Everybody might be talking about quick-tip videos, witty tweets and memorable memes – but there’s one marketing tool that remains powerful after all these years: email marketing.
But a current email marketing strategy in the 2000’s may not work in 2019 anymore. Chances are, direct sales offers sent to inboxes will be marked as spam, and forever left untouched. In March 2019, spam messages accounted for 56% of global email traffic. The challenge, then, is to grow email campaigns that are as informative and appealing as other marketing tools which are more widely consumed in this age of social apps and media.
Times have changed, and so have email marketing developments – and as such, you need to know what works and what doesn’t. Here’s a sum-up of effective email marketing tactics that you should be aware of heading into 2020.
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Truly connect with your audience
At one point in your online life, you may have received many of offers to purchase erectile dysfunction drugs or to join a matchmaking community for veterans. But your client profile probably didn’t fit these products, likely not even close.
In the modern age, you need to create email marketing campaigns that truly connect with each recipients’ interest. You can do this by dividing your email list into more targeted groups – the Annual Email Optimizer Report by “Lyris” found many benefits of email list segmentation including greater email relevance, increased open rates and lower opt-out or unsubscribe rates.
You may divide the readers based on age, location, gender, etc. This will help ensure that you’re sending the right communication to the right people.
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Customize your blasts
Email marketing tools – much like Instagram ads and tweets – should speak directly to a particular reader, and there’s no better way of doing this than by modifying the content of your emails.
After dividing your email recipients, get to know them better. What appeals to them? What are they looking for when browsing for services and products? How do they define good customer service? What made them visit a website and subscribe?
By acquainting yourself with your readers, it’ll be easier to customize your emails, reminders and follow-ups.
For example, your Millennial recipients will likely be keen to receive informative yet concise messages with appealing images. A great way to do this is via info graphics, which they can also easily share with their circle.
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Responsive interactivity is a valued functionality
Interactivity drives engagement. Responsive emails do very well on mobile. Interactivity will go further than just entertainment-value, in 2020 we are looking for functional interactivity. Endorsing engagement, clicks, and other actions inside the email. Interactivity without consumers even having to leave the email.
Hot interactive email elements heading into 2020:
- Animated buttons and calls-to-actions
- Surveys, polls and user-generated interactive content
- Interactive image and product carousels controlled by the user
- Rollover effects to showcase product offerings
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Limit your email blasts
Do you know that an average office worker get 121 emails per day? That’s a lot, and you don’t want your message to be sent to the spam folder because you’ve been a little too passionate in contacting your subscribers.
People have signed up for your newsletters and updates because they”re interested in your brand, services or products, they want to stay connected. But this doesn’t give you permission to bombard them with emails.
Consider limiting your messages once a week.
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Make sure your emails are mobile-friendly
A recent study shows that the number of mobile Internet users will cross five billion in 2025.
More people are browsing the web, checking social media pages and checking their emails via their mobile devices. And as such, you need to ensure that your email promotions are mobile-optimized.
To create a mobile-friendly digital asset, consider the length of visuals and texts. Some image files may not display on cellphones, and others may slow downloading time.
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Write professional emails
How would you see a business that sends out emails fraught with typos and grammar errors? Such mistakes will definitely reflect badly on the sender.
Always prepare your messages completely- email promotion is no different from any other marketing campaign. Take the time to plan out and draft an outline, write a copy and proofread it different times, and use a voice that’s consistent with your brand.
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Build an inclusive community
People no longer check the internet to just get fast and quick information online. They meet others, join groups, and basically create a world that is as real as their offline sphere.
Go the extra mile with your email marketing campaign by letting your readers into a wide-ranging community. You can share personal updates about your life that don’t certainly relate to your usual promotions – perhaps a sneak peek into your work routine or a photo of your puppy or cat?
You shouldn’t overuse such elements, but a few additions along these lines can help to make your audience feel at home.
Positively these tips will give you something extra to consider in your 2020 planning.
What is the future of content marketing?
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Nail your timing
Figuring out the perfect time to send your email is a hot topic. And while we don’t have the silver bullet answer for you, we do have some advice and insight.
Also, consider sending your emails on “off” times, i.e. not on the top of the hour. So for example, send your newsletters at 10:07 am instead of 10 am. Sending at the top of the hour increases the chance that your emails will be delayed and not reach your recipient when you originally intended.
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Review your landing pages
Designing and writing copy for your email campaigns will require a good chunk of your time. But also consider where you are sending your recipients.
Send your recipients to landing pages that make sense based on your goals and email copy and that provides a seamless transition. For example, if you want to direct them to a certain product, send them to the landing page for that product, not your homepage or product line homepage.
