How to Create and Execute an Email Marketing Plan For Your Business
You can't create sustainable growth and sales by going in blind. Create an email marketing plan that works for your business with our insights and resources.
With an estimated ROI of 4200%, email marketing is not something businesses have the privilege of neglecting in 2022. In fact, email marketing has been on the rise in recent years as a powerful tool for driving conversions and sales. 49% of users report that they open emails received from brands they recognise.
Businesses of all sizes can benefit from an email marketing plan, but crafting one that gets results takes effort and planning. In this guide, we'll show you effective email marketing strategies for your business that will help you achieve your desired outcomes.
Before we dive in, let's briefly touch on what email marketing is and why it's worth your time and energy.
What is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that uses email communications to promote products or services. It can also be used to build relationships with customers or prospects, nurture leads, or stay top-of-mind with past buyers.
Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing channels available to businesses today. This is because it is a personal form of communication between a business and the recipient.
Why is Email Marketing Important?
There are several reasons why email marketing is important for businesses. First, it's an inexpensive way to reach a large audience. Email campaigns can be sent to thousands of people at a fraction of the cost of other marketing channels like paid advertising or print mailers.
Another reason email marketing is important is that it's highly effective in driving conversions. We mentioned the ROI of 4200%. This means for every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses can expect an average return of $42.
Email marketing is also important because it's a great way to stay in touch with past customers and build relationships with new ones. By regularly sending helpful and relevant information, businesses can keep their brand top-of-mind, which can lead to increased sales down the road.
Finally, email marketing is important because it provides businesses with valuable data about their customers or prospects. Through tracking opens, clicks, and conversions, businesses can learn a lot about what their audience wants and needs. This information can be used to improve future email campaigns or inform other marketing initiatives.
Now that we've covered why email marketing is important, let's take a look at how to create an email marketing plan for your business.
Step 1: Set Your Goals
The first step in creating an email marketing plan is to set your goals. What do you want to achieve with your email marketing campaigns? Do you want to increase sales, grow your list, or improve customer retention?
Your goals will guide the rest of your email marketing plan, so it's important to choose ones that are realistic and measurable. Once you've decided on your goals, write them down and keep them in mind as you move on to the next steps.
Step 2: Choose Your Target Audience
Who do you want to reach with your emails? This next step is important because it will determine the content, tone, and frequency of your email campaigns.
There are a few different ways to segment your audience, but the most common method is by demographics like age, gender, location, or job title. Once you've decided who you want to target, it's time to start thinking about what type of content they would find useful or interesting.
Step 3: Decide What Type of Emails You Want to Send
Now that you know who you're targeting and what types of content they're interested in, it's time to decide what type of emails you want to send. There are several different types of email campaigns, each with its own purpose and goals.
Some common types of email campaigns include:
- Newsletters: A weekly or monthly email that contains news, updates, and information about your business
- Promotions: An email that contains a special offer or discount
- Contest/giveaway: An email that offers the chance to win a prize
- Event: An email invite to an upcoming event
- Survey: A survey sent to collect feedback or data
Once you've decided on the types of emails you want to send, it's time to start thinking about frequency. How often do you want to send emails? Once a week? Once a month? It's important to find a balance that works for both you and your audience.
Step 4: Create Your Email Content
Now it's time to start creating your email content. When writing your emails, keep your target audience and goals in mind. What type of information do they want to receive? What would be most helpful or interesting to them?
Your email content doesn't have to be long or overly complicated. In fact, shorter emails tend to perform better than long ones. Just make sure it's clear, concise, and contains information that your audience will find useful.
Once you've written your email, it's time to add a call-to-action (CTA). This is the part of your email that tells recipients what you want them to do next. It could be something like “Sign up for our newsletter,” “Download our e-book,” or “Get 10% off your next purchase.”
Make sure your CTA is clear and easy to understand. You want recipients to know exactly what you want them to do and how to do it.
Step 5: Choose an Email Service Provider
Now that you have your email content created, it's time to choose an email service provider (ESP). An ESP is a platform that allows you to create, send, and track your email campaigns.
There are a few different ESPs to choose from, so take some time to research the options and find one that best fits your needs. Once you've chosen an ESP, it's time to set up your account and start building your list.
Step 6: Build Your Email List
The next step is to start building your email list. There are a few different ways to do this, but the most common method is to add a sign-up form to your website.
You can also grow your list by running contests or giveaways, hosting events, or offering exclusive deals and discounts. Just make sure you're clear about what someone is signing up for when they join your list. No one wants to be surprised by a constant stream of emails they didn't sign up for.
Step 7: Send and Track Your Emails
Now it's time to send your emails! Start by creating a schedule for when you want to send each campaign. Then, set up your campaigns in your ESP and hit “send.”
Once your emails are sent, it's time to start tracking your results. Most ESPs offer some form of analytics, which can help you see how many people opened your email, clicked on your CTA, and more.
This data can be helpful in determining what's working and what's not, and it can help you adjust your email marketing strategy accordingly.
Get Expert Help With Your Email Marketing Plan
These are just a few email marketing tips to get you started on your journey. Sometimes it's best to leave email marketing to the experts. If you need help creating or executing your email marketing plan, contact us today. We'll be happy to help you get started.
We have a team of experienced email marketers who can help you create a plan that fits your needs and gets results. Sign up for coaching here to jumpstart your email marketing strategy today.
