Few digital channels are as timeless as email. This groundbreaking system emerged alongside the internet itself over 50 years ago, and it’s now a staple for billions of people worldwide. What began as a simple concept evolved over decades to become one of the most robust communication methods available today.
Nearly every major brand and business currently uses email to reach their loyal followers. That’s because it’s almost always direct, affordable, and reliable. Here are some of our top email marketing tips for 2022 and beyond.
1. Manage Your Email Lists
Every email campaign begins with a list of contacts. A carefully curated list of email addresses is basically a digital gold mine, especially if you can grow and maintain it over time. That said, we’ll never recommend buying a third-party database of contacts. Anyone who suggests this in their list of email marketing tips is doing you a disservice.
There are no shortage of websites selling supposedly verified email lists. While it’s not illegal to buy them, it can be illegal to use them for marketing purposes. There’s simply no way of confirming their identities or if they’ve agreed to receive promotional materials. It may seem like a quick way to build your contact list, but it will ultimately harm your business in the long run, especially if users report you for spam.
Instead, always aim to grow your email lists organically. Consider joining a networking group, chamber of commerce, or local small business association. Exchange business cards often, and ask new friends if they’d like to receive your exclusive newsletter. Be active in your community, or begin with friends, family, neighbors, and social media followers. Whenever you gain a new client or business partner, share your email in exchange for theirs, and consider segmenting them into lists by industry, location, or relationship.
A high-quality email list also requires attention to detail. Not everyone will be a perfect fit for your content, and that’s okay. Make it easy to subscribe and unsubscribe at will, so uninterested contacts filter themselves out over time. Take note if anyone makes complaints or marks your emails as spam, then simply remove them from your list manually. With a little effort, you’ll put together an organized catalogue of verified contacts in no time.
2. Prioritize Value over Promotion
When it comes to digital content, we always recommend following the 80/20 rule of marketing. This means that most of your content (about 80%) should be informative, educational, and entertaining. The rest can focus on products, services, and promotion.
Consider your audience before ever sending an email. Who are they? Where are they? What do they care about most? The answers to these questions will guide your content strategy moving forward. Put yourself in a potential reader’s shoes and try to imagine how your message will impact them.
It can be tough to stand out from the crowd these days. Countless businesses constantly compete for consumers’ attention at any given moment. That’s why finding and expressing your brand identity should always be a top priority. The right brand strategy will set you apart from competitors, even within the very same industry.
Whatever your unique angle is, stick with it. Create some custom graphics that include your logo, slogan, or brand colors. Try featuring statistics, scientific studies, or links to engaging videos. Highlight any upcoming seminars, community events, and networking opportunities. Chances are, if you find it interesting or important, others may, too. Keep an eye on your open and click rates, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
3. Personalize Marketing Emails
A human touch goes a long way in the digital age. Effective email marketing grabs and holds readers’ attention for a number of reasons. Regardless, every high-quality message begins with a catchy subject line and personal greeting.
Subject lines can make or break any email campaign. The best ones entice you to click quickly, and the worst may leave a bad taste in your mouth. Learning the differences between the two takes a bit of trial and error, so don’t expect to get it right the first time. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Never use all caps in subject lines. It’s tacky, unprofessional, and makes it seem like you’re shouting for no reason. Always keep subject lines short and relevant to the email’s content. There’s no point in misleading your audience with clickbait. However, cliffhangers like “This week at (company)…” can be effective if used properly.
When you’re building your email list, gather contacts’ first names whenever possible. That way, you can address them individually in your greetings. Most CRMs and email platforms provide marketers with the option to do this using some form of placeholder text. No list of email marketing tips would be complete without including personalized greetings.
Subject lines and personal greetings are a great way to express your brand identity. Whether you want to be silly or sincere, incorporate it into your email content. This will resonate with your audience by adding a depth of authenticity that cannot be ignored. If you can also segment your email lists by trade or location, this will create endless opportunities for personalization. Consider highlighting local events or industry updates to relevant groups, and watch your engagement explode.
4. Make Emails Mobile-Friendly
Mobile devices are becoming more popular year after year, and this trend shows no signs of slowing. When designing your next email campaign, make sure it looks great across multiple email clients, especially Apple smartphones. This will continue to be one of the most important email marketing tips as more people shift to mobile devices.
Once you’ve nailed down the content of your email, the next challenge is always proper formatting. Poor formatting may cause any recipient to unsubscribe or delete a message in a matter of seconds. Can you really blame them? The best content in the world means nothing if your audience can’t even access it.
Balancing accessibility with creative freedom is no small endeavor. Over time, you’ll learn what works best when it comes to different mobile platforms. That said, images are almost always a good idea to feature in marketing emails, as long as they’re small enough files to load quickly. That’s why we always recommend using the .jpg format for all web graphics including emails. Also, if you’re incorporating links and calls-to-action, consider attaching them to images or buttons. This will make them easier to see and tap than simple blue anchor text.
The average person’s attention is spread fairly thin, especially during the workweek. Try to keep your emails brief, and ideally, skimmable. Break important content out into sections divided by descriptive headings. Reduce lengthy sentences to 25 words or less, and rarely include more than 4 sentences per paragraph. Finally, always get to the point sooner rather than later. Emails aren’t blog posts, let alone novels, so make sure every word and sentence you include serves a clear purpose.
5. Integrate Email Marketing with Other Platforms
Few successful marketing campaigns ever exist in a vacuum. The best ones make use of multiple platforms that play off each other’s strengths. Digital marketing makes this simple with a wide variety of flexible channels.
Websites and marketing emails are natural partners. Encourage your website visitors to share their email address in exchange for something of value such as a newsletter, eBook, or exclusive offer. A great way to accomplish this is with some form of popup or banner. It’s also a good idea to include at least one link back to your website in every email you send. Try attaching it to a header or footer image that clearly displays your logo, address, phone number, and URL.
Your email marketing efforts can also drive traffic to your social media channels. Include icons linked to your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube profiles, and encourage subscribers to follow you for more updates. Consider running a contest or giveaway to gain new subscribers outside your immediate audience. You can even boost a post for as little as $1 per day to expand your reach beyond current followers.
Email Marketing Works
There’s a reason why email has stuck around for so long. When properly managed, a curated contact list can generate leads, promote interest, and nurture genuine relationships with followers. This list of email marketing tips is a good introduction if you’re just getting started, but there’s still plenty to cover in greater detail. If you have questions about email or digital marketing in general, we encourage you to reach out at your convenience. We’d love to sit down together and discuss how you can improve your online presence today.
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