Email Marketing Strategies & Best Practices

Email marketing remains one of the highest-ROI digital channels when it’s
built around relevance, timing, and automation.

This collection of email marketing insights covers campaign strategy, drip
sequences, behavioral email, list management, and performance optimization.
Each article is designed to help businesses improve engagement, nurture leads,
and drive conversions through thoughtful, data-driven email programs.

If you’re looking to improve engagement or build more effective email campaigns,
explore the articles below or learn more about our

Email Marketing Services
.

05 Sep

Posted at 16:42h in Digital Marketing, Email Marketing

How to Use Email Marketing to Retain Customers

Email marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses to keep their customers engaged and loyal. At Webociti, we’ve seen firsthand how effective email campaigns can significantly boost customer retention rates.

In this post, we’ll explore proven strategies for using email marketing to retain customers and build lasting relationships. We’ll cover everything from personalization techniques to measuring campaign success, giving you actionable insights to enhance your email marketing efforts.

Why Email Marketing Is Your Customer Retention Powerhouse

Email marketing stands as the unsung hero of customer retention. Businesses transform their customer relationships through strategic email campaigns. But what makes email so effective for keeping customers around?

Direct Line to Your Customers

Email provides a direct channel to your customers’ inboxes. Unlike social media, where your message competes with countless others, email allows for focused, one-on-one communication. This direct line helps build stronger, more personal relationships with your customers over time.

Email marketing statistics demonstrate just how powerful email can be for acquiring and retaining customers. This power applies equally to retaining your existing customer base.

Cost-Effective Customer Retention

Research by Invesp shows that acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one. Email marketing slashes these costs dramatically. With minimal investment, you create targeted campaigns that keep your customers engaged and coming back for more.

Fact - How does email marketing boost customer retention?

For example, a simple “We miss you” email campaign can recover up to 5% of lost customers (as reported by Marketing Sherpa). That’s a significant return on a relatively small investment.

Personalization at Scale

Email marketing allows for unprecedented levels of personalization. You tailor your messages based on customer behavior, preferences, and purchase history. This level of customization is essential for retention.

Personalized experiences significantly impact consumer behavior. By leveraging customer data, you create highly relevant content that resonates with each segment of your audience.

Implementing Effective Strategies

You don’t need complex systems to start improving your email marketing. Try these steps:

  1. Segment your list based on purchase history or engagement levels.
  2. Create targeted content for each segment.
  3. Implement dynamic content that changes based on individual user data (as you grow more sophisticated).

The goal is to make each customer feel valued and understood. When done right, email marketing doesn’t just retain customers – it turns them into loyal advocates for your brand.

Now that we’ve established the power of email marketing for customer retention, let’s explore specific strategies to maximize its effectiveness in the next section.

Proven Email Strategies That Keep Customers Coming Back

Email marketing stands as a powerful tool for customer retention, but its effectiveness depends on the execution of your strategy. Let’s explore key tactics that consistently deliver results for businesses.

Segment for Success

One size doesn’t fit all in email marketing. Segmentation proves crucial for delivering relevant content that resonates with different customer groups. Start by dividing your list based on purchase history, engagement levels, or demographic data. For instance, create separate campaigns for frequent buyers, occasional customers, and those at risk of churning.

Does Personalization Drive Consumer Purchases?

A study found that segmented campaigns had a 14.31% higher open rate compared to non-segmented campaigns. This underscores the importance of tailoring your message to specific audience segments.

Craft Content That Captivates

Your email content should provide real value to your customers. This could include exclusive offers, insider tips, or early access to new products. For example, if you’re a SaaS company, you might send a weekly email with productivity hacks using your software.

Try to avoid generic, salesy language. Instead, focus on solving your customers’ problems. A survey revealed that 58% of consumers say receiving discounts is the top reason they subscribe to a brand’s email list. However, don’t limit yourself to discounts – educational content can be equally compelling.

Automate for Consistency

Automated email campaigns ensure your customers receive timely, relevant communications without constant manual effort. Set up triggered emails based on specific actions or milestones. Welcome emails, post-purchase follow-ups, and re-engagement campaigns for inactive customers are all prime candidates for automation.

