Key Elements to Email Marketing Success

Veronica Garcia  •   May 28, 2018

Are you utilizing email marketing to increase engagement with existing and potential customers and eventually increase foot traffic? If not, you’re missing out on an essential aspect of any digital marketing campaign. Here’s how to get started:

Grow and Segment your Lists

MailChimp, Constant Contact, and most other email marketing platforms are customizable and allow you to create lists that segment subscribers into targeted categories. The most important list will include customers who have completed an online transaction or physically stepped foot inside your establishment and made a purchase, so make sure you have a system in place to collect their email address during the transaction. Once you know customers’ interests based on their purchases, you can send emails to inform them about special offers, discounts, or new products or services that will encourage them to visit again.

Another list category that can help drive business is prospective customers who have engaged with your company in some way but have not yet converted into first-time customers. To gather email addresses from prospective customers, install an email signup function on your Facebook page, or generate a single signup link to share across all your social media platforms. You can also create an email capture pop-up on your website. Whichever route you choose, it’s a good idea to give visitors some incentive to sign up, such as a discount, coupon, or free gift. Once you have a robust list of prospective customers, you can send out targeted promotions that encourage first-time purchases.

Craft a Compelling Subject Line

The content and offers included in your marketing emails might differ between list categories, but no matter which group you’re sending to, every email needs a subject line that will capture the recipient’s attention and encourage them to open the email. Otherwise, you’ll spend hours on email content that few will even read.

Typically, it’s best to use 65 characters or less in a subject line, which means you have to pack a lot of punch in just a few words. Here are a few things to consider when brainstorming ideas:

  • Use the recipient’s name. Personalization is a tried and true attention-getter, and it also gives the impression that the email was written just for the recipient versus an entire list of people. 
  • Shorter is better. An increasing number of people open email through their mobile device, which means the subject line may be cut off if it’s too long, leaving users with an incomplete view and less incentive to open the email. 
  • Use Emojis. Emojis are relatively new to the email marketing scene, and not only do they add pizazz and personality to a subject line, but using them in place of certain words also helps keep your character count low.

Select a Relevant Email Format

There are several design options available for email marketing, but the format should align with the purpose of each email blast. For example, if you want to announce a new product or service, it’s a good idea to rely more on imagery than text. If you want to inform people on your email list about exciting business news or relevant industry developments, it’s better to use a newsletter or editorial format.

Another factor to consider is the use of images and video. Pictures are indeed worth a thousand words, and photos of your products can often describe them better than text. Videos are great for transforming extensive information into a compelling visual story, and if you want to get really creative, consider making a customized, memorable GIF that will keep customers opening your emails and increase your recall rate.

Utilize Effective Call-to-Action Buttons

Customers opening your email is great, and skimming through the content is even better. But ultimately, you want them to take some sort of action, whether it’s making a purchase or extending the engagement in some other way. Call-to-action buttons make engagement easy, and they can be linked to any website page you choose. Suggestions for call-to-action buttons include:

  • Learn More
  • Shop Now
  • Book Now
  • Register Now

Timing and Frequency

One of the most important aspects of any marketing strategy is consistency. If you start an email campaign—whether daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly—you need to follow through because customers will expect it. Studies show that emails sent at 10 am Monday through Thursday have the highest open rate.

If you want to increase communication and engagement with existing and prospective customers, email marketing is one of the best ways to connect. But if you’re not sure how to create a thorough strategy or you don’t have the time to dedicate to comprehensive digital marketing, we can help. Our team at Reader Digital can help you grow your lists, execute compelling campaigns, and tell your story to increase foot traffic. Give us a call today!