The ultimate recipe to cook up a winning email marketing plan

Sending emails through a strategic email marketing plan is a great way to educate potential clients and remind customers of your products and services.

Email marketing strategies have evolved over the years. What worked five years ago might not be effective today, but email marketing remains crucial in any comprehensive digital marketing strategy. For top online marketers, email marketing is often the go-to channel. Why? Because it delivers results and offers the best marketing ROI.

87% of marketers consider email marketing crucial for business success, and 51% say it is the most effective channel. [1] In fact, email marketing, as a standalone tactic, outperforms many other online marketing strategies, including SEO, PPC, and content marketing. It can be the most cost-effective way to promote your products, communicate with your customers, and achieve your sales goals.

By leveraging email marketing, you can maintain a direct line of communication with your audience, ensuring they stay informed and engaged with your brand. This makes it an indispensable tool in your marketing arsenal. Read more below to learn more and create your ideal email marketing plan:

Types of emails

It is good practice to create a healthy mix of different types of emails regularly. If you bombard your customers solely with emails about the products and services you offer, constantly asking them to buy, buy, buy, they will surely unsubscribe in no time. Create a few emails that benefit your customers. Educate them. Offer them value.

Listed below are a few ideas of the types of emails you should be sending out:

Welcome: When a customer decides to subscribe to your mailing list, it is a best practice to send them an email welcoming and thanking them. A great way to thank them is to offer a small reward. Another way to utilize a welcome email is to break down what your business offers in a nutshell. This is an email only sent out once; use it wisely.

Promotional: The primary purpose of a promotional email is to tell customers about the types of products and services your business offers. This can entice customers to make a purchase. Be sure to keep these types of emails short and sweet and include a clear call to action.

New inventory: Your customers will only know if you have new services or inventory if you tell them — unless they browse your website every day. An email like this will also remind your customers about your products and services.
Sales and promotions: Create a sense of urgency by including an expiration date for a coupon or only running a sale for a few days (or hours). Make sure the offer is clear and easy to find within the email. It is best practice to place the offer at the very top of the email so the user has the best chance of seeing the offer.

Newsletter: This type of email doesn’t need to be lengthy. Include a few snapshots of your most recent content. They can include your most recent testimonials, case studies, blog posts, and company updates. A newsletter email is a great way to build relationships with your customers and increase brand awareness.

Educational: You can send out emails that include advice relating to your products and services. Customers will likely open these types of emails because they will learn something for free. These types of emails can link to blog posts if they are relevant and informative.

Email marketing plan tips

Tip #1: Plan for frequency and consistency

2% of marketers send 2-3 emails daily, 21% send daily emails, and 12% send one weekly. [2] Every business is different and you must see what works best and make tweaks accordingly. B2C usually send more frequent promotional emails than B2B companies that tend to send out emails to educate and inform. Sending an email out every two weeks is a good place to start. Review your email statistics regularly and adjust the timing as needed.

Tip #2: Write compelling messages

Crafting clear and concise copy is essential for effective emails. Avoid overwhelming your readers with long blocks of text; instead, create engaging content that captures their attention. Without a compelling message, your email will fall flat. Be sure to place the most important information at the top, where it’s easy to find. Following these tips will help you create emails that truly resonate with your audience.

Tip #3: Avoid these spammy triggers

These are just a few of the words that can trigger the spam filter in emails:

$$$
Act Now
Cash Bonus
Cheap
Free Gift
Increase Your Sales
Free Installation
Guarantee
Free Offer
Obligation
Order Now

Other things that might set off the spam filter:

Writing the subject line in all caps
Subject lines that only contain one word
Spelling mistakes
Excessive punctuation

Tip #4: Optimize for different devices

Make sure your emails are easily readable on smartphones, tablets, and desktops by testing your design across different devices and email clients to ensure a consistent experience. Considering that most marketers already include mobile-optimized emails in their strategies, it’s crucial to follow suit and make your content accessible to all users.

Tip #5: Test to discover what works best

Regularly conduct A/B tests on various elements of your emails, such as subject lines, images, and call-to-action buttons, to discover what resonates most with your audience. Stay informed about the latest trends and be prepared to adjust or abandon strategies that no longer deliver results. Continuous improvement is critical to email marketing success, and A/B testing can lead to higher ROI. [1]

Tip #6: Craft compelling subject lines

Your subject line is the first thing recipients notice, so make it attention-grabbing, relevant, and concise. Experiment with different approaches to see what resonates most with your audience. Just as segmenting your email list enhances campaign precision, an enticing subject line boosts engagement by sparking curiosity, offering value, or generating excitement. The most effective subject lines are personalized, create intrigue, and highlight special offers, encouraging recipients to open and read further.