Reports show that automated emails generate 6 times more revenue per email than non-automated emails. This highlights the power of delivering the right message at the right time.

Personalize to Connect

Personalization extends beyond using a customer’s name. Use data from past purchases, browsing history, and preferences to tailor your content. For instance, if a customer frequently buys running shoes, send them updates on the latest running gear or local marathon events.

Research indicates that 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences. This extends to email marketing – the more relevant your emails, the more likely customers are to engage and stay loyal.

Time It Right

The timing of your emails can significantly impact their effectiveness. While there’s no universal “best time” to send emails, you can use your own data to determine when your audience is most responsive.

Start by testing different send times and days of the week. Track open rates and engagement levels to identify patterns. An analysis of 14 studies found that Tuesday, Thursday, and Wednesday were the best days to send emails (in that order). However, your specific audience may have different preferences.

These strategies provide a solid foundation for effective email marketing. However, the journey doesn’t end here. The next chapter will explore how to measure the success of your email retention campaigns, ensuring you can continually refine and improve your approach.

How to Measure Email Marketing Success

Track Open Rates: The Gateway to Engagement

Open rates indicate your email’s initial effectiveness. Real Estate holds the title for both lowest open rate by industry (17.1%), and the biggest jump in open rate year-over-year, up 4.5%. If your open rates fall below this benchmark, reassess your subject lines and sender names.

Fact - How Can You Supercharge Your Email Marketing?

To increase open rates, test personalized subject lines. Personalized subject lines can boost open rates by 26% (Experian). Also, consider email timing. The highest open rates occur between 8 AM and 9 AM, and 3 PM to 4 PM (Omnisend).

Analyze Click-Through Rates: Measuring Engagement

Click-through rates (CTR) show how well your email content resonates with recipients. The average CTR across industries is 2.62% (Campaign Monitor). If your CTRs fall short, improve your email content and call-to-action (CTA) buttons.

Try action-oriented language in your CTAs. For example, replace “Click here” with “Get your exclusive offer now.” Personalized CTAs can significantly improve conversion rates.

Monitor Conversion Rates: The Bottom Line

Email retention campaigns aim to drive desired actions (purchases, webinar sign-ups, resource downloads). Conversion rates measure how effectively your emails achieve these goals.

Conversion rates vary by industry and campaign objectives, but the average email marketing conversion rate hovers around 1.5% (Barilliance). To improve conversion rates, align your email content closely with the linked landing page. This consistency can increase conversions by up to 55% (Marketing Sherpa).

Use A/B Testing for Optimization

A/B testing refines your email marketing strategy. Test different elements of your emails (subject lines, content, CTAs, send times) to identify what resonates best with your audience.

An A/B test found that using emojis in subject lines increased open rates by 56% for some brands (Litmus). However, results can vary, so conduct your own tests.

When A/B testing, focus on one variable at a time and ensure a large enough sample size (at least 1,000 subscribers per variation) for statistically significant results.

Integrate Email Data with Customer Insights

Combine your email marketing data with other customer data sources for a holistic view of retention efforts. This integration allows you to track customer lifetime value, purchase frequency, and other key metrics that indicate long-term retention success.

For example, combining email engagement data with purchase history helps identify which email types drive repeat purchases most effectively. This insight allows for more tailored retention strategies.

Final Thoughts

Email marketing to retain customers proves its effectiveness time and again. We explored strategies like segmentation, personalization, and automation that boost customer loyalty and drive repeat business. Measuring success through open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates provides valuable insights into audience preferences.

Fact - How Can You Boost Your Email Marketing Performance?

Consistency and value form the foundation of successful email retention campaigns. Every email should offer something meaningful to customers, whether it’s exclusive offers, helpful tips, or relevant content. This approach builds trust and keeps your brand at the forefront of customers’ minds.

Webociti offers tailored solutions to elevate your email marketing efforts and overall digital strategy. Our expertise can help you unlock the full potential of your campaigns and broader digital marketing initiatives. Visit Webociti’s website to learn how we can drive growth and engagement for your business.

