Today, email is still one of the most powerful communication tools. It’s one of the most effective direct marketing tools because it lets you aim not only at acquiring new prospects but also at building loyalty among your existing customers. Before planning or launching an email marketing campaign, you need to consider the impact the email will have on the person who receives it.
The email’s impact on prospects must be expected and positive. Design plays a key role in making it appealing and in achieving the main goal of any marketing or advertising campaign: generating sales.
Email marketing: Yes we can.
Using email has advantages such as savings on production, handling and mailing costs. But there are many more benefits, such as:
- Promoting offers
- Collecting customer testimonials
- Sharing up-to-date content
- Running surveys
- Announcing new products or news about your business.
One aspect many large companies have chosen to forget is Permission Marketing. Permission Marketing is what truly sets email marketing apart from other marketing tools, since it means getting the express permission of the customer or prospect to start a relationship with them. Once you have that permission, the subscriber has authorized you to send them your information.
Here’s an infographic we created with these tips for running successful email campaigns:
Steps to define an email marketing strategy.
- Analyze your database and choose your technique
Depending on the goals you set for your strategy, you can segment your database into different groups and send each one different bulletins. Choose the type of email that best fits what you want to share: a newsletter (more of a regular informative publication) or a mailing (focused on advertising a brand’s services or products).
- Set tangible goals
What do you want to achieve with this email marketing campaign? More traffic to your online store? Promote your products? Generate more sales? That’s why it’s essential to set goals we can actually reach. Here you should also consider retaining existing customers, acquiring new ones and strengthening your brand image (branding).
- Include calls to action
Once the subscriber reads the email, it should contain the right information, as clearly as possible, but above all it should include calls to action that lead the prospect into your online store. You can use copy like: “Shop now with this discount coupon!”.
- Optimize emails for mobile and take care of the design
Design is one of the most important aspects of an email marketing campaign. The aim is to make an impact, and visual resources such as photos or videos are the best way to get prospects to engage with the content.
Today you must take customers’ mobile use into account, since a large share of users check their email on their phones. That’s why bulletin designs must also be adapted to these devices.
- Analyze the data to update your campaign
A key step is gathering all the information and data collected to assess how the campaign performed. This data will help us fix mistakes and build on successes in future campaigns.
Still a to-do
Many large companies use email marketing as a tool for loyalty and customer acquisition, but it’s still a to-do for small and medium-sized businesses.
Email marketing should be a key tool for any online store. It offers many benefits and advantages:
- You’ll get more visits, increasing the chances of conversion in your online store.
- You’ll build a closer relationship with future prospects and help build loyalty among customers who already know your store. Use discounts or special offers to achieve this.
- You’ll be able to provide better after-sales service and, as a result, improve your company’s image. It’s a good way to invest in your store’s growth, stay in touch with customers and boost your online sales.
