If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either an active or potential buyer of clothing online, as it’s one of the first websites we visit when we’re looking for clothes online. Does that sound like something you could be interested in? If so, then you’re in the right place.
Online shopping for clothes has exploded in the last few years, with many people choosing to avoid shopping in person and to make their purchases online. This has led to an increase in the use of email marketing as a tactic, with many fashion retailers using email to promote sales and communicate with customers about their goods.
While there are many benefits to buying clothing online, it’s important to remember that shopping online comes with certain risks. One risk you need to be aware of is fraud. Unfortunately, many scammers and hackers work in fraud, making up fake email accounts and using them to steal identities and money. So, it’s important to be careful when providing your personal information, as you could be exposing yourself to fraudsters.
Why Use Email Marketing
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, email marketing was a popular way to connect with customers and potential customers. Studies show that consumers prefer to receive email marketing messages regarding sales and discounts, as it is the most effective way to ensure that they receive the maximum amount of value for their investment. Moreover, consumers prefer to receive emails from brands they trust, which is a key consideration when deciding which email marketing platform to use.
Because of its success, numerous companies have decided to adopt or implement email marketing as part of their marketing strategy, with many choosing to do so after the Covid-19 pandemic. This is mostly due to the fact that having a working email address is now considered a basic necessity. If you’re unable to receive marketing emails because you don’t have a working email address, you’re effectively missing out on a major source of information and communication about your products.
Make Email List Building a Priority
It’s critical to build an email list as soon as possible after you begin your email marketing campaign, as you won’t be able to grow your list drastically without doing so. The earlier you start building your email list, the more opportunities you’ll have to engage with prospective customers and grow your business.
Although it’s tempting to go for the “low-hanging fruit” when it comes to marketing, i.e. to send out mass emails to as many people as possible to see how many people you can reach, it’s important to prioritize a selected group of people who are more likely to be interested in your product or service.
Depending on your product, you might decide to target parents, millennials, or teachers for your email marketing, as these are the three groups of people who are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer. Once you have this narrowed down to a specific group of people, you can begin to build your list. Don’t just send out email marketing messages to your list as soon as you have it, though. You should be engaging with your audience through various content, such as blogs, videos, and social media accounts, to keep them interested in your product and to encourage them to add your email address to their lists.
Find the Best Mailing List Platform
There are several different platforms you can use to build and grow your email list, so it’s important to find one that is the right fit for your needs. Below, we’ll discuss the differences between some of the most popular mailing list platforms, which one you should choose based on your needs, and how to use each one effectively.
A Brief History of Mailing Lists
Before we begin, it’s important to understand something about email lists and why they’re so important. First of all, email lists allow you to segment your potential customers and to target specific groups of people based on what they’ve asked for, likes, or demographics. This is something that online retailers and marketeers have been able to do for years, but it became much easier and more effective with the existence of email lists.
For instance, if you sell children’s clothes and you want to target parents, you can create a list of parents’ email addresses, which you then can use to send out email marketing campaigns regarding your products. The key is being able to engage with the right audience and to segment that audience into smaller groups, which you can then target with your messaging.
With the growth of the internet and social media, many people have begun to subscribe to email lists, as it’s one of the few ways marketers can still effectively communicate with customers, especially in today’s world. Email lists are still extremely important, as many people prefer to receive information via email, instead of through social media accounts, which are extremely difficult to keep up with.
Now, as we mentioned above, not all email lists are created equal. Some are much more effective than others, so it’s important to find the best fit for your business. Below, we’re going to discuss three basic things you should consider when choosing the right mail list platform for your needs.
Segmented vs. Untargeted Lists
One of the first things you should consider when choosing a mail list platform is whether you want a segmented or untargeted list. A segmented list is one where you’ve chosen a group of people, usually based on criteria such as demographics or interests, and then used that select group of people to create the list. This list can then be used to send out marketing emails or direct mail pieces to reach out to those people.
Segmented lists are much easier to create and maintain, and they allow you to target specific groups of people who you deem important to your business. However, if you don’t yet have enough data to identify key groups of people to create segmented lists for, then go with an untargeted list, as these can be just as effective, if not more so, than segmented lists. The key is to find a way to engage with your audience, and using email lists, you can do that much more effectively than you could ever do using social media platforms.
How Do You Want to Engage With Your Audience?
While we discussed above how important it is to find the right audience, whether via demographic or interests, it’s also important to find the right channel for that audience. For example, if you want to target parents with your products or services, you might decide to create videos, blog posts, or podcast episodes regarding childrearing, as this is a topic that interests many parents.
If your product or service appeals to millennials, then you could create a blog or vlog regarding millennial trends or lifestyle, as this group of people is highly interested in topics relating to fashion and style. If you want to reach teachers, you might want to look into creating e-learning courses or a podcast regarding education.
You need to find channels where you can engage with your audience, and using email lists, you can do that much more effectively than you could ever do using social media accounts.
The Final Decision
After you’ve considered all these things, it’s time to make a decision. Below, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each option and how to choose the one that’s right for your business.
Cons Of Various Mailing List Platforms
Although email lists allow you to effectively target your audience and to segment that audience into smaller groups, they also have some significant disadvantages. One disadvantage is that creating a list is time-consuming, as you have to opt-in to receive emails from the list builder, which means they have your email address. Another disadvantage is that email lists are not always accurate, as people can and do fake their addresses, which could result in you sending out unsolicited commercial email (spam).
Another disadvantage is that sometimes a third party will sell your personal information to marketers, which is a serious concern. Third parties will often sell your personal information because they believe it is worth something, which can lead to identity theft. To stay safe while using email lists, always keep your email address confidential and change it every few months.
Pros Of Various Mailing List Platforms
Now, not all email lists have the same set of advantages, so it’s important to understand the advantages of each platform before making a decision. Below, we’ll discuss the advantages of each one.
- Ease Of Use
- Affordability
- Segmentation
- Targeting
- List Building