Raise the Level of Your Marketing Emails Above “Just a Bunch of Boring Words”
Sixteenth in a series
Customer-enticing email requires more than technical best practices. So what should you do when you’re facing that blank computer screen?
We shared many of the ingredients for the “secret sauce” of successful email campaigns last time. Now let’s take a look at more of the recipe for effective email marketing.
Choose your goal(s)
Why are you sending this email? Is it to increase sales for a specific product or service? To drive traffic to your website? To reinforce brand recognition? Knowing the “why” will help create the “what” as well as the “who.” You’ll also determine the goal you’re trying to reach and be able to track your progress toward completion.
You may have different goals depending on the time of year or at different stages in your customer’s journey. Each goal requires its own kind of content with a specific slant so that the message resonates with the reader rather than looking like just more inbox spam.
We’ve been emailing the Sprocket Report since our business was founded. It’s gone through different versions over time, but the “why” has always been the same: to establish Sprocket Website as a digital marketing expert. We share marketing information for free in order to stay top-of-mind when it’s time to hand off those chores.
Match your content to your audience
“Personalization” and “Segmentation” are big buzzwords these days in email marketing because the same email may not be of interest to everyone on your list. As we mentioned above, you can create messages that coincide with where a customer is on their buying journey. For instance, an introductory offer for prospective customers, an abandoned cart reminder for shoppers, and a loyalty reward for returning patrons.
Use your own history to figure out how to segment your audience and craft the appropriate message for each, but check out the statistics in your industry, too. You might even want to take a peek at what your competition is doing to do something similar or go in a totally opposite direction, as you see fit.
At Sprocket, we have built a client base in a couple of distinct spaces, but our Sprocket Report readers tend to be tech-savvy and the marketing decision-makers in their organization. These owners and managers are perfectly able to act on the info we share, but often don’t have the time or team to do so, which makes them great partners for us.
Don’t blow it with the wrong words
So much depends on first impressions! We’ll go into detail on story-telling next time, but even the most interesting tale sounds dull when it’s told badly. Start by pointing out the relevancy of the message to your reader, as we mentioned before. Pique their interest by offering a solution or reward that will be of use to them. Then fulfill the promise.
The more you write, the better you become as a writer, but fortunately, there are also a number of online tools that will help. Since the subject line is seen first, use a testing tool to fine-tune the most clickable phrase. If you’re sending an informative newsletter, analyze your article headlines the same way. The next most important part is your very first paragraph. Research and then use the most compelling words so your reader keeps scrolling.
Yes, there’s a lot to be aware of in email marketing and even if you follow every expert tip, it may not work for your particular business – at least not right away. Email campaigns take time because you are building a relationship. Make the effort to plan a long-term strategy and be prepared to follow through consistently. Because email marketing still works!
Ready to start an email campaign, but too busy to get it going? That’s where Sprocket Websites can help. Give us a call today to see how we can work together.
Read the next post in this series.
Photo by Hikmet
Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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