Your mailing list is one of the most important parts of your business communication. Why? Because it’s a list you own. It’s a group of people who are interested in your business and have actively agreed to engage with you (this is part of GDPR compliance).
You have no control over your social media followers and contact lists (unless you pay for expensive tools that allow you to do this, most likely against the terms and conditions of the system) so if your social media is hacked, or you are banned from the platform you need to be aware you could lose all your hard-earned followers instantly. You should have a plan of how to convert them to a reliable lead then know what you want to do with them.
What data are you collecting?
It’s not only about building a mailing list, but you also need to be delivering outputs from gathering the data, otherwise what’s the point! Firstly, what data do you need to collect? You must collect an email address at an absolute minimum, but if you want to personalise your emails you also need to collect their first name. It may help to collect a last name also as people are used to giving that information out. If you are offering something for someone giving their information, how are you providing that to them?
It’s also not about the numbers, but converting those leads to customers. Your content needs to connect and engage with them in a way that brings in business. There is a lot of noise out in the world so what makes you better than someone else? This is what will spark interest in your audience, and probably be the reason they were willing to give you their information in the first place.
So, moving from data gathering to impact, here are six tips to help you get the most out of your email campaigns:
1. Define your goals
Before you start any email campaign, you must know what your goals are. If you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, you can tailor your messages and calls-to-action (CTAs) to achieve these goals. How often do you want to keep in touch with your audience? Consistency is also a part of your goal planning as if you are not consistent, your audience will most likely notice.
2. Segment your list
Segmenting your list means dividing it into smaller groups based on specific criteria such as location, interests or behavior. By doing this, you can create more targeted messages that resonate with each group, leading to higher open and click-through rates. Remember if you’re not collecting that information at the start, you can’t segment later so think carefully what information you need. Bear in mind, you do not need to ask people to do this, you can use automations to help define what people clicked on or where they joined from (such as a downloadable).
3. Write compelling subject lines
Your subject line is the first thing your subscribers see when they receive your email. It’s essential to make sure it’s compelling enough to grab their attention and entice them to open your message. There are so many tools that help you write a subject line but we don’t recommend you copy and paste, but if you’re stuck use those as a starting point. Remember to keep it short and inviting.
4. Use engaging content
The content of your emails should be engaging, informative, relevant and easy to read. Use visuals like images, videos and infographics to break up blocks of text and keep readers engaged. Apply your brand guidelines to your email marketing and use the same structure over and over again – people like patterns so if they see your content presented a certain way they will get used to seeing it and know it’s from you.
5. Make it mobile-friendly and verified
More than half of all emails are opened on mobile devices. So, it’s essential to make sure your emails are optimised for mobile. Use a responsive email design that adapts to different screen sizes. Also remember that some email systems may hide your graphics until someone verified your email so test and check what you can verify and demonstrate your are a legitimate business.
6. Test and analyse
Always test and analyse your email campaigns to see what’s working and what’s not. Try it on different devices, different emails (test to at least two email accounts), and ask others for feedback if you are just starting out. Click each link and make sure everything is linking correctly. You could use A/B testing to compare different versions of your emails to see which performs better. Analyse your results to see where you can improve and make changes accordingly to future emails.
By applying these six tips, you can develop effective emails to educate and engage your audience. Make sure you have a plan and works for you, thinking about how often and when you want to email out your audience.
Ask your audience for feedback. Find out what they enjoy about your emails and do more of that! If you send out sales emails, give something first and don’t push. You’ll find people will connect with you even more if they get to know you, like you and trust you. Plus, they’ll be more likely to tell others and share your content.
Always keep in mind your audience’s user journey through and by following these tips you are setting yourself and your business up for email excellence!
Are you looking for a supportive network to help you get the most out of your email campaigns then join the Blue Ninja Membership Academy. Our supportive and informative Academy can help you get expert advice on moving your business forward.