Email marketing is a way of promoting your business through email. It’s one of the cheapest and most effective marketing methods. Email marketing allows you to do many things, from gaining new customers to cultivating brand loyalty.
In this article, we’re going to discuss the benefits of email marketing. We’ll help you start creating your own email marketing strategy and introduce you to some of the best email marketing software. To make sure you get the most out of this method, we’ll also explain the email marketing best practices of 2019.
Why is email marketing important?
Email was one of the first digital marketing methods. But that doesn’t mean it’s outdated. Here are a few key findings from Hubspot’s email marketing statistics of 2019:
• 99% of consumers check their email daily. That’s nearly all internet users.
• 60% of marketers say email is their biggest source of ROI. Email is a proven method.
• 73% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email. Email still rules, even for younger generations.
• Email generates an average ROI of 3,800%. That’s $38 profit per $1 spent
These statistics show that email is still one of the most relevant and effective marketing methods for businesses both small and large. This is why it’s so important to your business.
What are the benefits of email marketing?
We’ve already talked a little bit about how email marketing can be used to promote your business. We’ve also seen how effective it is in terms of return on investment, and hence why it’s important to businesses. Now let’s look at some of the other uses and benefits of email marketing.
• Keeps customers up to date
You can use email marketing to inform customers on news, products, company updates and more.
• Builds relationships and trust
Through regular communications, you not only establish a relationship with your customers, you also earn their trust.
• Rewards customers
While email marketing can be great for promoting and selling your products, it’s also useful for rewarding your customers through freebies and discounts. This reminds them of the value your brand offers and keeps them engaged with future emails.
• Cost-effective
Email marketing is cost-effective because sending an email is free. You’ll have other expenses relating to your email marketing strategy but the ROI will still be great.
• Easy to track ROI
No marketing method is effective unless it can be tracked. With some of the best email marketing software, you can easily track your email strategy’s ROI.
• Reaches more people
99% of people access view their email inbox daily, whereas only 1% of followers see a social post.
• People want to read your emails
Many forms of advertising rely on being thrust in front of people. By contrast, people actually sign up to receive your emails. They’re more receptive to your messages.
• Gives you free brand ambassadors
With an effective email marketing strategy, your audience become free ambassadors who spread the word about your brand.
● Maintain clean lists
Invalid email addresses decrease email deliverability. Use a good email checker to remove fake or undeliverable email addresses.
How to create an email marketing strategy
Now that you’re convinced your business needs email marketing (or that it needs to improve its email marketing), let’s begin developing your strategy.
• Step 1: Build an email list
The easiest way to do this is by embedding a registration form on your website, but you can and should use many other lead generation strategies.
• Step 2: Get software
Email marketing software helps you create and send out emails, and do other important things like segment your audience list and track results. Some of the best email marketing software includes MailChimp, Constant Contact, and the customer relationship manager (CRM) Salesforce.
• Step 3: Create emails
You might send articles, testimonials, newsletters, loyalty rewards, promotions, tips, videos, infographics or announcements.
• Step 4: Measure results
Track analytics like click-through rates, open rates, bounce rates and conversions. We also recommend A/B testing to see what works and what doesn’t.
Email marketing best practices 2019
To make your email marketing strategy as effective as possible, use the following best practice guidelines of 2019.
● Offer value
Be clear about what subscribers gain, and be sure to offer them real value for subscribing.
● Send a welcome message
A compelling welcome message consolidates your customers’ sign-up and prepares them for future communications.
● Segment campaigns
By testing different segments such as audiences and campaigns, you can improve your email marketing strategy every day.
● Avoid spamming
Spamming is counterproductive because it leads to opt-outs. Furthermore, according to the CAN-SPAM Act, it’s illegal.
● Offer opt-outs
A few opt-outs will happen and they’re nothing to be afraid of. With a robust lead generation strategy, you can gain enough subscribers to continue growing your audience.
● Never purchase email lists
Email lists give you unqualified leads who will view your emails as spam. They’re a waste of money and could be bad for your reputation.
● Keep track of your blacklist status
A lot of your email ROI depends on the deliverability of your emails to your customers. Check your email sending IP/Domain blacklist status with our free blacklist checker tool.