6 things you should know about email marketing

Email wizards are all around us. You can see them on social media boasting about their subscriber numbers, open rates, and how much money they make. They know the secret and can help you if you want.

Most of it is just hype because the truth is that inboxes are stuffed full of emails that don't get opened, let alone read. 

“MailChimp reports the average open rate across all industries is 35.6%, with an average click-through rate of 2.62%.” (Mailchimp 2024).

The basics of email marketing haven’t changed. They are tried and effective. By following best practices, you can create and deliver emails your subscribers want to receive and open. 

1. What do you want the reader to do?

Before crafting any email marketing campaign, defining your goal is essential.

Ask yourself: What is the purpose of the email, and what do you want the person receiving it to do or gain from it? 

Your goal will depend on the type of email you're sending. For example, if you're sending a promotional email, your goal may be to drive sales or increase website traffic. On the other hand, if you're sending a newsletter, your goal might be to educate and inform about your brand or industry.

By clearly defining your goal, you can create targeted and effective email marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive results.

2. Who is it for?

Knowing your audience is crucial when it comes to email marketing. 

Before crafting your message, you need to understand the person you're sending the email to.

Ask yourself: Are you contacting a loyal or lapsed customer? The answer will determine your email's tone, content, and overall approach.

Here are two examples of different approaches for the various audiences:

For loyal customers, your email should focus on building relationships and providing value. You may offer them exclusive deals, share industry news, give them a behind-the-scenes look, or provide helpful tips. The tone should be friendly and appreciative, acknowledging their loyalty, how much you appreciate them and continued support.

For lapsed customers, your email should focus on re-engaging them with your brand. You might offer a special promotion, share new product updates, or highlight recent improvements to your service. The tone should be friendly and encouraging, reminding them of the value you provide and inviting them to return.

By understanding who your email is for, you can craft a message.

3. The 3 Email Essentials

So now you know who your email is for, but how will you get their attention?

There are three things to start with. The Subject line, the Preview text, and the CTA.

Subject: The subject line is there to get attention in the inbox. It should be attention-grabbing and communicate the purpose of your email. Keep it short, punchy, and benefit-focused.

Preview Text: Your preview text should open your email. It should provide context and expand on the headline.

CTA: A CTA is a call to action. It could be a button or a text link.

The important thing is that your CTA clearly states what you want the reader to do next. 

The best practice is not to use bland terms such as "read more" or "click here" because they are not specific enough. Instead, use precise wording such as "Click here to buy now" or "Book your free trial today." 

4. It would help if you used personalisation.

Personalisation is a great way to make your email relevant and engaging. It increases open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, leading to better results and stronger relationships.

Use the person's name: Include the person's name in the email to make the message more personal.

5. Make sure your emails get delivered.

Email delivery is crucial to the success of your email marketing campaigns. 

Sender Reputation: Mailbox providers use your sender's reputation to decide whether your emails should be delivered to the inbox or the spam folder. Remove inactive subscribers, bounced emails, and spam complaints to improve your sender's reputation. Keeping your list clean can improve this score and reduce the chances of your email being marked as spam.

Avoid spammy content: Avoid spammy language terms like 'free' or 'guaranteed ', and avoid capitalisation, exclamation marks, and large attachments. These red flags for spam filters can land your email straight in the spam box.

Use a reputable email service provider: Choose an email service provider, such as Mailchimp or Mailerlite, with a good sender reputation and a track record of high deliverability rates.

6. How often should I send emails?

The number of emails you send depends on the campaign and your audience. 

For instance, I've lost count of the times I have unsubscribed from an email list because they have bombarded me with emails. I'm sure you have, too.

But when I started email marketing, I occasionally sent a newsletter. The result was that people forgot me, lost interest, and unsubscribed.

I've learnt the best way to determine how often they want to receive 

Emails… is...

Drum roll, please.....

Ask them!

Yep! It's as simple as that. Ask them how often they want to hear from you during sign-up or via survey.

You don’t need to be a wizard. Email marketing can boost your business, but it takes time and trial and error to determine what works best for you and your audience. Stick to these best practice guidelines, and you will soon see results.