Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2016 and was updated with additional information in October 2023.
Mastering email marketing techniques and strategy is no small feat. While it's undeniable that effective email marketing can yield remarkable results, it's also a highly competitive arena where attention is scarce.
Consider your own inbox: it's likely you've experienced the impact of well-crafted email marketing campaigns, perhaps even making purchases prompted by a timely message. Yet, countless emails go unnoticed, either due to poor execution or landing in spam folders. Even when they reach your inbox, the sheer volume of emails compels you to select only a few to read, often determined by the most captivating subject lines.
To stand out and succeed in email marketing, you need to refine your email marketing techniques, develop a winning strategy, and employ effective email marketing tips to ensure your campaigns resonate with your audience.
Luckily, we tackle the ins and outs of email. Grab your popcorn and enjoy our take on the 5 Advanced Techniques to Sky Rocket Your Email Marketing.
1. Targeting and Segmentation Through Email Marketing
One of the biggest email marketing mistakes businesses make is sending the same blasts to their entire list of subscribers or potential customers. Digital marketing doesn't work like traditional direct mailing, which simply targets every single person on a list or in a certain area.
With so many details readily accessible to marketers, there's no excuse for not segmenting email lists and sending specially crafted emails to your various customer personas. If you have a number of products or services, decide which ones appeal to the different personas and send very specific messages to these groups.
Only have one product or service? That's fine – segment your list by differentiating the reasons why your various personas want or need your offerings and build your emails around those pain points.
2. Personalize Your Digital Marketing
Getting to know your customers is only the first step to improving your results; the second step is learning how to apply this knowledge and send more personalized emails. Whether it's acknowledging birthdays and anniversaries with discount emails or creating email offerings around a customer's purchase history, using the information you have on each of your personas is vital.
3. Lead Nurturing and Email Marketing Automation
One of the great things about email marketing is that once you have your campaigns up and running, certain components – like welcome emails and other messages that move customers along the purchase journey – can be completely automated. Beyond the initial setup and organization, this requires no additional time on your part.
What marketer wouldn't benefit from an automated process that pushes customers down the buying funnel?
4. Refine Your Message by Split Testing
The reality of email marketing is that many things have to go right for your emails to be read. From getting the timing down to crafting the perfect subject line, there are a number of vital components to the perfect email. This is why split testing – also called A/B testing – is the biggest behind-the-scenes method for improving your email marketing. Split testing is an advanced technique that will help you understand the things you need to do to not only get your messages read but also have your potential customers complete the actions you intend them to take.
5. Make Your Digital Marketing Mobile-Friendly
A predominant share of your audience accesses their emails primarily through mobile phones. It's not uncommon to find individuals starting to read an email on a desktop and then switching to their mobiles to finish it while on the move. This trend underscores the necessity of prioritizing mobile-responsive email marketing strategies. Investing in mobile-optimized campaigns isn't just a trend – it's a requisite.
And from a broader perspective, mobile-centric emails pave the way for capturing potential leads and transforming them into loyal customers by delivering messages that are timely, relevant, and personalized.
Additionally, the mobile-first approach isn't limited to just emails. As the digital landscape expands, every facet of digital marketing, from websites to advertisements, should be tailored to cater to mobile users. This evolution ensures that businesses remain competitive, reachable, and attuned to the changing habits and preferences of their target audience.
How Do You Attract Clients Through Email Marketing?
By integrating the below strategies into your email marketing campaigns, you can effectively attract and build a loyal client base.
- Understand Your Audience: Before crafting any email, you must understand who your target clients are, their needs, preferences, and pain points. This helps in tailoring your message to resonate with them.
- Build a Quality Email List: Rather than purchasing email lists, which can lead to low engagement and high unsubscribe rates, focus on building a list organically. Offer valuable content, incentives, or tools in exchange for sign-ups.
- Personalize Your Emails: Use the recipient's name and tailor the content based on their previous interactions with your brand. Personalized emails often result in higher open and click-through rates.
- Provide Value Consistently: Offer valuable content such as industry insights, how-to guides, case studies, and exclusive deals. This positions your brand as a trusted resource.
- Craft Compelling Subject Lines: The subject line determines if an email gets opened. It should be enticing, clear, and relevant to the recipient.
- Use Strong Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Ensure every email has a clear and compelling CTA that directs recipients towards the desired action, whether it's scheduling a consultation, viewing a product, or reading a blog post.
- Maintain Professional Design: Ensure your emails are well-designed, clean, and mobile-friendly. Use high-quality images, consistent branding, and a layout that's easy to navigate.
- Segment Your List: Not every email will be relevant to all subscribers. Segment your list based on various criteria (like interests, purchase history, or location) to ensure you send targeted and relevant content.
- Engage with a Series: Implement drip campaigns or email series for potential clients who might require more nurturing. For instance, a series of emails that introduce your company, showcase testimonials, and offer a discount can guide a potential client through the decision-making process.
- Monitor & Optimize: Use email analytics to monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. These insights can help you refine your strategies for better results.
- Respect Regulations and Privacy: Always be compliant with regulations like the GDPR or CAN-SPAM Act. Provide clear options for subscribers to opt-out and respect their choices. Building trust is crucial in attracting and retaining clients.
- Ask for Referrals: Once you've built trust with your current clients or subscribers, don't hesitate to ask them for referrals. Consider providing incentives or exclusive offers for successful referrals.
- Testimonials & Case Studies: Showcase positive feedback or success stories from your existing clients. Such content can instill confidence in potential clients and demonstrate your expertise and reliability.
- Set a Consistent Schedule: Don't overwhelm your subscribers with too many emails, but maintain a consistent presence in their inbox to remind them of your value proposition.
If you would like more information on advanced email marketing techniques, get in touch with your local WSI Digital Marketing Consultant today.
