If you’re new to internet marketing or digital marketing then the very first thing you’ll need to do is register your company’s domain name. There are plenty of domain name registrars online, such as 1&1, that can help you get your site up and running quickly with a custom-built domain name.
The next step is to set up your email marketing software of choice. There are plenty of fully-functional free email marketing platforms out there such as MailChimp or Aweber. Once you have your email marketing platform up and running, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the concept of email list segmentation. This simply means you’ll need to pick out certain groups of individuals from your email list and send personalized emails to each segment.
When it comes to your email list, you have three basic options:
- Narrow your audience by connecting to a specific niche or seeking particular interests.
- Broaden your audience by connecting to a general group or category.
- Activate your email list by prompting interested parties to sign up.
Whichever you choose, the goal is to end up with segments of your email list that will respond positively to your communications and bring in business. Your email list is your most valuable digital asset. Treat it like gold and never ever share it with your competitors. When it comes to email marketing, the golden rule is: “Do more of what works for you, and less of what doesn’t.”
The Basics Of Email List Segmentation
Once you’ve set up your email marketing platform and started collecting emails, you’ll want to start segmenting your list. This is where you decide who you’ll send personalized emails to and whether or not you’ll also include the rest of your list. The more you know about email list segmentation, the better your results will be. Let’s take a quick look at the five rules of segmentation.
1. Use a Single, Clear Call To Action (CTA)
As the name would suggest, a call to action (CTA) is something that encourages the reader to take further action. This could be as simple as “Click here to learn more,” or it could be much more elaborate. Using a single CTA is the most basic and effective way of segmenting your email list. Even if you have a handful of pages with varying call to actions, you’ll still benefit from using a singular CTA.
2. Personalize The Email
When you send a promotional email to your list of customers, it’s important to make sure that each individual hears your pitch in a way that makes them feel like a personal guest at one of your special events. To do this, you need to establish a connection with your audience by giving your email a personal touch.
In addition to using your customers’ first names and last names in the body of your email, you can also edit the copy in a way that’s more personalized to them. You may want to consider using a direct mail service to print out your mailings. Doing this saves you the cost of postage and gives you the ability to send your messages right away if needed.
3. Keep It Short And Sweet
People get bombarded with emails every day, so it’s key that your email is short and sweet. In the internet marketing world, a short and sweet email typically ranges from three to six sentences. While it’s always great to hear from your customers, you don’t want to overdo it and spoil the fun of a short and sweet email by sending a long, wordy message. Remember: You’re trying to convince your readers to click or act on your content! Keep things light and fun, and make sure you include a call to action in your email.
4. Customize The Email
One of the great things about the internet is that you have the ability to customize virtually anything. With that comes the ability to create a unique email experience for each individual on your list. You can add a custom image or logo, change the font, color, and layout of the email, and add or remove sections of the content as needed.
For instance, you could add a special discount code for a certain product or service, or you could highlight a particular feature of your product that is unique to that model. With a little bit of creativity, you could even come up with a special offer that is only available to people on your particular email list. Coming up with creative ideas for personalized emails is one of the best parts of segmenting your email list.
5. Automate Responses
If you’re someone who likes to keep up with email marketing best practices then you’ll want to set up automated responses for each individual on your list. This means that whenever you send out a promotional email, the software will check if that email has been opened or clicked on by the recipient. If it has, the email will then generate a follow-up email containing more content.
If you want to get better at email marketing, then take the time to read up on the topic. There is a wealth of information out there on the internet to help you get started. Just remember to utilize the basic advice discussed above to stay on the right track.