to change only one or two elements at a time so that there aren’t too many variables.
Need help with your email campaigns? We’ve got all the tools and skills you need for sleek email marketing — get in touch today to find out how we can craft stunning emails and drive up your open rates.
