When done correctly, email marketing works. In fact, according to the Direct Market Association, the average ROI for every dollar invested in email marketing yielded $40.56 in 2011. It’s no surprise that two out of three marketers say that email marketing is the core of their business. And 81% of B2Bs cite email as their most effective lead generation tactic. Are you reaping the benefits of great email marketing – or are your messages stuck in the spam filter? Follow these three tips to get your email marketing program back on track.
Your email marketing is only as strong as your opt-in list. Building a list of quality, engaged clients and prospective clients is the first step to separating your email marketing from a sea of sameness – and this starts with better list segmentation. Segmentation improves click-thru-rates by delivering a targeted call-to-action that is specific to your client’s needs. Segmenting lists increase open rates by 39%, according to research conducted by Prestige Marketing.
How you choose to segment your list depends on how you want to interact with and engage with potential customers. You may choose to segment based on purchase history, where you customer is the sales cycle (prospect vs. current), geographic region, or even customer value (e.g., segmenting based on current order spend or order size).
A compelling, creative subject line is the best way to connect with target audience and get your emails opened. If you’re new to writing subject lines, take heart: great subject lines require tweaking and polishing. You may not be an email subject line genius overnight, but with a little practice, you’ll start crafting great lines that connect with your audience. As a rule of thumb:
Let’s face it: there’s a good chance your prospective client is scanning your email while waiting in line for his morning java fix. If you are not using responsive design, this means it will be difficult to impossible for him to read it on his mobile phone or tablet. One out of every two Americans checks email using a smartphone, making email the top activity on smartphones, ahead of both web browsing and Facebook.
Current email marketing tactics, however, have yet to catch up with the smartphone revolution, and the majority of emails are still not optimized for smartphone viewing. Optimizing your emails for smartphone viewing is not only an easy way to separate your messages from the sea of sameness, but also to ensure that your messages are actually read.
Consider the following:
Everyone hates spam. When you're on the sending end, however, it can be difficult sometimes to tell the difference between a great sales email that cultivates client relationships, and a spammy sales message that screams in your client's faces and sends them running in the opposite direction.
List segmentation will ensure your email gets to the right people, a great subject line will ensure your email gets opened, and responsive design will ensure it gets read. It's up to you, however, to ensure your email program is fully integrated within the marketing department and that every email seamlessly underscores your brand's message. That's the beauty of truly effective email marketing.