In the fast-moving world of social media and AI, it’s easy to forget that email marketing is still an integral component of campaigns today. At least it should be. For one thing, it’s one of the more effective ways to connect your audience to your social media channels.
We can also forget that – unlike followers online – our email contact lists belong to us, making them an especially powerful tool if we choose to use them.
A Holistic Approach to Email Marketing
Many email users quickly delete any email they deem spammy or uninteresting. That’s why a strategic approach is necessary to avoid that trap, starting with well-designed and well-written emails that match their brand identity, grab attention and appeal to a given target audience.
It’s not just new businesses that need to assess their email plans. Established businesses that already have an email strategy in place should seek expert guidance in examining it for wear and tear. A digital marketing partner can help you evaluate your emails as part of a larger campaign in order to take a holistic approach that offers value, gets results, and aligns with your brand.
Links to Connect Emails with Social Media Channels
Email isn’t just about informing existing clients of information like sales and new products, or reminding them that you exist. Those aspects matter, too. But your emails should connect people to your socials, and vice versa to maximize your efforts. Growing companies should be getting people to sign up for their emails on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or wherever they are online.
Conversely, email campaigns are a way to drive social media events on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Don’t forget to include links to your latest blogs, as well.
Something to Offer Your Audience
Brands will need more than a list of email addresses to make use of those connections. They can still be fun and light-hearted if that matches your voice. But without something to offer your audience, your efforts will likely fizzle and attention will peter out quickly.
The purpose is to grow your list over time. Some things to help you accomplish that:
- Alerts to new products
- Tutorials and other short, educational videos
- Sales
- Limited-time offers
- Exclusive deals
- Seasonal promos
- New arrivals
- Offers for new customers
- Discounts and contests
A Content Calendar to Test Different Ideas
One challenge for small brands can be settling on what to include in the body of emails that will attract subscribers. The list of possibilities is pretty endless, which is why content calendars are a great way to map out what types of content to provide over the coming months. You don’t want to overshoot and burn out. But coming up with a variety of ideas will help you test what prospective customers find more or less appealing – so you may adjust your approach and grow your business.
Lead Magnets
Once they have high-quality emails, businesses often create lead magnets to get more people to sign up for them. A single piece of information like a white paper on something relevant to your industry can be referenced on your main landing page, with a “Try for Free” button or space for the user to enter their email address.
Growth that ties back to certain types of content lets you know which efforts have been successful.
Ways to Test Your Campaigns: Open Rates, Click Rates & More
Now that you’re sending out weekly, monthly or quarterly emails, it’s crucial to measure their success. A variety of metrics can help you determine how many new fans you are creating and how that is impacting sales. However, a digital marketing partner that excels in this area might be more effective at determining what’s working and what isn’t.
Some numbers are easier to quantify than others. For instance, it’s easier to see whether someone has unsubscribed than whether an individual email led to a specific sale. That said, some combination of these metrics will make your brand much more informed about its email campaigns:
- Open rates
- Subscriber growth rates
- Unsubscribe rates
- Unopened rates
- Click-through rates
- Spam complaints
- ROI
Call Connections Marketing for Better Email Marketing Results
There are still other strategies that can help brands boost their email campaigns. Details like enticing subject lines and email previews can also be optimized for better open rates. Connections Marketing’s digital media team will help you develop email strategies that build trust. We ensure they are supported by top-notch content, including the emails themselves. Once you have those steps covered, it is much easier to make a sale.
Contact Connections Marketing and we will set up a free consultation at your earliest convenience.