Make Email Marketing Work For Your Small Business
Email marketing is one of the most overlooked forms of marketing for small businesses. This means for most companies they are leaving thousands of dollars on the table. The problem is that most small business owners don't know where to start. In this article, we will share ways to make email marketing work for you.
Why Email Marketing
But first, let's discuss why you should even consider email marketing for your small business. Isn't email marketing dead after all? The short answer is no. Email marketing is not dead. Here are three good reasons to create an email marketing campaign today.
People Prefer Email
Often business owners tell us they don't do email marketing because nobody wants their inboxes clogged. But that is not true. Study after study has shown that people prefer email to all other forms of communication. And if they don't want it, they can unsubscribe.
And remember, we are not talking about buying lists and sending unsolicited emails. Instead, we suggest sending emails to current clients and people who have signed up for more information.
Your Best New Customers
Your best new customers are your current customers. Take an IT company for example. They may have people on their list who called them to fix a computer three years ago when they started their business.
Now, three years later, they have 10 employees and a brand new office. Suddenly, they need managed services and a new phone system. If your email pops up in their inbox, it may be just the reminder they need that you offer what they are searching for.
Disseminate Content
One of our biggest pet peeves for small businesses is the lack of a content dissemination plan. They create a beautiful video explaining their service or they create a blog a week and they leave it sitting on YouTube or their website. Email marketing gives you the opportunity to share this content with an audience who is already interested in what you are doing.
If you have questions about creating a content strategy, call us today. We can work with you to create a strategy that makes the most out of the content you are creating.
Make Email Marketing Work For You
Email marketing can be a great way to connect with customers and promote your business, but only if it’s done right. Here are six tips to help you make email marketing work for you:
1) Don't Fudge The Numbers
Bigger is not always better. We have clients with 250 or fewer emails who are reaping the benefits of email marketing. Make sure your emails are going to people who are truly interested. To do this, we suggest keeping your email list clean and up-to-date. Remove any inactive or unengaged subscribers and make sure you have the most current contact information for everyone on your list.
If this is not clear enough, let us state it plainly. Don't buy emails and don't add every person you meet at a networking event to your list without asking. It won't do you any good and in some cases, it can hurt your reputation.
2) Mobile Friendly
If you are not already thinking about user experience, it is time that you do. What's the experience going to be like for your customer when they open your email?
There is nothing more annoying than opening an email on your phone only to realize you can't see it without scrolling side to side. That's why it is so important to make sure your emails are mobile-friendly.
3) Subject Line
Use engaging subject lines. Your subject line is the first thing people will see when they receive your email, so make sure it’s attention-grabbing and relevant to the rest of your message.
Stop trying to be clever. People want to know what they are opening. They are much more likely to open an email about something they are interested in than a cryptic message they don't understand.
4) Readability
For years we preached, keeping your messages short and sweet. We thought no one wanted to read long emails. But then we discovered the amazing Ann Handley. Ann sends out a biweekly email that we love. And it goes completely against our advice.
So, we changed our email format to test a longer format email. Since changing our format, we not only have a higher open rate but we also hear from people on our list more often.
That being said, format matters. For example, look at this email. The paragraphs are divided by headers and each paragraph is short and to the point. It's all about readability. Your email should be easily skimmable.
5) Call To Action
Use calls to action. Make it easy for your subscribers to take the next step by including calls to action in your emails. Tell them what you want them to do and make it easy for them to do it with links to your website or other online resources.
For instance, we have included two calls to action in this email. In the section entitled "Disseminate Content," we suggested you call us and added a link for you to click on. Below you will find a call to email me directly to discuss setting up a regular email campaign for your business.
6) Test, Test, Test
Always test your emails before you send them out to make sure they look good and function properly. Send test messages to yourself and to a few friends or colleagues to check for any problems.
And always, look at the results. The format we use for ASMM Digital works really well for us, but we tried a similar format for a jewelry store and it didn't work at all. The reports help us make better decisions moving forward.
By following these tips, you can make email marketing work for you and help promote your business effectively. Email can be a great way to connect with customers and build relationships that last. So don’t overlook its potential – start using email marketing today!