Email marketing is a facet of digital marketing that can be done online, which means it is accessible to virtually everyone. Because it is so widely accepted and reachable by everyone, email marketing is a great choice for expanding your digital marketing efforts. With just a few email blasts, you can get in touch with established and potential customers alike, and encourage them to take action, or to perform a certain task. Simply put, when done right, email marketing is both effective and cost-efficient.
1. Create compelling content that will keep readers engaged
If you want to do email marketing successfully, you need to approach it from a thoughtful and creative angle. You are not simply emailing hundreds or thousands of people to encourage them to take action, or to consume a product. You are engaging with each individual reader, and enticing them to open your emails, and click on the links you provide. This requires a bit more planning and a decent amount of expertise.
To keep readers interested and engaged, you need to create content that is both informative and creative. The content should raise intriguing questions that will encourage the reader to click through to your site or purchase a product. To create compelling content, you can use various techniques, such as case studies, how-to articles, or even videos (with an explanation).
2. Identify the desired reactions to achieve business goals
When you set out to do email marketing, you have to consider what you want the reader of your email to do. Do you want them to visit your website and make a purchase? Do you want them to click a link and get a discount? Do you want them to simply read your email and move on to the next one? These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself before you send your first email.
After you have your objective in mind, you can craft your message to achieve the desired outcome. For example, if you want to drive people to your website and make a purchase, you could send an email like this:
“Hey there, interested in camping gear? I’ve got just the thing for you…”
In this case, you are using the list to drive traffic to a specific product or website. You can also use affiliate marketing to promote a product or service that you feel is relevant to the email’s theme. For example, if you are promoting a weight loss product or service, you could send an email about how the product or service helps people like you slim down.
3. Customize the content based on previous interactions
In the world of email marketing, content is king. When crafting your next email campaign, be sure to look at your past interactions with the reader. You can do this by analyzing the emails you have already sent out, as well as those that were opened and clicked-on. This will allow you to more effectively tailor your content for that particular audience.
For instance, if you notice that a specific type of content – such as an infographic – performed well in the past, you can use that as a guide to create future content of the same ilk. If your last email campaign used statistics and visuals to illustrate a point, you may decide to use this same format in your next email. Doing this can help you avoid stale email content, and keep your emails fresh and engaging.
4. Include a call to action (CTA)
Every email needs a call to action (CTA). By providing a button or link (called a CTA) that will take the reader to a specific location – such as a website or purchase page – you can get them to take action immediately. The CTA should not be included in the body of the email; rather, it should be placed at the very end. This is usually the part of the email where you will ask the reader to take action – such as signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase online.
The CTA should be easy to find and should be relevant to the email content. Additionally, you should only include one CTA per email. If you have a multi-step process that your reader must go through to accomplish a task, consider using a landing page with several steps to direct them to the desired place.
5. Create a nurturing relationship with your audience
Instead of simply sending an unengaging pitch at the end of an email, you can develop a relationship with your reader by adding value and engaging with them on a personal level. To do this, you can use an angle that is intimate and personal, such as your name. This may seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of businesses overlook the importance of personal engagement in their marketing material.
For example, if you send an email about a new product, but you include no personality and no relevant content… the reader isn’t going to feel like they are getting value out of the email. However, if you send an email with your name in the subject line, and you include relevant content about the product, as well as a touch of your personality, you are establishing a connection with the reader that is much more personal and valuable.
The reader should feel like you are talking to them directly and that what you are saying is valuable. This can be difficult to achieve, especially if you are trying to keep a formal tone while still being informative.
6. Measure the success of your email marketing efforts
You can’t expect to see instantaneous results from your email marketing efforts. Although you may see some clicks and sales from time to time, it will vary from week to week depending on a number of factors, including the quality of your content and the list you are on. To measure the success of your email marketing campaign, you need to set a goal and a time frame for yourself, and track your progress. Depending on how big your goal is, you may need to set up special notifications to track your progress, such as emailing you each time someone signs up for your list or makes a purchase online.
To begin, you can set a goal for yourself of how many leads you want to generate for your chosen affiliate programs, and set a time frame for yourself (usually 30 or 60 days). Then, you can track your progress on a weekly basis.
7. Be consistent
When someone decides to subscribe to your email list or engage with your content, they are doing so because they found some value in what you have to say. Since you have already established a connection with them and their interest in what you have to offer, it is important that you continue to send good quality content regularly.
If you want to see your email marketing efforts result in success, you have to be consistent and continue to send value-add content regularly. If you stop sending content after a few weeks, or months, the interest may slowly fade away, and you risk losing this audience completely. To keep your audience and grow your email list, you need to constantly be thinking up new ways to provide value.
8. Reap the benefits of email marketing
Email marketing is a proven tool for gaining traction and growing your business. With simple email blasts, you can get in touch with potential customers, and encourage them to take action, or consume your content. Additionally, you can use your email list to engage with potential customers on a more personal level, and gain a better feel for their needs and wants. At the end of the day, you can see exactly what is driving the decisions of your audience, which makes it easier to tailor your content and offers to meet their needs. In a nutshell, email marketing is a great choice for gaining brand awareness, generating leads, and growing your business.