Are you making the most of your online marketing?
With eCommerce set to make up 22% of global retail sales by 2023, you need a strong online presence. An online marketing strategy is key to boosting brand recognition and online sales. But if you're not a marketing whizz, it can be daunting and you might not know where to start.
Don't worry, we're here to help! Read on for 7 small business tips to help you create killer email marketing strategies.
1. Set Goals
Before you start working on an email marketing strategy, set your goals. Work out what you want to get out of your email marketing strategy. A few goals to get you going include:
- increase sales
- boost relations with existing clients
- get more web traffic
- boost brand awareness
Putting your objectives down on a list is vital. This will help you track them as you move through the stages of planning a strategy that works.
2. Build a Successful Email List
To put together a successful email list, you need to target your audience. You should include people interested in your industry. Or, they'll already have an interest in your products/services.
An easy way to do this is to give your users a “subscribe” button on your site. Link it with an opt-in form and you can register the email addresses entered. This will give you a list of people who want to hear more from you.
Another great idea to boost subscriptions is to provide an exchange. Offer them something or give them a reason to let you have their email address. Free trials, webinars, and bonus discounts are good incentives.
3. Keep Subject Lines Short & Sharp
The subject line is the first thing users read when it comes to marketing with emails. Your email subject line can make or break whether someone opens or deletes your email.
Being clear and direct in your subject line tells the reader what to expect inside. It's better than an enticing call to action and builds up better trust with your customers.
You might sacrifice opens for a higher click-to-open rate but this isn't a bad thing. After all, what's the point of an opened email if people aren't actually reading it. Always provide information worth reading, to engage and give value to your customers.
4. Make a Template
Another important consideration for your digital marketing strategy is the email template. Aesthetic email designs can go a long way for drawing in conversions. But it's often one of the most underrated email marketing tools.
When you're designing your template, think of things like:
- using a vertical layout
- don't clutter with lots of images
- paragraphs and sentences should be brief
- your call to action button must stand out
- in the email footer give your contact information
You can also use email platforms like ConstantContact or Mailchimp. These will give you easy-to-use templates that you can edit with a drag and drop building tool UI.
Another bonus platforms like these offer are the send time optimization feature. It's powered by machine learning, making sure your emails go out at the perfect time you've set up.
5. Choose the Type of Email
There are many types of emails that you can send out. You can stick to one or you can alternate through depending on your lists and your goals. To get you started, here are a few options.
Newsletters
Newsletters are one of the most popular formats. You deliver them to subscribers at the same time on a recurring schedule. This is the perfect way to promote content from your website you want people to see. Or they might have missed.
Automated Drip
These work based on how people use your website. Once a subscribe does an action, emails drip into their inbox. For example, say a subscriber adds items to their basket but fails to check out.
You can send an email as a gentle reminder that they still have items in their basket. Or you can give them more information on products like those that may appeal to them.
Seasonal Emails & Promotions
These emails contain offers and deals that entice your customers to buy from your site. They're limited time only, or seasonal to add some urgency. No one likes to miss out on a good deal. The content though and time they go out can vary.
6. Timing & Tone
On that note, you need to think about the timing and the tone of your emails. You should create engaging content that your audience wants to read or that helps them. Content is king if you want a successful marketing campaign, on or offline.
Think about what you can offer your customers and what they want to hear about. Is it some suggestions they might like based on their last order? What about some discounts on items/services they care about? Do you have a blog post answering some FAQs you want to notify them about?
You also need to think about when to send emails. This will vary between target audiences and it's best to do a test to see what gets the best results for you. Try some different times and make note of the open rates for each batch. This will help you work out what time works best for getting your audience's attention.
7. Use A/B Testing
A/B testing is a set of tests that email marketing teams use to test the performance of their email campaigns. You can test performance on things like:
- Subject line
- Headlines
- Testimonials
- Images
- Offers
- Calls to Action
You can change parts of the emails to see which perform better and get tangible results to compare.
Email Marketing Strategies Made Easy
So, there you have it! You're well your well on the way to achieving those killer email marketing strategies.
Set your goals down in writing and work out what you want from your email campaigns. Take time to put together the right template, research your target audience. Tailor great content to meet their needs that will get them clicking time and time again.
If you're looking to put some spice back into your marketing, schedule a jumpstart today. At Jumpworks, we have the expertise to help you grow your business like no other.
