Email marketing can be a very powerful marketing tool for any business or company. When implemented well, it can result in a very significant growth in business. The following are some guidelines for carrying out an effective email marketing campaign:
- Establish the need
Is email marketing the right tool for your business? This is the first question you need to ask yourself before you get started. It would be pointless to invest your money and time in a strategy which would not bring any returns. Sending out newsletters only makes sense if it enhances customer loyalty and attracts prospects. Other questions you need to ask yourself include:
- How frequently should newsletters be sent?
- Is there enough content?
- Who will create and send the emails?
- Are you ready to invest cash in email marketing?
- Choose the right service provider
To succeed in email marketing, you need to choose the right service provider. Different providers offer packages with a wide range of features. Therefore, you need to choose the email design and list management service that is the best fit for your business. Explore all the option available and select the provider that best suits your needs.
- Use a signup form
One of the best ways of getting subscribers is by having a signup form on your website. Besides having this form, you need to give people a reason to signup. How will they benefit from the information received? How frequently will the newsletter be sent? Make sure you place an appropriate message alongside the signup box. A good example would be ‘Join our mailing list and be the first to know about our regular exciting offers and giveaways!’
- Build lists wisely
Being able to categorize your subscribers into appropriate ‘lists’ is very vital for successful email marketing. Creating proper lists allows you to send targeted messages to each category of subscribers. For instance, some subscribers might want to receive industry news, while others might be interested in special packages or offers. You need to ensure that these two categories of subscribers only receive information which interests them. If they don’t get what they need, they will simply unsubscribe from your list.
- Make your emails user-friendly
To enhance your chances of success, you need to ensure that your emails are as intuitive and reader-friendly as possible. Keep your designs simple and avoid the temptation to clutter your emails with animations and images. In addition, make sure your emails are short and concise. If you want your subscribers to read further, you can offer a link to a longer post in your website or blog. Finally, remember to use an email design template which is compatible with different mobile devices and web browsers.
- Monitor your progress
Most professional email marketing services allow you to keep track of your email marketing campaigns. For example, you can monitor how many times your email gets opened and the number of readers who click through to your site. Having this information will enable you to improve your email marketing strategy for better results.
Charles Mburugu is a professional blogger who writes for TechBlogKe. You can follow him on Twitter @techblogke