If your business is not yet using email as a central part of its marketing strategy, you are missing out on one of the most effective forms of marketing there is. Email lets you reach a wide audience of potential customers for very little cost. Read the following article to learn more.
Offer a coupon to customers who sign up for your marketing email list. Put a form on your website where customers can sign up and set the form to email automatically new customers a coupon when they submit the form. This encourages customers to agree to allow you to send them marketing materials so that you won’t be accused of sending out spam.
Slowly build your contact list. Start with those who have already appreciated what you offer and then move on to areas where you can engage your prospects. It can take a while to pick whom should be receiving your emails, but it’ll be worth it in the end to build a reliable contact list.
Double and triple proof your emails before you hit the “send” button. You need to make sure all emails and newsletters are correct. Prior to sending each message, print a layout sample to ensure that the message appears as you intended. Ensure that any links contained in your email are functioning, as well.
Use A/B testing to see which emails are successful and which ones aren’t. Choose an email and split the mailing list in half, sending each half an email with a different subject line. This gives you the information you need to figure out which subjects work and which don’t.
Try engaging the customer using the subject line of the email. Your email must grab your reader’s attention the minute it lands inside of their inbox, otherwise it may go into their trash. If you have a weak or uninteresting subject line, that is exactly what will happen. So try spicing up your subject line with some creativity.
Always have a link for people to easily unsubscribe or opt out of your email list. You always want to have an unsubscribe link, and don’t keep it buried someplace where people cannot see it. Your reader must feel like it is their own personal choice, whether they continue to receive your emails or not.
Develop content that is interesting and informative to your customer base. The message should be engaging, and not filled with dry, boring content. The recipients are more likely to read it all the way through if it is not too long. As they see that your content is relevant, your reputation will grow.
Color is important, even when it comes to email! Your email messages should have a consistent color scheme that is both professional and easy to read. This is especially important once you start designing more advanced, HTML rich messages. If you are unsure about making your own selections, a little Internet research can point you towards excellent color schemes.
When people first sign up for your mailings, have a spot to at least get their first name. This will allow for greater personalization. Customers will feel less anonymous and the emails that you send will stand out in their inbox.
Be sure to ask permission to be able to send information to someone’s email. When asking, be sure to offer something in return. Turn it into something that your customers will look forward to checking instead of dreading it. This will keep your emails from looking and feeling like spam.
Keep your important aspects of your messages “above the fold.” This “fold” refers to the area that is previewed in an email program. Anything that is important should be arranged with this “fold” in mind. Many readers use these to preview a message before deciding to open it. Keep anything important within this area so that they don’t have to scroll to find it.
Your email marketing should make use of any branding or design work that your company is already employing. Keep your color scheme consistent and be certain to include the unique logo for your company with every message you plan on sending out. Once your brand has gained a favorable reputation and people already trust it, your emails will benefit from its good name.
Have an exit strategy for customers that stop responding to your mailings. If a customer is no longer interested in the products you have to sell, they’re going to be irritated and even angered by continued contact. Determine a number of messages or a length of time that you’ll keep sending messages, then if the customer doesn’t respond, remove them from your mailing list.
Try getting inspiration from your competitors or other people in your niche. Try signing up for their email campaigns to see what is working for them. This can give you a better idea of what you’re up against and why something may or may not be working for your own campaign.
There is nothing wrong with composing your marketing emails in HTML, but you may find it rewarding to give it a break from time to time. A simple message composed in plain text will be taken as a little more intimate and a little less formal by your subscribers. If you exercise moderation, sending plain text emails can encourage loyalty and draw your readers closer to you.
The more you learn about email marketing, the more you should realize just how effective a marketing technique it can be. Once you start using email to promote your business, you will never turn back.
Just remember the techniques you have learned from this article, and your marketing campaign will yield great results.