 

 

28 Jan

Posted at 13:13h in Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Marketing Consulting

Email Marketing Best Practices for Local Businesses: Engaging Your Local Audience Effectively

In an era where digital communication is key, email marketing remains a powerful tool for local businesses. It’s not just about sending emails; it’s about crafting messages that resonate with your community. For businesses in the United States, where community ties and local engagement are paramount, email marketing can be particularly effective. This post explores best practices and strategies to maximize the impact of your email campaigns, ensuring they speak directly to your local audience.

Understanding Your Audience

 

Segment Your Audience

Tailor your content to different segments of your local market. This could be based on location, interests, or past purchasing behavior. For example, a restaurant in Atlanta might send different emails to customers who prefer vegan options versus those who love barbecue.

Personalize Your Messages

Use the recipient’s name and reference local events or situations. Personalization increases open rates and engagement, making your audience feel more connected to your brand.

Crafting Your Message

 

Localize Your Content

Incorporate local news, events, or issues into your email content. This demonstrates your involvement in the community and can create a stronger bond with your audience.

Use a Friendly, Conversational Tone

Speak to your audience as neighbors. A warm, conversational tone can make your emails feel more personal and less like a corporate broadcast.

Designing Your Email

 

Mobile Optimization

Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. With most users checking emails on their phones, a mobile-optimized design is crucial.

Visually Appealing Layout

Use a clean, simple layout with high-quality images and easy-to-read fonts. Include images that showcase your local area or community events.

Effective Subject Lines

 

Be Clear and Concise

Your subject line should clearly state the email’s purpose. Avoid being too salesy; instead, focus on offering value. Email

Localize Your Subject Lines

Include references to your city or local area to catch the attention of your audience immediately.

Timing and Frequency

 

Find the Right Time

Test different sending times to see when your audience is most likely to open your emails. This can vary significantly depending on local lifestyles and routines.

Don’t Overwhelm Your Audience

Be mindful of how often you send emails. Too many emails can lead to unsubscribes, while too few might make your audience forget about you.

Creating Engaging Content

Local Email Marketing

Tell Stories

Share stories about your business, employees, or local community projects you’re involved in. Storytelling can be a powerful tool to connect emotionally with your audience.

Include Local Offers and Promotions

Tailor your offers to your local audience. This could be discounts for local residents, special events, or early access to new products or services.

Utilizing Calls to Action (CTAs)

 

Clear and Compelling CTAs

Your CTA should be clear and direct, telling your readers exactly what you want them to do next, whether it’s visiting your store, attending an event, or taking advantage of a special offer.

Test Different CTAs

Experiment with different CTA placements and wording to see what works best with your local audience.

Measuring Success

 

Track Key Metrics

Keep an eye on open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to understand how well your emails are performing.

Use Feedback

Pay attention to replies and feedback from your audience. This can provide valuable insights into what they like and dislike about your emails.

Compliance and Best Practices

 

Follow CAN-SPAM Act Guidelines

Ensure you comply with email regulations by including an unsubscribe option, using accurate header information, and not using deceptive subject lines.

Respect Privacy

Be transparent about how you use subscriber data and ensure you have permission to email your contacts.

Conclusion

Email marketing is more than just a way to communicate with your audience; it’s a tool to build and strengthen community ties. By understanding your local audience, crafting engaging, personalized content, and continuously measuring and refining your approach, your email marketing campaigns can become a vital part of your local business’s success.

Remember, the key is to remain authentic and true to your local roots while embracing the power of digital communication. As you integrate these best practices into your email marketing strategy, you’ll not only see better engagement but also foster a deeper connection with your community.

Are you ready to take your local business’s to the next level?

Webociti Top E-mail Marketing Company
Contact Webociti today for a personalized consultation. Our team specializes in crafting bespoke email marketing solutions that resonate with local audiences. Let’s work together to create email campaigns that not only reach but also engage and inspire your community. Click Here to get in touch with us, or call us directly at 678-892-7157. Start transforming your email marketing strategy today!

