Emails are one of the most effective ways of promoting products and services. According to Statista, 293.6 billion emails have been sent and received daily in 2019 and is expected to increase to almost 350 billion in 2023. This displays the significance of email marketing and its rapid growth. Furthermore, we will explain what the five key benefits are and how it is beneficial to your business.
In today’s digital marketing world, trends and tools are constantly evolving and changing to appeal to the consumer – whether that be through social media, internet, television, or third-party applications (and this is just touching the surface). While the need for marketing has been and always will be essential – the way that businesses market their products and services, as well as what platforms they’re using, has changed drastically.
Email has been a staple in the marketer’s toolkit as long as email has been around, and it’s showing no signs of giving up that spot. That’s because email has been, and is predicted to consistently continue as, one of the strongest channels for engaging and converting audiences. But despite the advances in technology, graphics and mobility, the formula for a successful email marketing campaign has stayed largely the same. Certain best practices stay constant throughout the years and guarantee a higher success rate. We’ve listed a few below.
Your email is a waste of time and resources if it isn’t opened. There are a few things you need to do to top the inbox and it all starts with your subject line. While it should pertain to your email, it should also catch the reader’s attention. We never support click-bait; a subject line that convinces a reader to click then has nothing to do with the message will most likely alienate you from your target. At Traffic Jams, we ask ourselves, “What is it about this message that is enticing to the reader?” Maybe it’s a special offer or a solution to a problem. We use that to our advantage when creating a subject line.
Email is popular because it’s convenient and it’s fast. If your reader opens a 500+ word email, they’ll skim it at absolute best. Successful emails state their objective right off the bat. They tell the reader what they’re about and most importantly, why they should care. They do it clearly and concisely to keep the reader’s attention.
We don’t answer phone calls from unknown numbers and we don’t read emails from unknown senders. Instead of buying your email lists, build it up from existing clients and referrals you do have. Use your brand identity to connect the reader with your email’s objective. As you reach out to prospective clients, make the interaction as personal by conducting research to ensure your list is as close to target as possible and including names when applicable.
Be creative with your visuals
The key to a successful marketing strategy is to create solutions for your specific business. What will work best for you? And how? These are questions your marketers should address before implementing any tool in a marketing strategy. Marketing automation is a tool that many think dominates the marketing mix. As leads become more frequent and harder to keep track of, marketing automation is a popular option for marketers to turn to. It’s is used by companies of all shapes and sizes and may seem like the holy grail of marketing, but it’s important to know the basics before you leap in.
So what exactly is marketing automation?
Marketing automation does not do your marketing for you. It is a platform that streamlines and automates your marketing efforts. The software takes tasks you’re already familiar with and measures them so you can determine your successes. Some of the strategies associated with it are as follows:
Platforms are designed to cater to your needs, thus allowing a lot of room to individualize the program. It allows for strong and consistent execution of tasks you are familiar with but may not have mastered.
Why might you need marketing automation?
Marketing automation does not eliminate the need for a marketing team. It’s designed to help your team accomplish better results if you’re experiencing some of the following:
The average person is inundated with emails every day. Most of us immediately delete the majority of mail that comes our way, especially if we don’t think it relates to us. As a marketing tactic, emails can be tricky. They require a strategy and plan to be successful and an accurate analysis of your target audience is key. Still, getting consumers to open your mail can be difficult. Getting that click-through can be even more difficult. It’s frustrating to put effort into an email without definitive results. If you’re not experiencing the results you anticipated, there are many things you can do to your emails that have big impacts on your click rates.
Strong headlines
Let the reader know exactly what the email is about in an engaging way. There is research to indicate that “this specific amount” of words is optimum for a subject header in an email, but the main goal is to attract the reader’s attention however necessary. This can be done by using unique word choice or by including concrete numbers like 7 or 15 to break up messages and catch the reader’s eye. Tell the reader what they are going to learn or gain by opening the email right off the bat.
Presentation
Presentation matters. Make sure your email’s format is friendly across all platforms. Almost half of all emails are opened on a mobile device, so it’s absolutely necessary to create emails visible on a smartphone or tablet. Consider some simple mobile design tips, like increasing font size and creating an obvious call-to-action. Edit and re-edit your emails for grammatical and formatting errors as these mistakes hurt the email’s credibility amongst an inbox full of mail fighting for attention.
Engaging Content
Be clear and to the point. Make sure the purpose of your message is clearly received. Make sure that your emails are only sent if there is real benefit to the reader. Offering incentive or benefits strongly increase your chances of clicks and demonstrate your relationship with the email recipient. Avoid clutter by making your content quick and to the point. Short and personal emails give you a clear and concise voice. Make sure all information necessary is included and the call to action reminds readers of why the email was sent to that specific person.
Know Your Audience
Know the habits of your audience to most effectively reach them. Your audience determines your language, your timing, the format of your email and a lot of other things too. Knowing their habits is necessary before using any other tool to construct your emails. When are they most likely to check their email? Typically, the most common time an email is opened across the board is after 8 p.m. on a weekday, though this may vary depending on your audience’s demographics. The type of language used in your email should be reflective of the purpose of the email, and the way you would talk to your target audience. Retailers marketing to teens are going to fill their subjects with tones much different than IT companies marketing to small businesses. Addressing your audience appropriately creates a personal relationship with viewers and incentivizes clicks and opens.
Everyone’s inbox is cluttered and overflowing. There is no definitive formula for email marketing success. However, by catering to your audience’s needs in the most appealing ways possible, your email marketing campaign has the ability to grow and succeed. If you’re looking for additional help, contact our marketing experts at Traffic Jams by calling (855) 599-9998 or emailing sales@trafficjams.com. We can create an email marketing campaign that is sure to produce results.
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