With the introduction of GDPR last year you would be forgiven for considering email marketing a marketing tool that would be phased out. Surprisingly, though this hasn’t been the case and in fact, statistics prove the full power of it. This is good news as with the right email campaign you can target your customers and convert leads into sales. According to McKinsey, you are 40x more likely to acquire a new customer from an email than from Facebook or Twitter. That’s impressive so how do you monetise on this marketing tool? Let us bring you through the process…
Building relationships
There is an opportunity to network and create conversations with your customers through email marketing however; as much as sending out emails is good; it must be the right content and offer value instead of just being about sales and pitching. Creating interest in your business is vital while building long-term relationships with your customers and potential customers. Don’t forget to consider your customers/clients’ journey in terms of their position in your sales funnel. Are they potential customers? Or are they customers who used your services once but haven’t come back? In some cases, you may not be able to replicate sales with a customer or client, but you need to understand the opportunities and implement a plan considering these vital factors.
Consistency is key
Before you begin sending out emails take time to consider how you want to connect with your clients and customers. Make a strategy planning your content for how to firstly, introduce yourself to your clients and how to initiate a good relationship. Those first emails need to be about how you can provide clients with a solution and offering value to them. Most importantly, regardless of the first emails low readership or click ins you must continue as consistency is key. Current research shows that it takes up to 13 interactions with your business to generate a good/strong lead. So, email marketing is a long-terms strategy and you may not see results for a few months.
Continue the journey with your customers/clients
Furthermore, even when you do generate a lead or a sale of services you should continue in your correspondence with them. You could send them product news, new services or tips on your products that they have bought or used. If you can, consider separating your mailing list into two types, prospective customers – working on your sales funnel through emails and current customers – working on encouraging repeat sales or referrals. We know that current customers are more important than prospective clients. It takes a lot of effort and hard work to earn a new customer. That is why email marketing is so vital as it delivers a marketing strategy right into your customers email box and with good planning you should be delivering content especially for them dependent on their journey with your business.
Prospective customers should be introduced to you by:
Welcoming emails – It is important to send out a welcome email followed by a few more emails to let them settle into your products and services. Think of customer needs and include testimonials, videos, product tests and information they need to ensure they see the value in what you do.
Keep the information coming – Keep in touch with them by sending regular emails with content that is helpful to your mail subscribers. Show your value by interacting with them and responding to their problems. Keep things current with news and tell them more about what you do.
Regular blogs and articles – Blogging should never be underestimated, and subscribers need to know who they are connecting with. Show your company’s personality by creating content that speaks to them and encourages sales.
Current customers should be continuously emailed with:
News and events – Everyone is nosy and they want to know what is going on (in the world of your business) so if you are doing something cool – let everyone know about it. You may have a new product or a new service to shout about! Let your current customers know about your recent articles online and what you have achieved recently.
Case studies – Case studies are great fun and by showing customers/clients how you do business and real-life stories you are encouraging them to get to know you and your business. You are actively showing proof of solving problems too!
Survey your clients and customers – Surveys are a great way to find out more about your customers and remember, when you create a survey once it is processed you own the data and the stats. You can release it or pitch it to publications if it is interesting to audiences which can get your business into the business pages of broadsheets. This is hugely beneficial not only for your brand recognition but for your customers too.
Don’t forget to hold your customers attention
We have said how important it is to share the right content and this can’t be underestimated. Without the right type of content your subscribers of customers or potential clients are going to unsubscribe. You must give them value for their click! Look at the timing of your emails as you may not be aware but there are better times to send them than others. Tuesday is apparently, the best day to send an email marketing campaign. Wednesday is considered ok too. Monday is a non-runner as everyone is busy and Friday everyone has one foot out the door! It makes sense really when you think about it. Be personal with your subscribers, as mentioned segregate your customers depending on their journey before ensuring their name is on the email too. More people open emails on their phone so obviously mobile friendly is a must. Not forgetting, how important it is to see each email as another step forward. Continue to better each email with more value, more facts and more information to build that trust. Before you press send proofread everything and include a “Call to action” in every email marketing campaign.
Want to know more? Contact us for more information on email marketing and let us build you a content marketing strategy especially for your business or brand.