Email Marketing for Beginners

Did you know that only 19.6% of marketing emails actually get opened? This means for every 100 emails sent out, only 26 of them are actually opened. Depending on your market and intended audience, some people are more likely to open and take in your email than others. This does not, however, imply that you should immediately stop using email marketing.

Understanding the advantages of using email as a strategy for connecting with your audience and adjusting your content accordingly are the keys to business success. Continue reading to find out everything you need to know about this innovative method of digital marketing.

What is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is a method through which databases of email addresses are used to increase outreach for a businesses as well as nurture already existing customer relationships. Uses include boosting sales, increasing website traffic, and raising brand awareness.

Email marketing previously would refer to promotional emails sent to a single mailing list, however now is more commonly used to refer to all email-based marketing materials, such as newsletters and surveys. The primary distinction between the two is that a marketing campaign will have structure, such as a sales funnel or subscription, whereas a regular email campaign will be one-off with no follow-up.

Why utilise email marketing?

Email marketing has been consistently proven to be one of the most effective ways of driving commerce for many years. It’s relatively low-cost, easily trackable and can help you nurture strong relationships with your clients. Furthermore, there are no age restrictions, meaning you can target customer segments of all ages.

According to research, 66% of consumers would prefer to receive promotional material digitally as opposed to physical materials such as leaflets. The effectiveness of email marketing is further supported by research which demonstrated that 49% of a surveyed consumer group were more likely to purchase from a brand that was sending consistent and high-quality emails.

build a mailing list

If you’ve ever received an email from a business and wondered how they got your contact details, the answer is straightforward: they purchased it. Businesses frequently buy email address lists from data brokers who have compiled contact information from a variety of sources, including public records and online surveys.

The problem with that is that it violates a key prerequisite to successful email marketing – consent. Only send emails to people who have consented to receive emails from you!

When you sign up to receive newsletters and other marketing materials, you’re likely to be added to a mailing list. This is a good thing, as it means that you’ve consented to receiving this communication and your details have been collected with your knowledge and consent.

Building your own mailing list of email addresses is crucial when it comes to email marketing. This will not only give you control over who sees your marketing messages, but it may also make it easier for email service providers to approve your campaign.

Key Elements of a Successful Email Campaign

Timing is everything

Making sure that your email campaigns are sent at the right time to coincide with your customers’ purchasing cycles is very important to ensure results from your campaign. If you’re a company that sells mechanic services, for example, you’ll want to send your emails when your customers are ready to replace their tires, or are due for an oil change. This applies to both B2B and B2C businesses.

Customise to your audience

Your campaign’s content should be customised for your target market and contain a strong call to action that appeals to your clients’ emotions. You might want to emphasise the advantages of eating healthily or leading a healthy lifestyle if you’re selling sports supplements/health foods, for instance.

Design

The design of your email campaign is also of great importance, as visually it must capture the potential customer. To do so make sure that your email campaigns look professional. This can be done through investing in some templates or hiring an agency or designer to handle the entire process for you.

Conclusion

Making connections with your customers and generating new business through email marketing can be a difficult but rewarding strategy. Positive outcomes, including a rise in sales and brand engagement, can be anticipated if you put time and effort into developing a powerful campaign. Remember that email marketing is a long-term strategy, so don’t count on seeing results right away. You’ll be well on your way to success if you develop a strategy, make a plan, and execute it well.

If you need help with your email marketing, get in touch with Atomic. We have dedicated email marketing packages or more all-encompassing General Digital Marketing Packages under our Digital 360 service.