We’ll get straight to the point, you need email marketing. We think email is still a vibrant and powerful way to directly connect with people. Billions of emails are sent on a daily basis, so the one you send out on behalf of your business needs to stand out.
Creating a strong email marketing strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. You know who you’re sending it to so the chances are more than likely that they will be interested in what you have to say. If you think it’s a waste of time, think again, and here’s why.
It’s affordable
Whilst social media continues to grow and grow, often to get the most out of your social media posts you need to throw a lot of time (and little money at it). This doesn’t need to be the case with emails. As entrepreneurs, business owners and marketers, we can get a little caught up in novelty. Sometimes we make things a hell of a lot more complicated than they need to be. Email marketing may seem a little old school, but there’s a reason for that. It’s effective. It’s not difficult to get started and for small companies or those on a budget it can easily be done in-house.
Your personalised imagery can take centre stage and you have the added benefit of the fact that follow-up information is already there. Typically, email marketing attracts a higher response rate, so you will get more positive responses and, more importantly, a lower cost for campaigns. For Example, SmartInsights put together a report which shows emails have an open rate of 24.79% and a click-through rate of 4.19%, whatever the size of your company. This may not sound much but how many links do you really click?
It’s personal and customisable
When you send an email, you’re sending it to a targeted list of people. This means that they are receiving emails that they will be interested in and you’re providing them with something of value.
When you write social media, for example, you address your whole audience which is great for general posts, updates and general engagement. But by using your email marketing correctly, you can start with a personalised introduction and say hello by name. If there are topics you only want certain people to be told about, you can further personalise these lists so people get them privately in their personal inboxes.
Email should never be SPAM! You can use it to build loyalty with clients and customers and the trust they already have in your brand. It’s not just current clients though, you can build relationships with prospects, leads and reach out to previous clients. Be friendly and personable because if used correctly, they won’t feel like you’re invading their personal space.
It’s Measurable
Guesswork isn’t a factor here. When you use email marketing software, such as MailChimp, you can see who opened your email, if any links were clicked and if people unsubscribed. We love using MailChimp for this because it helps us to see what’s working, what’s not and tailor accordingly to make our email marketing the best it can be.
Emails can be checked anywhere and anytime
These days, pretty much everyone owns a mobile phone and almost everyone has an email address. We check our emails constantly whether we’re on a train, waiting for coffee or even at the supermarket. Mobile phones aren’t just for social media, don’t miss out on an opportunity for a channel that the majority of the world uses.
It’s a great way to keep people updated
Not everyone is on social media, or has the time to see what a brand has been up to online or otherwise. The majority of folks are on social media, but it’s all in the timing and they might not be online when you post. Email has more of a shelf life and will be in their inbox ready and waiting. This helps business owners and their clients to stay connected. There are days when sending an email is much more effective, for example, not many people will read an email giving general updates or exciting news on a Monday morning but when they have more free time and are starting to wind down for the weekend, a Thursday afternoon is a good shout.
Here’s the kicker. When it comes to quickly getting offers out, driving traffic to your website or footfall to your business, keep it simple and what’s more proven than emails?
Here is our checklist you can always double check too (and print out).
