The email marketing domain has expanded significantly over the last decade or so. The rapid expansion of the internet has resulted in its availability for the general population, therefore the exposure to online presence is increasing exponentially.
Whether you have a digital business or you are using the internet just for a more formidable presence, you need to make sure that your presence over the internet is strong. For this purpose, you need to be able to target your respective niche in the best way possible. Email marketing is one such way which has continuously proved itself to be a reliable source of boosting your sales. There is always an ‘okay’ approach towards things and then there is the ‘right approach’. Let us list down some important best practices in email marketing which will ensure that you are using the right approach and that you get the most when you use this medium for marketing.
Personalization is important
Email personalization is among the key components for customer retention. When you compose your email lists, it is important that the content is well customized with respect to the target clientele.
For instance, if the subject audience owns a gaming company, make sure that you are well aware of that pre-emptively. Then you can simply curate your content and your message with reference to that so that you can get the desired attention from the target audience. Your email should be relevant and meaningful, and one should feel that it is directly targeted at them rather than being an insignificant relic for their inbox.
Subject lines say a lot
This is no hidden truth that most people, like us, simply decide whether to open an email or not based on the subject line. You need your target audience to open your emails, and for that, your subject line needs to be on point.
Data collection method these days have become quite advanced and it has become relatively easy to find a person’s name (to say the least). Addressing people with their names in the subject line would undoubtedly draw more attention to your proposal.
An important aspect to consider is the length of your subject line. Remember that people often use their mobile phones and tablets to access their emails in the current world dynamics. Therefore your subject line should be somewhere between 15-25 characters (around 4-6 words). This allows your subject line to be visible in its entirety over different platforms. For instance, the subject line ‘best local internet deals’ directly conveys your intent as an internet service provider and it can easily be read over various mediums.
Segmentation brings ease
As we mentioned earlier, you need to be able to reach your target niche. Segmentation allows you to do that effectively with added convenience.
Use your data to different user audiences based on different demographics (such as age, income, interests, behaviors, etc.). This would allow you to create dedicated email lists where you can group various segments with similar interests together. Now you don’t have to curate an entirely new email body from scratch and minor personalization changes will help you achieve your target.
Tracking helps you curate better
Tracking tools are a great way to analyze how your audience interacts with your emails (when they open the provided links and through your own website). This allows you to perform the necessary alterations and customizations to improve your results.
Tracking data can be translated through useful tools such as Google Analytics and this directly helps you personalize the experience better all way while helping you understand if your segmentation is working or not. There are certain paid analytical tools available as well such as Mint and Clicky that offer comprehensive real-time analytics to help you improve your model. These paid options usually involve an upfront fee and if you know how to use them properly, you will definitely be able to improve your sales.
Always keep a backup strategy
When you analyze your current strategy, there will be times when it reaches a dead end. A certain strategy might not be working well with your business objective. Therefore, it is important that you always keep a backup plan.
Sometimes one strategy might be more beneficial in comparison to the other so you need to test both of them, gather the results, and then choose the one that suits your model and clients the best. For instance, a push strategy might work for a certain commodity from your portfolio while the other one might attract more attention through a pull strategy. Evaluate the pros and cons, the related costs, and then decide accordingly.
Perfect email timing is the game
Marketing experts have emphasized this time and time again, that the perfect email timing is everything. You need to be well aware of the regional active timing of your clients (through research and data analysis) and then send the emails accordingly.
Businesses often send automated emails over recurring periods which are adjusted in accordance with various clients. There is another trick here that you need to keep in mind. If your email is reinforcing a pre-established offering, then even a mid-working day draft would work. On the other hand, if you want to introduce your clients to something new, try targeting at the start of the day when people have higher attention towards detail.
Consistency in efforts go a long way
Last but not least, you need to stay consistent with your email marketing efforts. According to an article featured on the Entrepreneur, there is no hard and fast rule regarding the number of emails that can ensure success. Some clients appreciate promotional emails every once in a while to stay updated on the current market offerings while some are willing to adopt better options.
As a marketer, you can never be sure when you hit the sweet spot. Staying consistent with formidable offerings will offer you better visibility along with increasing the probability of your emails reaching out to the targeted audience.
Involving these simple yet useful tactics will surely allow your email marketing efforts to yield better results. Remember that the essence behind your email marketing strategy has to be your own. Only then will people be able to differentiate you from the general crowd as a positive entity, which is an important milestone to achieve in the awaited journey to success.
