Do you use email marketing to reach your customers at the moment? Campaign Monitor reckons 64% of small businesses currently do. Or are you, like I was earlier this year, wondering if Email Marketing was ready to curl up and fade away?
The fact is that email as a medium for contact is not going anywhere. The number of worldwide email users grows year on year and currently stands at more than half of the global population. Marketing revenue from emails is also growing annually, and is expected to surpass $10.9 billion by the end of 2023…that is a craaaaazzy amount of potential. But how does it translate for the little guys?
Well, according to DirectLync and OptinMonster you can expect an average return of $42 for every $1 you spend on email, with 18% of companies achieving more than $70 for every $1 spent! (apologies for the USD pricing, but those are the folk doing the studies!).
That means that Email Marketing is not only a cheaper way to convert sales than most other forms of marketing, but it is also statistically more likely to drive sales to your business than social media, print or event marketing.
How to Create Successful Email Marketing
So how do you use Email Marketing as part of your strategy for next year, and what do you need to think about to make it successful?
1. Personalise it
Your sign up process should have captured your customer’s first name, but go beyond the ‘Hello FirstName’ greeting. Use personal CTAs, and recommend products and services based on their previous activities.
2. Segment it
The number one rule in a successful marketing campaign is right message, to right person, at the right time. Split up that list and target your customers with a message that means something to them.
3. Build Excitement
If you have a launch or an offer coming up, you can’t guarantee that a countdown on social media will reach your potential customers in the right order at the right time. With email marketing, you can build the tension by drip-feeding content at milestones leading up to the launch.
4. Keep it Professional
Email marketing has been around for decades, and at this stage in the game, there is no excuse for sending out emails that don’t look professional and trustworthy. Check your spelling, use high-quality images, and make sure it works on mobiles.
If in doubt, ask someone who has been writing email marketing campaigns back when you bought your data off eBay on CD-ROMs…yup. I also used to create Fax Marketing campaigns #askmehow…
Get in touch if you need help!
