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Do you spend a lot of time and money on your email marketing campaign? Many business owners do. According to Statista, companies may earn up to $45 for every dollar they spend on email marketing. However, that $45 estimate only applies if they're marketing optimally. Are you certain your company's email marketing is as strong as it could be? Here are some mistakes you might be making with your email marketing strategy.
When someone on your email list gets a message from you, they see the subject line first. If you want to keep your subject line from getting cut off on most devices, then you'll need to keep it under 40 characters. That said, if you're looking to make an impact, then the subject will have to be even briefer. How many words do you need to get your point across? Keep in mind that you can clarify further in the preview text. Your subject line should provide your readers with the absolute clearest understanding of your email's purpose.
If you can imagine anyone on your mailing list opening your email on their phone or any other mobile device, then you should make sure you're formatting them to be as readable as possible. Depending on your service provider, this might be achievable with the click of a button. That said, you should always be sure to design your content with mobile users in mind. Minimize the amount of text you put on your images and use single-column templates that lead to a centered, easily clickable call-to-action button.
You don't want your readers to tune you out. It's important to make sure that the emails you're sending them are relevant to their interests. Otherwise, they'll begin to assume nothing you say is worth their attention. Rather than running their patience dry, try to personalize your emails to them as much as you can. Many customers prefer personal recommendations; this trend extends beyond retail. Do your best to divide your mailing list into segmented groups. The groups you might potentially choose will depend on your industry, but the common choices to start with are age, location, gender, whether they've engaged recently with your content, whether they left something in their cart, and so on. These are all elements that directly relate to your reader's life, so it's more likely to get their attention.
There are right and wrong times to send emails. For the most part, if you want optimal results, then you can't simply push your emails as soon as they're ready to go. An email sent in the middle of the night could lead someone to the unsubscribe button if they're annoyed enough. Look into what time period is best for your particular niche. You're most likely going to end up sending your emails during the workday, but you may find that some particular days work better than others. As an aside, be sure you don't send too many in a row as this can also drive readers away. That said, there's also such a thing as too few emails. You don't want your readers to forget about you, after all. Be sure to strike a reasonable balance between being informative and respectful of their time.
The information you can glean from reader interactions is priceless and also nearly limitless. If you're someone who sends emails and forgets them, then you should know that you're missing out on a particularly valuable resource. Be sure to track your progress and see how your emails perform from one week to the next. Ideally, you should be making changes in order to see growth. It'll be tough to identify failures and successes as they happen without the proper information at hand. Did you know that you can check how many readers opened your email, along with whether they unsubscribed, clicked through, or converted? This is the best way to keep an eye out for mistakes in your email marketing.
If there's a risk your readers might leave you for someone more personable, then don't give them a reason to. While a "do not reply" address might simplify things for you, you're missing out on a lot of potential connections when you turn away inquiring minds. Consider welcoming reader responses instead. In fact, it's worth going out of your way to provide them with ways to contact you. Even a simple link to the contact form on your website will leave readers with the impression that you're both open and authoritative. Do you want your readers to think you're a reliable source? Be available for communication.
When someone signs up for your mailing list, what do they do next? Ideally, they'll go read the welcome email you just sent them. If you're not sending a welcome email to your readers at the exact moment they show interest, then you're letting their attention go to waste. They're already paying attention! There will never be an easier moment to get them to open an email. Make sure you squeeze in everything you want them to know. Introduce yourself and give them a summary of what being on the mailing list entails. Is there anything to look forward to? This is your chance to set the tone and solidify whatever impression you've managed to make so far. Don't let yourself become the spam that they've forgotten the origins of. Be sure to thank them for their time, as well.
When it comes to email marketing, there's a lot of room for mistakes. On the other hand, all of these mistakes are also areas for potential improvement. Are you looking for marketing and media solutions to expand your outreach? There are a lot of services we can offer to improve your marketing performance. Give us a call at Silvercrest Advertising to learn more. We'd love to be of assistance!
