
The Number One Digital Marketing Tool You Might Be Missing Out On
Social media has become the father of digital marketing. With so many platforms and outlets readily available at the click of a button, it is not surprising that many communication strategies are focused around tools such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. With a sense of urgency to stay on-trend, many companies may be overlooking the only digital outreach method that they have complete control over. This method is e-mail. The now somewhat out dated communication tool is breathing new life thanks to its inherently opt-in nature, with readers reluctant of information overload, eager to let someone else do the analyzing and organization. Unlike third-party platforms, marketers using e-mail have the option to what lists, statistics and information will stay personal and which nomenclature or details they will allow to be public for anyone to read and disperse. Now are you ready to build or revive your e-mail marketing? Follow these simple steps to success.
Build Your List
E-mail campaigns do not work if you don’t have an extensive contact list of important and interested cliental to accommodate or at the very least intrigue these possible future customers or consumers. Even if your company is still in the infancy stage, it won’t hurt to provide an e-newsletter sign-up to your website placeholder. As for companies that are already established, make sure your registration form is easy to use and find. Adding extra incentives such as free e-books or coupons can help entice people to subscribe.
Keep it Legal
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) introduced last year, spells out serious penalties for organizations who misuse e-mail. Keep it above-board by only contacting people who have requested your e-mails, and always offering an easy way for them to opt out. Major e-newsletter tools such as MailChimp know the ins and outs of the rules and make it easy to manage your lists legally. It is very essential to keep your integrity intact.
Think Quality over Quantity
A large number of people signing up doesn’t necessarily equate to a bigger return on investment. It is actually better to have a more compact or condensed list of people who are really interested in your product and company, than a larger list of people who are disengaged from the material. Marketing to people who clearly have no interest in the ideas you are presenting is a waste of time, energy, and resources. Similarly, a more-frequent newsletter isn’t necessarily a more efficient one. E-mailing customers too often can become annoying and possibly lead them to unsubscribe. Make sure messages are relevant and straight to the point. Alerts should include things like product drops or event registration. Put everything out in the open. Make sure the customer knows what they are getting into by signing up.
Have a Plan
Before you start sending e-newsletters, know what you want to accomplish with them. Is it product awareness? Branding? Sales? Attendance at events? All of the above? Set out some goals to achieve and plan how you’ll reach those goals to ensure success. Remember Mobile With so many consumers accessing their e-mail via smartphones and tablets, it’s essential that your messaging looks good on every kind of device. Take time to make sure your mobile app is speedy, up to date, and has colorful graphics that catch the consumers’ eye, as well as, fit your company’s criteria.
Put Yourself in the Recipients’ Shoes
Don’t decide what goes in the e-newsletter based on sale goals. Do some research and find out what subscribers might like to see. Engage with your readers. Write subject lines that are intriguing and informative, not vague or boring. In choosing which products or content to promote, think benefits, not features.
Be Interesting and On-Brand
A successful e-mail campaign is a well-read e-mail campaign. Interesting means different things to different audiences – new product or service announcements, relevant articles or even funny videos might be right for your subscribers – but above all, e-newsletters should contain content that’s on-brand, keeps people engaged and makes them look forward to the next installment.