Email marketing should be a key component of your direct marketing strategy. It’s a personal, economical way to communicate with both prospects and customers, and there are lots of ways to maximize your success with this tactic.
Whether you send offers, rewards, reminders, or educational material, here are four (and a half) quick ways to boost your email marketing campaign success-factor.
1. A Mobile-First Approach
Across all industries, the need for mobile friendly emails is on the rise. Think about your own use of smartphones and tablets in day-to-day life, or that Americans spend four times more time on their mobile devices than with newspaper or magazine (Percolate). Be sure to build your layouts with mobile in mind, and consider things like image rendering, being able to click to view in browser, and the balance of text to image on a reader’s eye.
2. Social Shares
Adding simple social share functionality to your email template makes it easy for readers to engage with content they find compelling with a simple tap or click. Make it easier for consumers by having a user-friendly layout.
3. Think Acquisitions & Automate
Pumping out content?
Promoting over social media?
Make it easy for consumers to sign up for your email marketing programs by using popups or forms when they visit your website or landing pages. Growing your list is as easy as making the option available for people to sign up for updates and promoting them. Programming confirmation emails or follow-ups to send themselves automatically is also a quick and easy way to save time and effort in the email space.
4. Keep it Legal. And – bonus! – Make it Relevant
Be aware of changes to email legislation, like the Canadian anti-spam law that came in to effect July 1, 2014. If you’re based in Canada, chances are you’ll recall receiving email requests to “stay in touch” with all the retailers and brands you’ve ever dealt with. Safeguard against complaints by ensuring capture forms are compliant to “opt-in” and that your lists are a current audience that want to receive your correspondence. You may just get dinged by your email provider for trying to blast non-compliant lists if unsubscribes or complaints start pouring in.
Further to this, you can help make sure your content is relevant to the right audience by segmenting your database and planning out the most valuable information to these sub-groups. Want to reinforce your brand’s friendliness and customer service to a prospect audience or promote a renewal offer for clients coming up to the end of their term? Craft your messages to connect the right way, and try adding in personal fields to customize the tone with whom you speak.
Interesting! I didn’t know that about this change in Canada.
Yes makes it a little more tricky. Thanks for your comment Simon