Best Practices for Using Email Marketing Today

The world of Digital Marketing is constantly changing, which can make it challenging for businesses of all sizes to keep up with current best practices. If you’ve been sticking to the same Email Marketing strategy for a while now, you might be falling behind your competition. Here are some current best practices to help you build a winning strategy:

TIP 1 | Segment, Customize, and Personalize to Build Stronger Connections

Many businesses make the mistake of sending the same email to their entire list of subscribers. Rather than send a general message out to a broad audience, it’s far more effective to provide your subscribers with more personalized communication. So, before you launch a new email marketing campaign, spend some time getting to know who exactly is on your email list.

Chances are, your list of subscribers includes people who have connected with your business in a variety of different ways. Some may be current, loyal customers, but others may be people who are interested in your business but haven’t yet made a purchase. While it may be simpler to send one email to both audiences, it’s much more effective to send separate, tailored messages.

Most email marketing platforms make is surprisingly simple to segment your email list based on factors such as demographics, purchase history, website activity, and more. By dividing your subscriber list into specific segments, you can more easily adjust your messaging.

TIP 2 | Provide Value for Your Readers

Ultimately, your email marketing goals are probably focused on generating revenue for your business. You want interested prospects to make a purchase, and previous customers to repurchase. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure your campaigns include key messages designed to drive sales. However, it’s crucial not to go overboard with too much heavy-handed sales messaging.

Rather than flood people’s inboxes with a steady stream of sales pitches, focus on sharing content that centers around your readers’ needs. Email marketing provides you with highly-effective ways to build lasting relationships with your customers, so it’s important to use your content to nurture those relationships. Share useful information such as helpful tips and tricks, encourage subscribers to check out your latest blog, or simply send a thank you message to your loyal customers.

By being willing to share something of value with your subscribers, you’ll increase the odds that they’ll stay subscribed, continue to read your emails, and remember your business when they’re ready to make their next purchase.

TIP 3 | Use Automation to Streamline and Simplify

You may be sold on the idea of segmenting your email list and sending tailored, high-value content to each of your audiences, but feel intimidated by how much additional work this might create for you and your team. Fortunately, most email marketing platforms allow you to automate all of your emails. Through automation, you can ensure that the right email lands in the right person’s inbox, at precisely the right moment.

There are a variety of ways you can automate your emails. You may want to simply schedule specific emails to send out on a certain date and time, or perhaps you want an email to send as soon as someone fills out a form on your website. With automation, you choose the criteria and the creative, and your email marketing platform takes care of the rest.

TIP 4 | Optimize for Mobile Devices

Chances are, a large number of your subscribers are checking out your emails on their mobile devices. In fact, nearly 65% of email opens occur on a mobile device. Your subscribers might be skimming through emails on their phone while they wait in line at their local coffeeshop, or first thing in the morning before they get out of bed.

As a general rule of thumb, users should be able to pick up on your key messages with even just a cursory glance through your content. If you use an email template, make sure it’s mobile optimized. You should also keep your emails clear, concise, and interesting.

• Experiment with creative visuals. Often, you only have a split-second to capture your audience’s attention. Wordy, text-heavy emails aren’t ideal for users who are scrolling through on the go. Try using bold, clean images or even GIFs to grab their attention and serve as a complement to your written content.
• Include one clear call to action. Mobile users are limited to a smaller screen size, so it’s important to streamline your message. Use one specific call to action, and then make it as easy as possible for users to take that action regardless of what type of device they are using.
• Balance form and function. While it’s important for your email campaigns to look good, you also want to make sure users can easily read and interact with your content. Avoid using small font sizes, and make sure that the colors you choose for your text and background provide plenty of contrast so your content is easy to read. Elements that users might interact with, such as call-to-action buttons or “read more” links, should be sized so that mobile users can “click” through with their finger.

For more tips on creating more effective emails, check out our blog “How To Create An Effective Email Marketing Campaign.” If you’re interested in learning more about our email marketing and other digital marketing services, contact our team for a free Digital Marketing Plan.