13 Nov

Posted at 14:05h in Digital Advertising, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, Marketing Consulting, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of digital marketing, success hinges on your ability to adapt to changing trends, technologies, and consumer behaviors. Staying ahead of the curve is not just a competitive advantage; it’s essential for survival in the digital landscape. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the top strategies to unlock digital marketing success in today’s dynamic environment.

Content Marketing Mastery

Content is King, a phrase coined by Bill Gates back in 1996, remains as relevant as ever. In fact, it’s the cornerstone of digital marketing success. Content marketing is about creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience. Here’s how to master it:

High-Quality Content Creation

Your content should provide real value to your audience. It should answer their questions, solve their problems, or entertain them. High-quality content not only establishes your brand as an industry authority but also encourages trust and loyalty.

Consistency is Key

Consistency in publishing content is essential. Whether it’s blog posts, videos, podcasts, or social media updates, a consistent schedule keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more.

SEO Optimization

Optimize your content for search engines. Use relevant keywords, metadata, and alt tags to improve your visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). A strong SEO strategy ensures your content reaches a broader audience.

Storytelling

Craft compelling stories that resonate with your audience. Stories create an emotional connection and make your brand more relatable. Share success stories, customer testimonials, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business.

Social Media Strategies

Social media platforms are powerful tools for building brand awareness, engaging with your audience, and driving traffic to your website. To harness their potential, you need a well-thought-out social media strategy.

Choose the Right Platforms

Not all social media platforms are created equal. Focus your efforts on platforms that align with your target audience. For instance, Instagram and Pinterest are great for visual content, while LinkedIn is ideal for B2B connections.

Consistent Branding

Maintain a consistent brand image across all social media profiles. Use the same profile picture, cover photo, and brand colors to make your brand easily recognizable.

Content Diversity

Diversify your content. Share a mix of text, images, videos, and infographics. Experiment with different content types to keep your audience engaged.

Engage with Your Audience

Social media is a two-way street. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, messages, and mentions promptly. Encourage discussions and interactions.

Effective Email Campaigns

Email marketing remains a potent tool for nurturing leads, retaining customers, and driving sales. To run effective email campaigns, keep these strategies in mind:

Segmentation

Segment your email list based on demographics, behavior, and interests. Sending targeted, relevant content improves open rates and click-through rates.

Personalization

Personalize your emails. Use the recipient’s name, recommend products based on their previous purchases, and tailor content to their preferences.

Mobile Optimization

Most emails are now opened on mobile devices. Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly, with responsive design and clear calls to action.

A/B Testing

Experiment with different subject lines, email copy, images, and CTAs. A/B testing helps you identify what resonates best with your audience.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Secrets

SEO is the foundation of organic traffic. To unlock digital marketing success, you need to rank well on search engine results pages (SERPs). Here are some SEO strategies to consider:

Keyword Research

Thorough keyword research is the first step. Identify relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner for insights.

On-Page SEO

Optimize your web pages for SEO. This includes optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and alt tags for images. Ensure your content is well-structured and easy to read.

High-Quality Backlinks

Backlinks from authoritative websites boost your SEO rankings. Focus on building high-quality, relevant backlinks through guest posting, outreach, and content marketing.

Mobile Optimization

Google now considers mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor. Ensure your website is responsive and provides a seamless experience on mobile devices.

Paid Advertising Insights

While organic traffic is crucial, paid advertising can provide an immediate boost to your digital marketing efforts. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Targeted Advertising

Use detailed targeting options on platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to reach your ideal audience. Define demographics, interests, and behaviors for precise ad targeting.

Ad Creatives

Invest time in creating compelling ad creatives. Your ad copy, images, and CTAs should align with your audience’s needs and preferences.

Landing Page Optimization

Ensure your landing pages are optimized for conversions. A well-designed landing page with a clear value proposition and a strong CTA can significantly improve your ad campaign’s success.

Data-Driven Decision Making

In the digital marketing world, data is your compass. Analyze data from various sources, including website analytics, email marketing reports, and social media insights. Use this data to make informed decisions and refine your strategies.

