What’s the first thing you do each morning? The last thing you do before bed? If you’re like 80% of the US population, you check your phone first thing every morning and just before bed every night. In essence, your phone and what it contains is on your mind (even subconsciously) constantly.
Misconceptions About Email Marketing
One of the biggest misconceptions about email marketing is that it doesn’t work anymore. In actuality, email marketing sees an average ROI of 122%, higher than any other form of marketing, including social media. The problem with email marketing isn’t that it doesn’t work, but that many marketers aren’t doing it right. Click To Tweet There’s a clear yet misunderstood distinction between smart email marketing and spam. One will see high ROI, the other may get you suspended or blacklisted by your email service provider. Here are a few tips to help you avoid creeping into spam territory:
Use Your Lists Wisely
Where did you get your email contact list? A good list should consist of customers or potential customers who signed up with the understanding that they would be receiving email correspondence from you. If you’re sending emails to people who aren’t expecting to hear from you, or (gasp) email addresses from a purchased list, expect to see your spam complaints go up. Your emails are viewed as direct correspondence from your business, so spammy emails will reflect negatively on your entire brand.
Personalize
A little personalization goes a long way. Even adding a first name can give recipients pause when they’re scrolling through their inbox. The more targeted your email is, the less likely it is to end up in the Spam or Promotions folder. A powerful aspect of marketing automation, emails triggered by a customer or lead are far more likely to be read. Someone who added items to their online cart only to get sidetracked may need a reminder email to rein them back in.
Avoid Sales Language
Once your email has made it to the recipient’s inbox, you’re golden, right? Wrong! There are many reasons an email will go ignored, but one of the biggest is an overly ‘salesy’ tone. There’s no reason to read the email if the subject line gives it all away. If your business of offering a special, use the subject line to tease. Consider these examples and ask yourself which email you’re more likely to open:
“HUGE BLOWOUT THIS WEEKEND ONLY! 20% OFF EVERYTHING!”
OR
“Hi, Sarah! You’re not going to want to miss what we have in store for you this weekend!”
Heed Analytics
Your email marketing reports offer a treasure trove of valuable analytics for your marketing team. Bounce rates can identify problems with your contact list, email format or previous spam rates. A high sent rate but low open rate may signal a weak subject line, or be your first hint that your emails aren’t ending up in the inbox. Study your reports and use them to tailor your email marketing strategy for maximum results.
A Smart Tool When Used Properly
Sending mass marketing emails, while tempting, won’t get you the results you want. More care than ever must be given to ensure that emails are personalized, targeted and human. Always put yourself into the position of the recipient. Is the email offering them anything of value? Will they be able to read it and see the images on their smartphone? If not, you need to rethink your strategy.
Contact Us to learn more about marketing automation and email marketing solutions to suit your brand.