5 Tips for Better Email Marketing

Email marketing is undoubtedly one of the best ways to reach and engage with your customers without spending huge amounts of money.

 

It’s a cost-effective approach which can lead to sustainable results pretty quickly.

But there are a few things you need to carefully consider before you hit the ‘send’ button. The Daily Business Post asked Richard Coen, digital marketing strategist at Emarkable.ie for his tips to help you improve your email marketing strategy.

“A brand’s image can be significantly damaged and loyal customers may be lost by not approaching this area properly,” Coen said.

 

1. Make sure your lists are targeted and ‘opt-in’

An email list that is bought usually won’t have the greatest effect. Unsolicited emails are usually ignored or go automatically to the spam folder. It’s important therefore to create a list of good quality subscribers who are genuine, potential customers and to respect their inboxes.

“The key to any email campaign is to increase the conversion rates of your business. Should you only secure random or unqualified leads, the emails will likely be deleted, ignored or bounced to the spam folder,” Coen said.

It’s therefore optimal to go for what are known as “pre-qualified” leads, which can be developed through your own research or purchased through a third-party outsourcing solutions provider.

Not targeting the correct demographic will also lead to less conversions and can damage the brand image.

 

2. Consistently build your list

It’s vital that you don’t get lazy when it comes to adding to your existing list. According to Coen, it is an industry standard that approximately 25 per cent of your current subscribers won’t still be there a year from now.

So unless you want to see a continuing drop, it’s important to find ways to strengthen your numbers.

“Set benchmark targets and request feedback to add to the appeal of your existing emails. Actively engage with all existing clients to keep them loyal. Additionally, free trials or access to a live representative are excellent ways to bolster the confidence any target audience,” Coen said.

 

3. Segment your list

One size fits all has no place in an effective email marketing strategy, Coen said.

“If a recipient feels blanketed by irrelevant emails, he or she is likely to walk away. Recall that different individuals will be at different stages within the engagement process,” he said.

To cater for this, businesses should collate the information that is sent into different categories; active clients, potential clients, information seekers, subscribers with questions. Doing this means your subscribers aren’t all getting the same generic email, but they’re getting something more relevant to their interests and needs.

“A satisfied individual can quickly convert to an active client,” Coen said.

 

4. Regularly evaluate and modify

Hitting send day after day without evaluating your stats and conversion rates is ultimately pointless, so monitor your techniques — which ones work, which don’t, which could be tweaked etc.

“This approach is actually quite statistical, as you’ll need to view the results clearly and concisely,” Coen said. “By coding each type of email and measuring response rates, you’ll be able to discern whether your correct demographic is being reached or if you need to adjust your current strategy.”

For each segment and stage of a campaign, modify your email templates, syntax and calls to action to gauge how the results differ from previous data that has been gathered, he said.

 

5. Simple is beautiful

When it comes to email marketing, simplicity is key and each email should offer a streamlined and clear layout.

“Superfluous presentations can be confusing and could even turn a potential client off. Three critical metrics to employ are always; a brief product presentation, concise contact details and a proactive call to action,” Coen said.

 

Richard is always happy to answer any questions you have about email marketing and digital marketing strategies. Contact the him by phone on (01) 808 1301, or email directly to richard@emarkable.ie.

5 tips for better email marketing is taken from The Daily Business Post, 18 June.

Richard Coen

With over 21 years of experience in Digital Marketing, 31 years in sales and 25 years in business development, Richard assists companies to develop key growth strategies on a local or international basis. He can assist marketers to achieve balance in their approach to key areas affected by the growth in digital marketing.