Automation and AI

Leverage marketing automation tools and artificial intelligence to streamline your marketing efforts. Automation can handle repetitive tasks like email scheduling and social media posting, freeing up your team for more strategic work.

User Experience (UX) Enhancement

A seamless user experience is vital for retaining visitors and converting them into customers. Focus on website speed, navigation, and responsive design to create a user-friendly environment.

Voice and Visual Search Optimization

With the rise of voice assistants and visual search, optimizing your content for these technologies is becoming increasingly important. Voice search-friendly content and visually searchable images can give you an edge.

Video Marketing

Video content continues to dominate the digital landscape. Incorporate video into your marketing strategy, whether it’s through YouTube, social media, or your website. Live streaming and interactive videos can further engage your audience.

Conclusion

Digital marketing success requires a multi-faceted approach that combines content marketing, social media strategies, effective email campaigns, SEO, paid advertising, data-driven decision-making, automation, user experience enhancement, and adaptation to emerging technologies. By implementing these strategies, you can unlock the full potential of your digital marketing efforts and stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Ready to unlock your digital marketing success? Start implementing these strategies today and watch your online presence flourish. Stay ahead of the curve, adapt to changes, and keep your audience engaged. The digital world is yours to conquer! Contact Webociti Today! 678-892-7157

16 Aug

Posted at 19:34h in Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Marketing Consulting, Search Engine Optimization

In today’s digital landscape, where trends and technologies seem to change overnight, one marketing method has stood the test of time: email marketing. With its direct and personalized approach, email marketing continues to be a potent tool for businesses to build lasting relationships with their audience and drive valuable conversions. In this blog post, we delve into the art of email marketing, exploring how it can be harnessed to create meaningful connections and achieve measurable results.

Understanding the Power of Email Marketing

Email marketing is more than just sending messages to a list of contacts; it’s about delivering targeted, relevant content that resonates with recipients. It’s a way to establish a two-way communication channel between your brand and your customers. The inbox is a personal space, and when users grant you access, they expect value in return.

Segmentation: The Foundation of Personalization

One of the core principles of effective email marketing is segmentation. Not all subscribers are the same; they have varying interests, preferences, and behaviors. By segmenting your email list based on demographics, interests, purchase history, and engagement level, you can tailor your messages to specific groups. This personalization boosts engagement rates and ensures that recipients receive content that aligns with their needs.

Crafting Compelling Content

The success of an email marketing campaign hinges on the quality of the content you deliver. A well-crafted email should be informative, relevant, and engaging. From attention-grabbing subject lines to concise yet informative body content, every element should contribute to the overall message. Visuals such as images and videos can enhance the impact of your emails, but be cautious not to overwhelm or distract from the main message.

Nurturing Customer Relationships

Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing customer relationships throughout the customer journey. Beyond promotional emails, consider incorporating emails that educate, entertain, or provide valuable resources to your subscribers. This approach positions your brand as a trusted advisor and fosters a deeper connection.

Driving Conversions with Call-to-Actions

The ultimate goal of email marketing is to drive conversions. Whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or downloading an e-book, your emails should include clear and compelling call-to-actions (CTAs). A strategically placed CTA guides recipients towards the desired action and simplifies the conversion process.

Monitoring and Optimizing

Data is a goldmine in the realm of email marketing. Analyzing metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of your campaigns. By continuously monitoring and analyzing this data, you can identify trends, preferences, and areas for improvement. A/B testing different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, content, and CTAs, allows you to refine your approach over time.

Compliance and Transparency

As email regulations continue to evolve, maintaining compliance and transparency is paramount. Ensure that your email campaigns adhere to relevant laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the CAN-SPAM Act. Provide recipients with clear options to opt-in and opt-out, and make your privacy policy readily accessible.

Conclusion: The Ever-Evolving Art

In a fast-paced digital world, the art of email marketing remains a constant, albeit ever-evolving, strategy. It’s a dynamic blend of personalization, content creation, relationship-building, and data analysis. When executed thoughtfully, email marketing becomes a powerful driver of engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty. By understanding the nuances of this art form and staying attuned to the preferences of your audience, you can harness the full potential of email marketing and create a lasting impact in the digital space.

