Email marketing is the integration of marketing efforts via email to promote various products and services of the business. It is a form of marketing that engages with customers on the email list by making them aware of what’s brewing at the Head Quarters, sharing the news of product and service launches, any new deals or discounts, etc. It helps educate audiences on the brand’s value offerings and keeps them involved in the purchase process.
Ideally, brands want to invest in marketing campaigns that offer high ROI – Return on Investment. Email marketing is one of the most effective and popular tools for marketing campaigns. Below is a list of the 6 Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing to get you started.
7 Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing
Following are 7 Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing that you can inculcate in your upcoming campaign:
1. DO set goals for your campaign
To run a successful email marketing campaign, set goals for the marketing campaign and decide on a game plan to achieve those goals. Some common goals for email marketing campaigns include the following:
· Increase open rates
The average email open depends on your industry, and you should be looking at your respective industry to boost up the open rates by creating an immediate connection with your customers.
· Increase click rates
The average email click rate is only 2.5%, so you can find creative ways to increase engagement by revamping your CTA’s – Call to action.
2. DO create a catchy subject line
Subject lines are the breaking point of any email marketing campaign because it is the first thing that subscribers lay eyes on. The subject line is pertinent in deciding the success rate for the campaign because it all comes down to whether the subscriber will or will not open the email. A well-thought-out subject line will intrigue the reader to find out more about what the email is about. Some tips on creating catchy subject lines:
- Make it precise
- Personalize it
- Avoid trigger words
3. DO structure your email properly
Your email should be short and sweet because nobody wants to read brand stories on emails. The aim should be to get the point across as simply as you can. The body of the email should be properly structured, just like any other piece of text. It is crucial to include the following elements to ensure the reader is paying attention:
· Hook the reader
Add a hook at the beginning of your email, which could be in the form of an anecdote or a fact, or a quote. Get the reader hooked by appealing to their emotional or critical side.
· Personalization
Personalize the emails by adding the reader’s name and making them feel valued.
· Make the reader comfortable
Never add a CTA initially because it can put off the customer as seeming too desperate. Ease the reader in the process so they do not feel overwhelmed with the information because emails often lack the human touch, so make sure your email is not another sales pitch.
4. Do collect data and follow up
It is very important to understand how data collection can impact the success of campaigns and pave the way for future campaigns. The power of analytics and data collection tools enhance the accuracy of information about demographics or any you have acquired.
The timely responses will ensure that your campaign is running smoothly. Following up on your initial emails is a great way to reiterate any information recipients might have left out.
Efficient feedback systems will help you get to know your customers and shape future dealings alongside receiving inputs and append data as per your customers’ requirements.
5. DON’T forget to optimize emails
Don’t forget to look at how your emails will be visible to clients or recipients. You can try out different platforms to check which is the most optimized for your emails. You can check out a range of options, including Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.
The formatting of the emails remains constant across all options, and always remember that a large number of email recipients will be opening the email on their mobile devices. So ensure that your email is optimized for each device and not just for a laptop or computer screen.
6. DON’T make emails overly promotional
Do not send the same email to your list of subscribers more than once. Even worse is sending personalized emails to the same people too many times. Not only will they purposely avoid your emails, but they also unsubscribe.
Similarly, avoid the use of words that will activate spam filters. Emails containing overly promotional language and relying heavily on spammy words like sale, free or one-time offer will most likely end up in spam folders. It means the reader will not even get the chance to read your email. Campaign metadata, coding, IP addresses, and format can fail to send an email.
It is essential that keep your reader in the loop of what’s going on, but there’s always a right way to do promotions, and if you feel that your content lacks finesse, you should hire an agency to draft emails and promotional content for your brand.
7. DON’T overuse images
The majority of the emails that readers subscribe to open on mobile devices, so the optimization capacity of screens is affected, and people might have opted for disabling images on their phones. Another problem is the low data usage, which will cause the images to load in more time or not load, which will tick off the reader because nobody has that kind of time.
If the entire aesthetic of your email is dependent on images, the email is not readable. So make sure to convey the message through text, add images as a supporting tool, and add some vibrancy to your email, keeping in mind the limitations of each device.
Email marketing can serve as a powerful tool to help retain and gain more customers by increasing engagement and ROI for your brand. The idea is not to bombard readers and subscribers with emails but to integrate marketing efforts and channels to disseminate the right information to the right people.
In the end, successful email campaigns depend entirely on how well you were able to establish a personal connection with your audience and how promptly they responded or took action. So try to stick to the point and make it interesting.
Clifford Woods
