In email marketing , you are only as strong as the quality of your list and while renting or purchasing leads can be an acceptable supplementary method for getting your campaign off the ground, it's most desirable to build a base of qualified customers who willingly opted-in. The highest rate of conversions from emails comes from users who sign up to receive communications, so start extending an invitation to subscribe everywhere you can, including your website's homepage, during the checkout process and through live situations where you interface directly with clients.
[Email Marketing: A Small Business Guide]
Make opting-in a simple, straightforward process, providing options to users as to how often they want to receive communications and what they specifically wish to be contacted about. Extending rewards and incentives for subscribing and inviting additional friends to join, is not only a practical method for expanding your reach, but also promotes valuable consumer loyalty.
Get there safely
Even when armed with an extensive list of pre-qualified leads, a significant hurdle in email marketing is making sure your messages don't get treated like spam. Studies suggest as many as one in five users sends promotional emails to the spam folder, even when they have opted to receive them. Always follow best practices, such as sending an automated confirmation message to customers when they subscribe, so they can anticipate, and more readily accept, future communications.
It is of the utmost importance that your sender email address clearly reflect your business or brand name, and that you aren't mixing unsolicited leads with consumers who have opted-in. While it's virtually impossible to avoid the spam folder entirely, a few too many reports can result in ISPs directly blocking your emails.
Study your subjects
While bad subject lines — those written all in caps, or those promising deep discounts and giveaways —can get you spammed, good subject lines are your ticket to a one-on-one audience with a qualified lead. The subject line is one of the most important factors in whether your email gets opened, so focus on making yours inviting by being respectful, truthful, and to the point.
Starting your subject with an action word is an effective way to capture attention and stand out in the inbox, and including a familiar keyword or brand name helps establish recognition. The perfect approach is never certain and doesn't typically last, so study and analyze metrics in order to continually adjust your subject line construction and word use for optimal performance.
Start at the end
Along with over emailing, the primary factor by far that inspires users to unsubscribe is irrelevant content. Unlike an in-person sales approach where you have more time to build up to the big pitch, the consumer expectation for promotional emails is to get right to the point.
Whatever the offer or message, it should be prominently displayed with all relevant details comprehensible at a glance, making it abundantly clear how to take action, as well as how to either unsubscribe or access additional information. The beauty of email marketing is that it makes things easier for you and your customers, so ensure that the path to conversion is optimized for speed and convenience.
Go easy on the eyes
Taking a visual approach to email marketing allows businesses to make more persuasive, branded presentations that say more with less. While it's still necessary to create text versions of emails for the shrinking percentage of users who prefer it, the vast and growing majority of consumers find HTML more enjoyable and engaging.
With nearly half of all emails being checked on cell phones and tablets, designing with the small screen in mind is integral to connecting to your pervasive consumer base. Make sure your HTML email messages not only look good on iPhones, iPads and Androids, but also that the navigation and functionality transition to a fluid mobile shopping experience.
Final thoughts
Whether you sell cashmere sweaters or vinyl siding, email is a great way to market businesses in the digital age. By assembling an extensive list of qualified leads and optimizing your messages for maximum effectiveness, you can connect with customers in ways that enhance engagement, promote loyalty and increase sales revenues.
[Email Marketing: A Small Business Guide]
Make opting-in a simple, straightforward process, providing options to users as to how often they want to receive communications and what they specifically wish to be contacted about. Extending rewards and incentives for subscribing and inviting additional friends to join, is not only a practical method for expanding your reach, but also promotes valuable consumer loyalty.
Get there safely
Even when armed with an extensive list of pre-qualified leads, a significant hurdle in email marketing is making sure your messages don't get treated like spam. Studies suggest as many as one in five users sends promotional emails to the spam folder, even when they have opted to receive them. Always follow best practices, such as sending an automated confirmation message to customers when they subscribe, so they can anticipate, and more readily accept, future communications.
It is of the utmost importance that your sender email address clearly reflect your business or brand name, and that you aren't mixing unsolicited leads with consumers who have opted-in. While it's virtually impossible to avoid the spam folder entirely, a few too many reports can result in ISPs directly blocking your emails.
Study your subjects
While bad subject lines — those written all in caps, or those promising deep discounts and giveaways —can get you spammed, good subject lines are your ticket to a one-on-one audience with a qualified lead. The subject line is one of the most important factors in whether your email gets opened, so focus on making yours inviting by being respectful, truthful, and to the point.
Starting your subject with an action word is an effective way to capture attention and stand out in the inbox, and including a familiar keyword or brand name helps establish recognition. The perfect approach is never certain and doesn't typically last, so study and analyze metrics in order to continually adjust your subject line construction and word use for optimal performance.
Start at the end
Along with over emailing, the primary factor by far that inspires users to unsubscribe is irrelevant content. Unlike an in-person sales approach where you have more time to build up to the big pitch, the consumer expectation for promotional emails is to get right to the point.
Whatever the offer or message, it should be prominently displayed with all relevant details comprehensible at a glance, making it abundantly clear how to take action, as well as how to either unsubscribe or access additional information. The beauty of email marketing is that it makes things easier for you and your customers, so ensure that the path to conversion is optimized for speed and convenience.
Go easy on the eyes
Taking a visual approach to email marketing allows businesses to make more persuasive, branded presentations that say more with less. While it's still necessary to create text versions of emails for the shrinking percentage of users who prefer it, the vast and growing majority of consumers find HTML more enjoyable and engaging.
With nearly half of all emails being checked on cell phones and tablets, designing with the small screen in mind is integral to connecting to your pervasive consumer base. Make sure your HTML email messages not only look good on iPhones, iPads and Androids, but also that the navigation and functionality transition to a fluid mobile shopping experience.
Final thoughts
Whether you sell cashmere sweaters or vinyl siding, email is a great way to market businesses in the digital age. By assembling an extensive list of qualified leads and optimizing your messages for maximum effectiveness, you can connect with customers in ways that enhance engagement, promote loyalty and increase sales revenues.
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