Email marketing is a well-established medium for your business to interact with in a quick, and relatively low-cost way, and has proven to offer a fantastic return on investment when implemented correctly. But if you or your business are new to email marketing, what do you need to consider and how do you get started?
Building an email list
If you already have an email list then great, that’s a start. But what if you don’t? To send emails to customers you must have their consent (regulations insist upon it) and ideally, you will also have additional information such as their interests, location and more. This additional information can be helpful when it comes to sending emails. You can be specific and tailor content, so it is relevant to individual customers, which increases engagement (and the likelihood of a sale) and reduces the possibility of opt-outs, or even worse, being reported as spam!
You can buy email lists, but you shouldn’t. These offer very little value for your money and can include data which has been gained without permission. It’s much better practice to build up your own email list, through your customers, website visitors and social media.
The easiest ways to build up your email list:
- Add a signup form to your website. When people visit your website, they can sign themselves up to receive your emails there and then.
- Host a physical sign-up form. When customers visit your store or when you see them at events or other meetings, ask if they would like to receive your emails and take their details to add manually.
- Use social media. If you have a following on social media, then share your signup form on these channels too so customers can easily join up from there.
- Offer an incentive. Run a campaign offering email subscribers exclusive information or discounts to tempt them to sign-up – but make sure you’re compliant and always state what a customer is signing up for and that they can unsubscribe if they wish.
- Make emails ‘share-worthy’. If people love your emails and content, then make it easy for them to share with their friends or colleagues. Spreading the word for you and increasing your following!
Stay compliant
It’s important to be compliant with email marketing. Not just because it helps create engaged subscribers, but also, the repercussions of non-compliance could be very costly, both financially and to your brand.
Everyone on your email list should have opted in to receive your emails. Always make it clear what a person is signing up to receive. Their permission should be express and verifiable, so you should keep a record of their digital signup or physical request information. Many email marketing platforms take care of this for you, so the process is simple. You must also include an unsubscribe link on every email you send out. This means anyone who no longer wants to receive your emails can simply remove themselves from your list.
Unsolicited emails are annoying at best, and if your emails are reported as spam can hurt your brand even more. It’s better all round that your data only contains individuals who are interested in your business.
How much will email marketing cost?
This varies greatly from which designer or agency you use to which email platform you employ. For start-ups or those new to email marketing I would happily recommend using Mailchimp. It’s a great platform, which offers businesses with less than 2000 contacts a free plan. That means zero send costs (within a limit per month), so the only costs involved are the design and set-up of the emails themselves (prices for which you will discuss with your agency/designer). Email marketing services can be on a monthly fee, or on a per email basis or a combination of both, have a discussion with your supplier and find a solution to suit you.
For clients who want to reduce email marketing costs or want more control using the Mailchimp platform themselves, I offer a template only design service. This is great for clients who are comfortable with (or would like to be comfortable with) using Mailchimp and sending their own emails as and when required. I would design and setup one, or a series of templates, which you then utilise for each send by populating with fresh content that’s timely and relevant. This means you have professionally designed emails, while retaining ultimate control yourself.
Ready to start email marketing?
Find a designer you feel comfortable working with, who is certified in Email Marketing. You are a specialist in your customer offering and they are a specialist in email. They can help you promote the right offerings, in the right way, at the right time with the most effective designs. This will enhance your brand, improve engagement, and provide better conversion rates.
You and your digital marketer need to think about putting together a plan for your emails. The best advice regarding content is don’t sell, tell, start a conversation. Think about what will genuinely interest your audience, and when, and send them information they’ll love to receive. According to email authority Litmus the number one reason for opt-outs in emails is irrelevant messaging.
You can also think about email automation for specific tasks. This includes triggered emails such as welcome offers and abandoned cart emails. According to Mailchimp nearly 70% of e-commerce shoppers abandon their cart before checking out. A gentle email reminder with a well-timed discount code, could nudge them to complete that purchase. Automated emails provide a streamlined way of communicating with customers, so you are optimising your time effectively.
Once you have your plan, and your digital marketer, then you can happily skip into the email marketing distance and enjoy the journey! And don’t forget to regularly analyse your performance for the best return…but that’s an article for another day!
In Summary…
If you have any questions about starting your email marketing journey for the first time, please do get in touch. I am officially certified in Mailchimp and will offer advice and guidance to suit your needs and budget. E-marketing can provide a great ROI for small businesses, and a unique way to stay in touch with customers, so it’s never too late to start.
If you are interested in hiring a freelance graphic designer for email marketing, or just want some advice, then please get in touch. Email hello@cazdaviesdesign.co.uk and start the conversation.