Ready to master the art of email marketing?

Looking to elevate your email marketing game? Let us help you craft engaging email campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive remarkable results. Contact us today to start your journey towards email marketing mastery. 678-892-7157

24 Feb

Posted at 19:51h in Email Marketing, Marketing Automation

Unlocking Business Growth: The Power of Marketing Automation

In the digital age, marketing automation has transcended the status of just another tech trend, becoming an essential tool for integrating sales and marketing efforts. Far from being a mere celebration of technology, marketing automation is about enhancing the efficacy and efficiency of marketing strategies that businesses have historically implemented. It is about leveraging cutting-edge technology to achieve unprecedented results, such as boosting business by over 150% or increasing qualified leads by 75%. Could marketing automation triple your conversion rates? It’s not just a possibility—it’s becoming a reality for many businesses.

Key Components of Marketing Automation

Email Marketing

Email marketing remains a cornerstone of marketing automation, allowing businesses to send targeted messages to both current and potential customers. Whether reminding customers about an expiring sale or escalating urgency over time, automated email campaigns can deepen customer relationships and enhance marketing efforts.

Lead Generation

Modern marketing automation tools ensure that your website is fully optimized for today’s digital requirements. This includes SEO to enhance search visibility and strategically placed calls-to-action that encourage visitors to download resources, subscribe to newsletters, or engage with interactive content.

Lead Nurturing

The process often starts with a user filling out a form on your website. Capturing information such as email addresses allows businesses to maintain engagement through targeted, automated emails, nurturing the customer relationship until they are ready to make a purchase.

Prospecting

Effective marketing automation identifies prospective customers and communicates how your product or service solves their problems. This not only establishes your brand as a thought leader but also as a solution provider in your industry.

Sales Force Intelligence

This aspect of marketing automation provides invaluable insights into the buyer’s journey, equipping sales teams with detailed behavioral data. Understanding the actions that prospects take online helps tailor sales pitches to meet the specific needs and interests of each customer.

Analytics

Analytics are the backbone of marketing automation, offering deep insights into buying trends and customer behaviors. By analyzing where customers spend their time, what they engage with, and how they move through the sales funnel, businesses can refine their marketing strategies to be more effective and efficient.

Transform Your Marketing Strategy

Marketing automation is more than just software—it’s a strategic approach that integrates technology, business intelligence, and marketing to drive substantial growth. It provides a holistic view of the customer journey, streamlining processes and ensuring that marketing and sales efforts are perfectly aligned.

Are you ready to harness the power of marketing automation to transform your business? Contact Webociti today for a comprehensive strategy that tailors marketing automation to your business needs. With our expertise, your business can not only meet the digital demands of today but thrive in them. Call us at 678-892-7157 or visit the Webociti website to start your journey towards significant business growth.

#MarketingAutomation #DigitalMarketing #LeadGeneration #EmailMarketing #SalesForce #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #Webociti #LeadNurturing #ConversionOptimization

16 May

Posted at 16:03h in Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, Marketing Consulting, Search Engine Optimization

Email is the One Marketing Strategy You Can’t Afford to Ignore

You have probably heard the statistics: millions of businesses are using e-mail marketing and it is incredibly difficult to gain attention in people’s overcrowded inboxes. If you’re waiting around to be picked up with the junk mail, then you’re doing email marketing the wrong way! When you work with your prospects and customers to provide messages that are engaging and interesting to read — and that add true value to the reader — your emails are much more likely to be read. Nurturing your prospects and turning customers into advocates is not a shift that happens overnight. It takes work, empathy and a willingness to think long and hard about each message before sending it to be successful in this crowded environment. Do you have what it takes to create an email marketing strategy that simply cannot be ignored?

The Power of Email Marketing

If you have been in business for a few years, you are probably already sending a sporadic email or two to your list. You may even have what feels like a strong strategy with a bi-weekly or monthly newsletter. Have you noticed that your open and click rates are dropping off a bit and that your list tends to stagnate over time? The same people are opening your emails, but they are not necessarily taking action on the information that you are providing. Emails can be sent for a variety of different reasons such as information, engagement to read more or to make a purchase. With 73% of the rising Millennial spenders looking to email as their preferred method of communication and 2.9 billion email users worldwide by 2019, now is the time to take full advantage of this powerful communications medium.

