Since the sending of the first email back in the 70s, a lot has changed. Emails have evolved to become a leading medium of formal as well as informal communications. Since the beginning of the email era, emails have been utilised in almost all aspects of life. One of the most important and modern uses of an email, however, is marketing.
Email marketing began no longer than the first few emails were sent. Business executives of large corporations realised that they could easily pass detailed messages to multiple recipients and thus market whatever they had. A few years later, it went mainline and since then, an email has become a critical component of modern marketing.
Email and newsletters marketing make it easy to connect with thousands of people in any target audience. Any organisation can use this platform to promote sales or to share market information and analytics that attract new subscribers. There are also various tools available to make sending the newsletter as well as multiple emails easy. A tool like Mailchimp helps one to build a campaign quickly because it comes with numerous templates from which one can choose the simplest.
Does email marketing work?
The simple answer is yes. Sending custom emails is one of the most efficient and cost-effective methods of marketing. For a minimal amount of money, you can reach thousands of people and promote your product. According to a 2015 study by DMA, for every pound spent, there is a return of investment of at least £38.
According to the survey, most shoppers go through their old email offers when they want to purchase something. This is done in an effort to find a good deal that was previously promoted by email. Most customers have tons of emails to go through, which explains why more marketers are using smart tools such as Mailchimp. Such tools help the user to send emails ad newsletters that stand out.
How do I get an email list?
An email list is one of the modern digital assets that every business should have. It is crucial to build and maintain a subscriber list that you communicate with regularly. This helps to create a loyal group of followers because that way, your return on investment increases.
You can use several methods to build reliable mail lists. Some take a lot of time while others can be built relatively fast even though you might need to spend more money on them. The following are some of the most popular and time-tested techniques to build a subscriber list.
- Create a signup form on the website that visitors can use to sign up for your subscriber’s list.
- If you have a brick and mortar store, use an old school signup sheet. You can ask your employees to politely ask clients if they mind subscribing to receive great deals
- Tap into your social media pages and ask your followers to join your subscription list to keep up with all the hot deals.
- Create a contest or a discount that can capture people’s attention. You can also offer a prize to a lucky random subscriber.
- Ensure your emails feature beautiful layouts, communicate the message clearly and can be shared easily. Mail tools like Mailchimp have various features that allow you to customise messages and add functions like social media buttons.
- Create a landing page with beautiful imagery and text. Ensure that there is a call to action that helps you to record more subscriptions.
Should I buy email lists?
The simple answer is no. Purchased email lists are ineffective, and most professional platforms prohibit them. If you send emails to a list you’ve purchased, they are likely to be flagged as spam. This might prevent your future emails from reaching the clients and being flagged as spam.
Aspects of email marketing
An effective marketing campaign requires excellent planning and execution. As such, ensure that your emails are designed and presented in the best way possible. It is also essential to understand automation as well as analytics on how your newsletter or other email campaigns perform.
Ensure that the email design is on point to capture the attention of the reader. Design is a science as well as an art. If you have a problem coming up with designs, take advantage of the various templates available online.
Confirmation emails
Confirmation emails are a type of emails triggered by specific customer actions. The emails can be used to place orders, join a subscription list, or sometimes in event registration. Confirmation emails are important because research shows most clients hold them close to the heart.
Businesses can use the power of confirmation emails to bring clients closer to them and to convert them into long-term clients, thus recording additional sales. According to Omnisend, their customers enjoy an average of 3.8 more sales from emails.
Omnisend automated emails also help to ensure that business goes on uninterrupted even when there is no one to answer and send the emails. This means that you can be sure your confirmation emails are sent throughout. This helps to promote sales as well as reduce various costs such as labour.
It also helps to promote omnichannel marketing since there is only a single integrated approach to customer service. Omnichannel marketing also helps to maintain your brand name since all communications are integrated to create one unified brand and message.
Email funnels
An email funnel refers to how a potential customer moves through a particular sales pitch. The first step involves building an email list. Afterwards, you can start building a relationship with the clients and later sell them a product. Email funnels are essential since they help you utilise your email list and acquire customers strategically.