Over the course of just a few days, our email inboxes are flooded with a huge amount of advertisements and newsletters. With around 3.9 billion global email users, there’s a lot of competition for your customer’s attention. As a marketer, that puts you in a tough spot. If your email marketing content does not stand out, you will just be seen as spam that no one wants to read.
Email is one of the most efficient ways to reach your customers, making it a powerful tool for building client loyalty. It is an effective marketing channel as it allows you to promote your products and services to your valued subscribers 80% of business professionals believe that email marketing increases customer retention, according to an Emarsys study.
Wondering how to run a successful email marketing campaign that will stand out in your contact’s inbox? Here are some easy to follow tips for creating an engaging campaign.
Build targeted email list
Before you can start with a successful email marketing campaign, you need to segment your email list. By breaking the subscribers into smaller and more targeted groups, you are able to send them more relevant emails. With segmentation you have a much better chance of reaching the subscribers who are interested in what you have to offer, resulting in higher conversion. Make sure you know who you are talking to and adjust your email content to fit.
Personalize your email
Basic email personalization includes tactics like adding the person’s name in the subject line and including your contact details in the signature. Here are a few more tips to help you make up a personalized email:
- Tailor your pre-header text to add a personal touch to your message.
- Use relevant content that directly impacts the email receiver. Instead of telling your subscribers how great your product or service is, focus on the value you can provide to them.
- Deliver your message at the right time of the day and week.
Strong subject line
While the subject line may not seem like a most important part of the message, it is the very first impression on recipients. That’s why it’s so important to include an attention-getting subject line to encourage your readers to open the email. Write lines that describe the benefit to your target audience and avoid catchy phrases or clickbait. People get dozens of promotional emails every day. Get to the point quickly!
Meaningful call-to-action
The purpose of any marketing email is to give your subscribers a fascinating reason to click that call-to-action button. Be sure to use action-oriented text that explains what your subscribers will receive once they click. Without a clear CTA you may leave your audience wondering what you want them to do. Each email you send out should include a single clear action that you want the receiver to take. You can optimise your button CTAs by using bright colors, extra white space and interactivity.
Designed for all devices
Making your content suitable for all devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) is a key to successful email marketing. Mobile-friendliness is especially important, according to Litmus research 47% of emails are opened on a mobile device. Ensure your call-to-action buttons are recognisable and easy to tap.
Analytics and testing
Pay attention to analytics as they will give you very clear clues on what you’re doing right and wrong. A huge advantage of email marketing campaigns is that you can always test them, allowing you to improve them in the future.. A/B testing is a good way to increase customer engagement and improve the open and click-through rates of your emails. You are likely to get more accurate results if you only test one thing at a time. For example, if not many people are opening your emails, then the subject line should be an area of focus for your A/B testing. It’s a good idea to A/B test your headline and call-to-action in order to improve the conversion rate.
Conclusion
Email marketing is only effective when it is done right. You always need to remember that you act as a guest in the inboxes of your email receivers. You are just one click away from losing their interest forever. Use email marketing only when you know that your message adds value to your subscriber’s life. There’s a lot of learning involved when managing an email campaign, but there is also a lot of opportunity to build a genuine relationship with your customers, rather than just focusing on business points.