There are five steps you should take on your journey to email marketing nirvana: building audience personas, cementing a strategy, mapping customer journeys, writing like a human and looking for ways to personalize.

Building Audience Personas

E-mail marketing
Whether or not your organization has a robust CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform, it is critical that you first understand who you are speaking to. Think of it like this: when you go into a meeting, you have a general idea of how Bob in Finance is going to react to a particular suggestion, and you can phrase your message in a way that Bob is most likely to accept. The same is true of email marketing. You must deeply understand your prospects and customers in order to nuance your message to be heard in their language. Spend time digging into your current customer and prospect data. Can you determine some traits that are shared by your best customers? What about people who have never purchased from you?

These tidbits of information, along with data from your social media channels, can be compiled into audience personas that you can use in your ongoing communications.

Cementing Your Strategy

Okay, you may not want to put your strategy in actual cement, but it is good to at least firm it up a bit. Sending emails off the cuff based on a whim is rarely a good business decision. Customers are fickle (and prospects are worse!), and once they decide that your message is not relevant to their needs — they will unsubscribe quickly or send your messages straight to spam. Forming a strategy helps you focus your efforts on where they will do the most good. This could be around upcoming sales and special offers or times of the year, for instance. Once you have a strategic direction in mind, your next step involves crafting actionable metrics. Click rates and open rates are nice to know, but the true value of metrics is being able to measure the final outcome: a purchase, a download or a phone call.

What’s best is that a strategy gives you a roadmap. Once you create a strategy, pass it off to someone else to implement — but always keep track of the actionable metrics to assure that it’s being executed to plan. Don’t be afraid to make tweaks mid-stream, either!

Understand Your Customer’s Journey

Journey mapping for your customer can be as simple or as complex as you would like. A simple version of a journey map would include steps such as how the prospect became aware of your offering (via a search ad), the landing page where they submitted their contact information and the final step it took to push them over the edge to purchase. A more complex map could include each of the standard phases:

  • Awareness
  • Consideration
  • Purchase
  • Retention
  • Advocacy

You may have a different email strategy for each of these various stages, always in an effort to move individuals further down the path to advocacy for your brand.

Develop a Likable Voice

Marketing Voice
Your brand’s “voice”, or the way you convey your messages, says a lot about your brand. A high-end clothing brand is likely to speak differently to their customers than a Chuck-E-Cheese, for instance. While these are two extremes, everything from your selection of specific words to your use (or overuse!) of exclamation points helps your customers form an opinion of your brand. Look for a way to communicate authentically at all times. Some marketers find it helpful to write as if they’re communicating with a trusted friend, which adds a layer of personality, style and warmth that might otherwise be lacking.

Make it Personal

Today’s personalized emails go far beyond “Dear Mike”, and include everything from messages that contain details about previous purchases to up-sells for items that customers have viewed on your website. This new level of high-tech personalization draws upon all of the sources of metadata that could exist for your customer and pulls them together into a cohesive message map. Email open rates with personalization are 30% higher, and consumers are 80% more likely to make a purchase from an email that is targeted to their unique needs and wants. Overall purchase rates can increase as much as 20%, according to recent statistics from Campaign Monitor. Abandoned cart emails are particularly effective, and followup emails for purchases that include review requests are as well.

While all of these tactics build together to create a great strategy, don’t forget one of the cardinal rules of marketing: ask for feedback! Provide your customers with ample opportunity to tell you what resonates and what fell flat. When your customers are given the opportunity to offer their ideas for your improvement, be sure you are showing that you are not only listening — but making changes based on their recommendations.

Are you ready to put these stellar email best practices to work in your business? Contact Webociti today to get started at 678-892-7157 or fill out our quick online contact form to receive your free personalized consultation. We provide marketing automation, social media marketing and digital advertising services for all types of organizations from doctors and dentists to automotive industries, legal and real estate professionals!