In the world of social media marketing, there are many effective marketing strategies that help businesses grow. One of the most effective marketing strategies is email marketing.
Using email marketing to your advantage is a key way to build meaningful connections with clients. 41% of marketing experts claim that email marketing is one of the most effective tools used when promoting a business.
With the ability to personalize campaigns and engage with future customers from their own inbox, email marketing becomes an ideal step that pays off big time, especially when it comes to return on investment (ROI).
In this blog, the team at REM Web Solutions will explore the essentials of email marketing, as well as the strategies used to nurture leads and build long lasting relationships with customers.
Understanding Email Marketing
Email marketing is the practice of sending targeted messages, newsletters, and promotional content directly to customers and potential customers through email. It's a powerful digital marketing tool that has consistently proven its ability to nurture customer relationships, generate leads, and promote sales. It is one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, compared to ads and social media platforms like Facebook. Despite this, it remains an essential marketing tool.
Email marketing sits as a dominant force in the world of digital marketing with 4.4 billion users and $35 billion projected in market value by 2028. In many cases, email marketing has been known to outperform search engine optimization (SEO), social media channels, and affiliate marketing.
The Advantages of Email Marketing
- Personalization: Email campaigns can be targeted towards specific demographics. Emailing also provides a personal touch when contacting clients, in comparison to scrolling on social media.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Statistics reported from the Litmus State of Email Report, email marketing provides an exceptional ROI of $36 to $42 for every dollar spent. It is a more affordable way to promote than to use direct mail.
- Engagement: The ability to directly communicate with customers who frequently check their email multiple times a day leads to high engagement.
- Loyal Audiences: Social media algorithms can sometimes be tricky. With email marketing you can directly access your demographic who voluntarily consent to your emails.
Why is Email Marketing Important?
Reach and Popularity
While social media offers a broad reach, email marketing provides a unique advantage: targeted engagement. Unlike fleeting social media posts, emails land directly in subscribers' inboxes, increasing the likelihood of being seen and acted upon. Email campaigns can be precisely tailored to specific customer segments, resonating more deeply than generic social media content.
Relationship Building
Email marketing is an effective way to build trust over time with your audience. Many consumers rely on trust and the reputation of a company when it comes to making a purchase. With direct communication, consistency, and personalized content, customers become more willing to buy a product or service. Regular, personalized communication builds credibility and establishes your brand as a trusted resource, making customers more likely to choose your products or services when the time comes.
Direct Path to Your Website
Depending on the type of message, emails can provide a direct route to a personalized page or ad campaign on your website which can significantly boost conversions of up to 7.2%. Email marketing can account for a click through rate (CTR) or 1% to 5%.
How Email Marketing Works
To create a successful email marketing campaign, it is beneficial to understand the 3 crucial elements:
1. Having an Email List
An email list is filled with consenting subscribers of a certain demographic that you want your business to reach. Sending emails to a specific audience ensures the likelihood of engagement and conversion rates.
How to Build and Grow an Email List
- Incentives & Lead Magnets: Consumers tend to love the word “free”. Offering free templates, webinars, coupons or discounts is a way to incentivize customers to sign up for emails.
- Landing Pages & Forms: Use dedicated landing pages on your website to give potential subscribers more information about your business. Clearly communicate the benefits of signing up for your emails and express your appreciation for their interest. A well-designed landing page can build trust and encourage visitors to subscribe.
- Promotion: Promoting your incentives and offers through paid advertisements, social media, and blog posts, is a great way for people to become interested in your business.
2. Email Service Provider (ESP)
Having an Email Service Provider (ESP) software helps with automated email campaigns to better manage your workload. This is an effective tool that ensures emails are sent to the right audience at the right time.
Automating Email Campaigns with an ESP
- Automated Triggers: Automated campaigns can create personal triggers such as welcome emails after signing up or reminders about items left in a customer's cart.
- Templates: Brand voice and aesthetic catch the eye. Creating an appealing email campaign entices future customers to click on promotional emails.
- Audience Segmentation: Putting your audience into segments based on demographics, engagement levels, and behaviour patterns ensures that your marketing emails reach the right audience.
- Analytics Tracking: To see the performance of metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), or conversion rates, having an ESP can track analytics of each email marketing campaign.
3. Set Goals
Having clear goals for your email marketing campaign that align with your business objectives is important to see success.
Examples of Goals
- Increasing Sales: Promoting special offers, introducing new products, and informing clients about discounts catches the audience's attention.
- Nurturing Leads: Educational content and product recommendations are appreciated and help build trust between you and your future clients.
- Driving Engagement: Sharing blog posts and success stories, or inviting customers to events through email campaigns actively shows you are taking a customer-centric approach.
Fostering Customer Loyalty & Converting Leads
Personalized emails showcase the human side of your business. Addressing subscribers by their first name is a special way to make future clients feel acknowledged. Readers are 26% more likely to click on personalized emails, which can increase revenue by 760%. Segmenting clients is another great way to personalize emails for certain demographics.
Engaging Titles
It is important to use intriguing subject lines while also accurately describing said content. Keep them concise (6-10 words) and use action-oriented language to entice clicks. Misleading subject lines may be perceived as "clickbait," leading to unsubscribes or spam complaints.
Written Content
Aim for brevity (50-125 words) in your email body. Providing just enough information encourages more clicks to a landing page on a website. Bullet points or lists are easy ways for customers to visualize the message being portrayed. Easily digestible content is also encouraged for those who read emails on mobile devices.
Calls to Action (CTA)
Inserting CTAs at the beginning and end of your email marketing campaign is essential when attempting to drive conversions. A CTA at the beginning grabs the viewers' attention, while a CTA at the end reinforces your statement.
Permission-Based Marketing
Always seek permission before sending marketing emails. An opt-in system ensures that subscribers want to receive your content, fostering trust and delivering value. Fulfilling promises is also a crucial part of nurturing leads. It is important for content to match your brand and for your statements to match your actions.
Creating Your Email Marketing Campaign
Build your List
As previously mentioned, building a strong emailing list with a specific demographic and tailored content is crucial to the success of a campaign. Offering incentives such as newsletters, coupons, and downloadable information is a helpful way to gather email addresses. Lead magnets such as discount codes and exclusive content create organic sign ups.
Provide Valuable Content
Introduction emails with high-value content create trust from the beginning of your relationship with a future customer. Introducing your brand allows subscribers to know about your business. A follow-up email is just as important and shows that you are willing to establish a better relationship between you and a client. Sharing valuable content such as blog posts, tips or events keeps your audience engaged. Keep in mind that pitching right away may not be the best form of action. Focusing on building trust allows customers to feel important.
Using Automated Sequences
Automated email marketing campaigns make for better time management. Delivering emails during specific times of day and sending relevant emails to each demographic is a task that doesn’t need to be manual. Automated emails can be anywhere from introductory emails to product launches, or action-triggered emails based on subscriber behaviour.
A Summary of Email Marketing Essentials
An indispensable tool in the world of digital marketing are email marketing campaigns. The ability to foster customer loyalty and convert leads is the reason why email marketing is the most used and reliable form of promotion. From building emailing lists and creating tailored content to using automated sequences to your advantage, following these email marketing essentials will drive sales and create loyal customers who drive sales.
If you are ready to build your own email marketing campaign, contact REM Web Solutions today for guidance and expertise on customizable strategies that will enhance your business.
