Has the allure of email marketing worn off?
An employee of Digital Equipment Corp, Gary Thuerk, sent the first email marketing blast in 1978. He sent an email promoting his company’s computers to 400 recipients, and it netted $13 million in sales – about $78.8 million today.
Even today, well-crafted emails that are targeted and meaningful can be one of the most effective marketing methods to connect with your audience at every stage of the buyer's journey.
Email Marketing Benefits
While email marketing may conjure up memories of the last spammy message you received, a customer-centric email spurs action from your leads. If you want to nurture customer relationships and increase profits, a nuanced email marketing campaign ticks all the boxes:
- Far-reaching. As of November 2019, stats show that 90.1% of internet users in the United States use email. Both B2B and B2C businesses regard email as one of the most reliable methods to promoting content marketing.
- Cost-effective. Not only a minimal outlay, but an ROI of $38 generated for every $1 spent.
- Mobile-friendly. Around two-thirds of emails are read on mobile. Get in front of the right customers at the right time using mobile-first design.
- Automatable. Using email automation ensures that each recipient gets the right email at the right time, depending on where in the customer journey they are.
- Personalization. Email marketing software makes it easy to send different messages to each segment of your audience.
Email Marketing Strategy for Your Business
- Comply with relevant anti-spam and protection of privacy regulations:
- United States: CAN-SPAM Act
- Canada: CASL
- European Union: GDPR
- Australia: Spam Act 2003
- Grow a high-quality email list using a sign-up form that requires subscribers to opt-in.
- Segment your email list by organizing it into groups (age, gender, preferences, geographic location) so that the messages are personalized, making the recipients feel special and understood.
- Personalize your emails to deliver content that is hyper- relevant to your customers and increase the chances of having them opened by 26%. Try things like including their name in the subject line, and sending your emails based on your subscribers’ time zones.
- Produce dynamic content that has your readers wanting more! Include an attention-grabbing subject line that entices them to open your mail. Double-check every detail of your email to ensure that is flawless before you hit send.
- Automate to send a series of highly targeted emails that are triggered by the actions of a subscriber. Maximum excitement and momentum for minimum effort.
- Test and measure. You can use analytics to measure the success of your email marketing efforts according to open rates, engagement, and/or lead generation. Use this insight to improve future campaigns and customer engagement.
- A/B testing, on the other hand, compares different versions of a single email to measure the impact of minor changes.
Does Email Marketing Still Work?
Proof that email is far from dead: “Despite the growth and prominence of mobile messengers and chat apps, email is an integral part of daily online life. In 2020, the number of global email users amounted to 4 billion and is set to grow to 4.6 billion users in 2025.”
How to Do Email Marketing Successfully in 2021
You have a vision for successful email marketing. We can help make it happen. Contact your local WSI consultant for an email marketing strategy that is fruitful and relevant in 2021 and beyond.
