Have you ever emailed a company to ask about their products only to find out the email was never read? Or, have you ever replied to an email and given some fantastic advice, only to have the person never reply to your help?
These are some of the questions that can help you determine the validity of your email marketing campaign. Finding the right audience for your emails is critical to the success of any email marketing campaign. But, you may be asking; “Who should I write to?”
There are four broad categories that you need to consider when deciding who to write to; Decision-makers, Influencers, Opinion Leaders, and Current Market Shoppers. You’ll learn more about each one below.
Decision-makers
These are the people making the purchasing decisions within an organization. Whether it’s a marketing manager, a senior vice-president, or a CEO, they are the ones deciding which product to purchase and how much to spend. A well-written email to a decision-maker can result in significant sales.
To be successful, your email marketing campaign needs to possess three key elements, CTA, relevance, and originality. A good call to action (CTA) can be very effective. For instance, if you’re selling jewelry, you might want to encourage your readers to visit your website by offering them a 25% discount. The relevance of your email is determined by the content and the decision-maker for which it is intended. If you send an email to a CEO, you’ll want the content to be highly relevant to what they decide to purchase. To be unique, you’ll want to include something special that will draw the attention of the reader. For example, would you like to learn the top three luxury watch brands or the top three luxury fragrance brands?
Influencers
These are individuals who have a large social media presence and a large influence on their followers. They can be real-life celebrities or online personalities, such as YouTube stars, Instagrammers, and Twitch streamers. When someone influential decides to take notice of your brand or organization, it can result in an avalanche of new customers. However, a lot of effort goes into gaining attention through social media and a lot of that effort can go into deciding whether or not to engage with you. Once they decide to engage, you’ll want to maintain an authentic relationship, share relevant content, and provide helpful advice.
To be successful, your email marketing needs to possess three elements, CTA, relevance, and originality. One of the first brand ambassadors to enter the 21st century was Martha Stewart. Back in 1999, she became the first female self-made billionaire through her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Since then, many other celebrities and online personalities have followed suit and created their own personal brands, providing them with a steady stream of income. If you want to be influential, go where the influencers are, such as TikTok, and gain your audience there.
Opinion Leaders
These are individuals who influence their followers through their daily opinion, whether it’s through a blog post, a podcast, or a speech. If you want to create an opportunity for someone to learn about your brand or organization, consider writing them an email introducing yourself and your company, sharing a few of your perspectives on social media, and possibly offering them some special discounts or deals.
To be successful, your email marketing needs to possess three elements, CTA, relevance, and originality. One of the first brands to adopt the use of email marketing was Procter & Company, founded in 1861 and currently one of the world’s largest manufacturers of surgical tools. They sent letters to physicians, inviting them to join a newfangled invention called ‘mass emailing’ where they could get the latest news about surgical tools and be kept up-to-date on the latest medical research.
Current Market Shoppers
These are the individuals or groups of individuals who make up the audience you’re currently targeting. This could be all of your customers, people who have expressed an interest in your product or service, people who have liked your page on social media, or people who have visited your website. When a new product has been announced that is similar to yours, consider sending an email about the new product to your customers. The major differentiator between current market shoppers and the other three email marketing categories is that you’re not trying to gain their business, you want them to choose your product or service. For instance, you’re not trying to get them to visit your website to learn more about your brand; you’re trying to get them to choose your product, whether it’s jewelry, clothing, or fragrance, over the competitor’s product.
To be successful, your email marketing needs to possess three elements, CTA, relevance, and originality. One of the first luxury watch brands to jump on the ‘influencer’ bandwagon was Piaget. Back in 2016, they took a massive leap forward by partnering with celebrity influencers, YouTube stars, and Instagrammers to increase their reach to a massive audience. The results were spectacular and the brand saw a 1000% increase in engagement on their Instagram feed. By simply following the right steps, you can ensure your email marketing is going to be effective and make your brand stand out among the masses.