Email might not seem the most cutting edge strategy available to marketers, but the results it gets will surprise anyone not implementing it. According to Mckinsey, when it comes to acquiring new customers, email is 40 times more effective than Twitter and Facebook. Email marketing offers high levels of engagement, competitive click-through rates, and frequent conversions. If you don’t follow an effective plan, though, you can’t expect this effectiveness, with email campaigns reliant on building subscriber relationships. As you attempt to build this subscriber relationship, emails focused solely on promotion will become irritating, while being too cautious will prevent sales. Therefore, a good email campaign should include a variety of follow-up messages that all serve a purpose.
Introduction
A good introduction email can start the relationship on a positive note. Usually, people subscribe because they have been offered a free gift of some kind, so you want to ensure they don’t immediately unsubscribe. You could start by introducing yourself and explaining what subscribers can expect from your messages. Look to speak directly to an individual, but you can also indicate that your subscribers are part of a community with the same goals, interests, or hobbies. Finally, try to be succinct as a long introduction might discourage readers from future messages.
Lesson
A lesson could be a tutorial on a particular aspect of your niche. Lessons can also take the form of an email series that expands on a topic at greater length. Ideally, the subject of this email will be closely related to the reason subscribers initially joined the list, with deviations likely to decrease future responsiveness. You might not always be able to provide a lesson for your niche, but topics as diverse as golf swing techniques, woodworking, entrepreneurship, and pet care can all be used with some specialist knowledge.
Story
An interesting story is perfect for building rapport with readers. Informative emails are necessary, but a story can bring your email campaign to life by showing real personality. The topic could be about your introduction to the niche, a tough time you experienced, or a satisfying moment. Stories offer the chance to be more creative with your writing, but still look to maintain the same voice you use for all emails.
Promotion
Invariably, you will need to send promotional emails to maximize sales. You can still promote in other emails, usually by including a link to an external post or a casual mention towards the end of the message. A promotional email, however, will focus primarily on making a sale, whether immediately or during a subsequent message. Some marketers are reluctant to actively promote through email, but direct promotions almost always lead to increased revenue. Short and long messages can both result in sales, so it is good to test your messages to see what your list responds to.
Roundup Posts
A roundup post is a quick email you can send to maintain contact with your list. This type of email could feature the best posts from your blog or curated from a variety of different sources. While you might not ideally want to direct subscribers away from your content, recommending other content should lead to relationships with other marketers in your niche. A roundup article can be created quickly, but ensure you maintain credibility by only recommending quality content.
If you integrate each of these email styles into a campaign, subscribers will not get tired of your voice. It is easy to become predictable with online communication, particularly as many people will only skim over the content. When you offer variety, readers will have less chance to second-guess the content, so they will be more inclined to inspect it further. Each of these styles also offers the chance to speak to different audiences, with some readers responding to longer stories, while others just want to click over to the content you are promoting. If you can take it a step further with analytics and A/B testing, your email marketing can reach a new level of responsiveness and profitability.
Call LMS at (484) 893-4055 to discuss how Email Marketing can help your business!
