We've noted previously how email marketing remains a highly effective and low-cost means for generating leads, driving traffic to websites, and even for sales. Despite its reputation as an "old school" marketing tool, email outperforms many newer marketing technologies.
But email faces the same dilemma that any advertising or promotional tool faces: getting and keeping the attention of the intended audience. However, unlike traditional advertising or even digital advertising, email has the advantage of showing up in a place where pretty much everyone hangs out for some part of their day: their inbox.
And, unlike ads, emails are almost always more likely to be read. Not all of them. And not by everyone. But most of them, by most people. And, thus, the appeal of email marketing.
It's not enough for an email to merely seen in a recipient's inbox obviously. You want it to be opened. But many emails coming from an unknown person or entity, will never be read even if they do get opened. And even if they do get read, too may are then ignored, forgotten or deleted.
The challenge for any marketer sending email is to get them opened more often than not, actually read by the intended recipients, and to have that recipient take a desired action as a result of reading the email.
Simple enough, right? Not so much...
There is a great deal of competition for your audience's attention. Even when they are in the depths of their inbox and actually going through their email. If you subject line doesn't grab them; if they have no clue who your email is from; or if they do open it and find an obviously generic and mass-mailed pitch, they will leave.
So what's an email marketer to do? Well, we're glad you asked. We know you're busy so we put together a quick guide for producing great emails for your campaigns.
Number One: You want to get those emails opened! And that means your emails needs at least these three elements done well:
Number Two: Once they open your valuable email you want to do all you can to make sure it gets read. Here's a few tips on making that happen:
Number Three: Have a Call-to-Action for your reader. There's not much point in going to all the effort to have them open and read your email if you don't ask them to do something once they've finished!
You may not always be trying to generate leads. You may not always be looking to drive traffic to your website. In fact, you may simply be emailing to nurture or build a relationship with your readers. But none of these things will happen if your emails are delivered.
Be very compliant with the parameters given by your email marketing service provider. Avoid practices that can label your emails as spam. Take efforts to ensure your list is current and accurate. And be sure to include a link to unsubscribe. Email marketing is an opportunity and a privilege. So you should always approach it that way.
Using email campaigns for your Inbound marketing is a powerful approach for building and scaling your business. But achieving your marketing objectives with an inbound marketing strategy takes time. It won't happen with a few email blasts, a one-off campaign, or even a random newsletter.
The fact is that your audience will need to consume your content for a while before they contact you. Yet, without your content compelling them to contact you, your goals may never be met.
The good news is that you don't have to figure out alone. In fact, one of the best investments you can make with your marketing budget is to partner with a solid firm like BroadVision Marketing.
Click on this link to get your free Complimentary Inbound Marketing Session so you can make an informed decision, or call BroadVision Marketing at 707-799-1238.