Did you know that email is still the most cost-effective digital marketing method around? According to data compiled by iContact, the average ROI on email marketing is $44.25 for every $1 spent, making email up to 20 times more cost-effective than other marketing methods. Not only is it cost-effective, it’s just plain effective: Consumers who receive email marketing messages from businesses spend 83 percent more when shopping and order 28 percent more frequently than those who don’t. To make the most of email marketing, try these 10 tips.
1. Get Help. Email marketing service such as Constant Contact, iContact and MailChimp automate delivery and provide templates to simplify the technical aspects of sending email.
2. Follow CAN-SPAM Laws. Email marketing services help you stay up-to-date with the latest regulations regarding email privacy, but the ultimate responsibility for compliance is yours. Read the Bureau of Consumer Protection’s CAN-SPAM Act Compliance Guide.
3. Build Your own Email List. Create your own list of email addresses from customers and prospects—you’ll get better results than you will by renting lists. Ask customers to sign up for your emails at the point of sale, by collecting business cards, via sign-up sheets at events or on the home page of your website.
4. Make it Simple. Don’t force customers to fill out a lengthy registration form to receive emails. Simply request a name and email address (or even just an email address). If you want more information later, entice customers to provide it by offering a discount, free consultation or something else of value in return.
5. Decide what You’ll Deliver. Will you send notices of sales and special events at your business, news about your company, codes good for discounts and deals, a regular newsletter or all of the above? Start small and add more components as you get comfortable.
6. Design for Mobile. According to a report by Knotice, more than 40 percent of emails are opened on a mobile device. Make sure your emails are simply designed, using minimal images that load quickly, so they’re easily readable wherever recipients open them.
7. Time it Right. In general, you’ll want to email at least once a month, or customers may forget about you. An email newsletter can be sent monthly; try sending notices of sales or special offers bimonthly or even weekly.
8. Get Social. Promote your email signups on your social media accounts. Put social sharing tools like Facebook and Twitter buttons in your emails; ask subscribers to forward emails and share them with friends.
9. Maintain Your List. Regularly remove addresses that get bouncebacks; check your list for duplicate addresses or misspellings like “@gamail.com.” If you send too many emails to “dead” addresses, you may get marked as a spammer.
10. Test and Measure. Test to see what subject lines, content, design and frequency get the best results. Your email service provider should provide analytics tools that show you open rates, clickthrough rates and other measures of success. Use this information to fine-tune your email marketing efforts.
