Email is probably the internet tool that people are most familiar with. Even the most technologically challenged person uses email. Because email is so common it’s rarely thought of as an effective marketing tool, but this is a false assumption.
When you hear the term email marketing you probably think about spammy emails Red Lobster sends you to shove coupons in your face.
While we all love those cheddar biscuits, we also hate spam emails. However, emails like this can actually convince people to go to Red Lobster, which is no small task. The key is doing it right.
Constantly blasting emails promoting your new widget or service will only lead to the unsubscribe button getting more and more clicks. Email marketing is about maintaining communication and making sure the customer doesn’t forget about you.
It’s not business, it’s personal
One of the best ways to do both these tasks is making your emails personal. Sending emails addressed to “valued customer” or “our friend next door” is the quickest way to get your email deleted.
There are plenty of tools out there that let you personally address each email to the reader so they know you went through the trouble of learning their name. Try to personalize the emails as much as possible by gathering as much information from the customer as possible. Sending the customer a special coupon on their birthday is way more effective than sending them generic emails.
People expect to get generic mass emails, so surprise them by making it personal.
Have a plan
Having a detailed plan will do wonders for your email marketing. Sending out emails announcing sales and new items are all good and well, but that only scratches the surface of what email marketing can do.
When a customer comes to your store or website and doesn’t buy from you, don’t let them get away from you that easily. Map out a plan that reels them back in. Create emails you can send them once or twice a month that reminds them what they’re missing out on.
Play hard to get
The title of the email might be the single biggest factor that determines the success of the email. Titles like “20% off” or “BIG SALE” aren’t terrible, but you can do better. Studies show that the most successful subject lines offer useful information but still leaves a bit to the imagination.
You want to let the customer know what’s going on, while sparking enough curiosity that they can’t help but open the email to see what’s going on.
So instead of “20% off” try “20% off everything your newborn will ever need.”
The reader will start thinking about all the baby books they read and all the things their newborn needs. Then they’ll start thinking about all the things they don’t have that they wish they did have. And just like that, they opened the email.
Don’t let your emails be boring or one dimensional, spice it up and your customers will be waiting for your emails.
