Most small businesses are committed to customer growth – and retention. And one of the best ways to go about both is using effective email marketing. Of course, the emphasis is on “effective.” Here are some tips and ideas on how to make your email marketing program more effective and an overwhelming success.
First, make sure you have access to key information about your email program. If you use a 3rd party provider, insist on getting reports on which emails were opened, what links were clicked on and which of your subject headers produced the highest open rates.
Why is all this so important? First, you’ll learn your customer likes (and dislikes) regarding content – which campaigns they opened, how many times they opened it, or didn’t open at all. You’ll also find which campaigns may have triggered the dreaded “unsubscribe” response. But most importantly, you’ll be able to rank your most successful campaigns for – get this – reuse and recycling! That’s right – recycling, because if it worked before, with a bit of retooling it can work again. You simply don’t have to reinvent the wheel each and every time you do an email campaign.
There are really only two types of email campaigns: informational and promotional. You’ll either be delivering news about services, products or upcoming events, or you’ll be delivering offers and coupons to trigger an immediate sale or similar response. But if you’re planning on an informational campaign, you might want to consider sending third party reviews and information about your company or product. There’s nothing better than a third-party endorsement, even if it wasn’t meant to be one!
While email campaigns are critical to growing and retaining clients, be sure that you open up other marketing and communication channels as well. You can’t assume that every email you send will be read – it just doesn’t happen. So start using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media channels to get your message out and support the messages you’re delivering via email. Sharing different variations of your material at different times and on different channels simply raises the likelihood of your message getting read….and responded to!
Finally, here are a few tips that will keep your email program zipping along as you intended. First, always offer an online or mobile version of your email so your customers and prospects can read it online. Use images, and be sure that the important info is at the beginning of your email. Finally, make sure you set realistic goals for your campaign. Let’s say you want to increase your customer base with email; just set a goal of 10% - 15% and you’ll enjoy success. Otherwise you may walk away disappointed.
First, make sure you have access to key information about your email program. If you use a 3rd party provider, insist on getting reports on which emails were opened, what links were clicked on and which of your subject headers produced the highest open rates.
Why is all this so important? First, you’ll learn your customer likes (and dislikes) regarding content – which campaigns they opened, how many times they opened it, or didn’t open at all. You’ll also find which campaigns may have triggered the dreaded “unsubscribe” response. But most importantly, you’ll be able to rank your most successful campaigns for – get this – reuse and recycling! That’s right – recycling, because if it worked before, with a bit of retooling it can work again. You simply don’t have to reinvent the wheel each and every time you do an email campaign.
There are really only two types of email campaigns: informational and promotional. You’ll either be delivering news about services, products or upcoming events, or you’ll be delivering offers and coupons to trigger an immediate sale or similar response. But if you’re planning on an informational campaign, you might want to consider sending third party reviews and information about your company or product. There’s nothing better than a third-party endorsement, even if it wasn’t meant to be one!
While email campaigns are critical to growing and retaining clients, be sure that you open up other marketing and communication channels as well. You can’t assume that every email you send will be read – it just doesn’t happen. So start using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media channels to get your message out and support the messages you’re delivering via email. Sharing different variations of your material at different times and on different channels simply raises the likelihood of your message getting read….and responded to!
Finally, here are a few tips that will keep your email program zipping along as you intended. First, always offer an online or mobile version of your email so your customers and prospects can read it online. Use images, and be sure that the important info is at the beginning of your email. Finally, make sure you set realistic goals for your campaign. Let’s say you want to increase your customer base with email; just set a goal of 10% - 15% and you’ll enjoy success. Otherwise you may walk away disappointed.
