Whether you run a small business or you’re part of a large corporation, email is an essential part of any marketing campaign. When someone contacts you by email, there is usually a good chance that they are also a potential customer or client. Therefore, it is important to look at creating a good initial impression through your email campaigns.
Clean Clutter-free Messaging
One of the first things that will come to mind when you get an email from a business or a brand that you’ve never heard of is the email’s spelling errors and the terrible English. While it’s true that many businesses, companies, and brands don’t necessarily have perfect English and spelling skills, you should still try to maintain a professional tone and a good impression of your business. Remember, they’re just a few keystrokes away from being your customer.
A good rule of thumb for email marketing is to never send a message that could possibly be mistaken for a spam. This means that whenever you write an email, you should avoid using words that are commonly associated with spam-like behavior, such as the words “free,” “fancy,” “bulk,” and “blast.”
For example, if you’re selling luxury goods and you want to promote a perfume that you’ve created, you might write:
“Dear [recipient], I hope you’re doing well. I’m sure your smell is exquisite, and I hope this email finds you in good health. Thanks for the opportunity to hear about your product and services. Sincerely, A loyal customer who wants to maintain a fresh, clean, and luxury-style inbox.”
Action Over Substance
When you’re sending emails as part of an online marketing campaign, you shouldn’t be trying to persuade the reader to do or believe something. Instead, you should be asking them to take some kind of action. This action could be as simple as making a purchase or as complex as sharing their email with others. The important thing is that the action is relevant to the email’s content.
For example, if you’re selling kitchen appliances and you want to promote a dishwasher, you might write:
“Dear [recipient], I want to encourage you to consider [product name] when you’re next cooking dinner. Not only does it make cooking simpler, but it also helps make the process more enjoyable. I hope this email finds you in good health, and thanks again for taking the time to read my email. Sincerely, An advertiser who wants to increase sales of [product name].”
Build Relationships
One of the best things that you can do for your business is to develop a good relationship with existing customers and potential new customers. The easiest way to do this is through email marketing. When someone signs up for your email list, you can use email to send them content that is tailored to their needs and interests. You can also use email to stay in touch with past customers and to let them know about new products or offers that you may have that are relevant to them.
If someone has previously purchased from you, it’s likely that they are also interested in your other products or services. You can leverage this fact by sending them relevant content in exchange for their email address. Of course, you don’t need to send them discounts or product updates – what you send them will be tailored to their interests. This is a very effective way to gain credibility with your readers and to make them feel that what you have to offer is valuable.
Personal Attention
While mass emailing is an easy way to reach a large group of people, it’s often the little things that make a difference in building credibility with your audience. One way to ensure that you get personal attention is to ask questions about the recipient’s interests, hobbies, likes, and dislikes. This could be done through the use of a simple poll or by giving them an assignment that you know they’ll enjoy doing (e.g., take a look at the wonderful things that came out of the Starbucks marketing team asking customers what kind of drink they wanted for Christmas – it’s quite humorous).
If you want to be seen as a serious business who takes their marketing seriously, then you must be prepared to put in the extra effort to ensure that every part of your email campaign is up to par. While it may be tempting to simply copy and paste an email template you’ve used in the past, the better approach is to continually test and improve upon your email’s content and style until you get it right.