Interested in a 3600% return for your business? It’s not too good to be true — it’s the potential ROI on email marketing. What’s more, 60% of consumers actually prefer to be contacted by email. Here, we explore best practices in email marketing so you can get great returns.
Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to engage your customers and grow your sales. In 2023, email outperformed banner ads by 108%, social media posts by 13% and social media ads by 11%. A sound strategy also leverages your other marketing channels, such as social media and online shopping, to give you more value overall.
One of the best things about email marketing is that it gives you data — information you can use to continually increase your understanding of your customers and their preferences. You can also compare your KPIs, open rates and more against industry averages to identify areas of strength and weakness in your approach. All the data from email allows you to ‘test, learn, and optimise’ — a fundamental of good marketing.
Like any other interaction with your clients, it’s important to be welcoming and customer-focused. Today, it’s increasingly common to meet people ‘virtually’ rather than in person, so etiquette can make a big difference. Remember you’re aiming to communicate with them, not at them. It helps to imagine you’re talking to a single person and keep the tone conversational.
You can be polite and friendly by respecting people’s time. Be brief where you can and get to the point quickly. Above all, share content that matters to your reader that’s more than a sales pitch.
Email marketing tools allow you to personalise every message. Greet your reader by name as a first step. As you gather more information, you can tailor your message more and more. For example, connecting your database could allow you to mention your customers' recent visit, birthday or purchase. You can show offers or insights that are most relevant to their interests, life stage, location or other details.
To ensure your messages get opened, pay special attention to the parts that help them cut through inbox clutter. Readers look at much more than the subject line. In fact, 42% look at the sender’s name first compared to 34% who look at the subject line first and 24% who look at the preview text first.
Your email contacts are permission-based relationships, so your send name matters. Use a real one! Furthermore, don't be tempted to create a 'clickbaity’ subject line. The goal is not to tease people into opening your message. Instead, it invites readers who will get the most value from the message – including taking up your offers.
A tech report showed that 69% of decision-makers read email on their mobile; optimising your emails for small screen reading should be a priority. Most email platforms will allow you to see how your email will look on a mobile. Some other tips for a better online experience include:
Share-worthy content can help encourage referrals as long as you make it easy. Most email tools offer a 'share' button that allows readers to easily forward the content. It's an opportunity for you to enter the hallowed realms of personal recommendations.
All brand emails should include links to your social channels, website and other online spaces. However, you can be purposeful in driving people to these places too. For example, following an event or the release of a new product, invite people to visit your Facebook or Instagram page to see a full gallery of photos. Remember, you can also link the other way… invite your social followers to join your email list for more in-depth information.
Automation allows you to give your customers personalised and tailored encouragement to move through the journey of doing business with you. The aim is that each person in your audience gets the exact message they need, when they need it, without you having to lift a finger.
Before setting up automations, it's useful to map out the various stages a customer goes through to make a purchase and become a regular customer as a 'user journey'. You can then break down what information they'd need at each step. Specific actions or stages along the journey can trigger your automation. For example, if someone puts an item in their virtual cart but doesn't end up buying it, you can send a reminder or, later, a discount offer. Birthday well wishes (and savings) are another nice, automated touch.
Automations also allow you to adjust the frequency of emails to suit each person. If they open messages often, you can ensure they see more regular updates. If they don’t, you can pare it back.
Going by the book with email practice is vital for both you and your customers. Email marketing is easy to do poorly, which means many of us have a bloated inbox and a dim view of marketers. In New Zealand, the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 and the Privacy Act 2020 set out legal obligations for email marketing. In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) covers activity. Most email platforms will allow you to easily follow this legislation.
Beyond acting lawfully, respecting people’s privacy supports your good reputation - both digitally and offline. If you email people without permission, your deliverability will be affected. In simple terms, your messages will be more likely to be blocked by spam filters – not only from those you shouldn't be emailing but from legitimate customers, too. It undermines the trust that you can build as a small business.
Email marketing is essential in a strong marketing strategy, and it’s not showing any signs of decrease. According to 2023 data, 92% of internet users rely on email, and the average number of emails sent and received in 2023 was 347.3 billion. Considering how to stand out on this channel can be daunting, but authenticity, strategy and consistency are as important here as in any other part of your business.
If email marketing is new to you, or you’d like to lift your game, talk to your Business Mentor as a first step. They’ll be able to guide you into seeing how it can fit within the investments you make in your business and with your time.