Tip #7: Emphasize quality over quantity

Rather than bombarding subscribers with frequent emails, aim for fewer but more targeted and engaging messages. Crafting compelling content and intriguing subject lines increases open and conversion rates, making the most of every email sent.

Tip #8: Segment your contacts

Segmenting your contact list allows you to tailor emails to specific groups based on behavior, preferences, or demographics, leading to more personalized and effective communication. This targeted approach significantly boosts engagement, with segmented emails driving 30% more opens and 50% more clicks than non-segmented ones. [2]

Tip #9: Define your audience

Understanding your audience is the cornerstone of successful email marketing. Begin by clearly defining your ideal recipients based on demographics, interests, and past interactions with your brand. This allows you to tailor your content and messaging to meet their specific needs and preferences.

By gaining a deep insight into your audience, you can create more relevant and engaging emails, define what tools to use, and more, which in turn increases the effectiveness of your campaigns and drives better results.

Tip #10: Have compelling CTAs

Effective calls-to-action (CTAs) are crucial for driving engagement and conversions in your emails. Craft CTAs that are clear, actionable, and compelling, making it easy for recipients to understand what you want them to do next. Use strong, persuasive language and create a sense of urgency or exclusivity to encourage immediate action.

Position your CTAs using contrasting colors or buttons to make them more eye-catching. Well-designed CTAs not only guide your audience but also significantly boost the success of your email campaigns.

Tip #11: Personalize your emails

Using dynamic content is the leading personalization strategy for email marketing and the most effective way to enhance performance, with 83% of customers open to sharing their data for a more tailored experience. [1]

One of the simplest ways to personalize your emails is to address the recipient by their name. Most email service providers enable you to do this effortlessly, and personalized subject lines can boost open rates.

Opt for an actual reply-to email address to increase your credibility and invite interaction. Incorporate your genuine contact details in the email signature. This step makes your communication more personal and allows recipients to connect with you directly, fostering a deeper relationship.

Use dynamic content blocks within your emails to display different content to subscribers based on their preferences, location, or past interactions. This best practice keeps your messages relevant and engaging, making them more likely to resonate with each recipient.

Tip #12: Invest in automation

87% of B2C marketers use automation in their email marketing strategy. [2] These emails are sent automatically based on user behaviors, or triggers, such as signing up for a newsletter, completing a purchase, or abandoning a shopping cart.

While it might seem complicated to set up, implementing trigger-based emails doesn’t have to be costly or time-consuming. Modern customer service software often comes with built-in auto-responders that can effortlessly manage most of your automation needs.

How can I measure the success of my email marketing plan?

Measuring the success of email marketing strategies involves tracking several key performance indicators (KPIs). Here are the primary metrics and methods to keep an eye on:

Open Rates: The first sign of effective emails is an increase in open rates. Personalized subject lines and sender names often entice more recipients to open your email campaigns.
Click-Through Rates (CTR): Once the email is opened, the click-through rate becomes crucial. A higher CTR indicates that the content is engaging and relevant to the recipients.
Conversion Rates: Ultimately, any email marketing effort aims to convert leads into customers. Companies should monitor the percentage of recipients who take the desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, as a result of the email
Customer Feedback: Collecting direct feedback through surveys or customer reviews can offer qualitative insights into how recipients feel about the email content.
Retention Rates: Keep an eye on customer retention and churn rates. Effective emails can significantly improve customer loyalty.

We hope this article gave you some great ideas on how to start your email marketing plan. Email marketing is a powerful tactic, don’t underestimate it. It can serve as a positive reminder for your customers of the products and services your business offers.

Ready to take your email marketing to the next level?
Don’t let your campaigns fall flat. At Different Perspective, we craft high-performing email marketing strategies that engage, convert, and grow your business. Whether you’re starting from scratch or need to refine your current approach, our team is here to help.

Let’s build an email marketing plan that aligns with your other digital marketing efforts and is tailored to your unique goals. Contact us today to get started!

Sources:
1. Email Marketing: The Ultimate Guide (Expert Tips + Data to Know)
2. The Ultimate List of Email Marketing Stats That We Think You Should Know

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