It might seem crazy that in 2020 we’re still talking about email marketing. But when it comes to digital marketing strategies, none are as evergreen as good old email.
Not even social media marketing can hold a candle to it.
Using software like Keap, email is a great way to build consumer trust and conversions.
I mean, just check out this stat: Customers who buy products via email spend 138% more than those who don’t. And that’s just one of a plethora of stats that show how amazing email marketing still is at boosting sales.
But let’s get straight to the point. Stats and metrics aside, what really matters is putting in place an effective email marketing strategy that makes it all worth your time and money.
How do you do that in 2019? Let’s take a look …
Segment your email list
The beauty of segmentation is that you start sending out targeted emails.
In other words, your subscribers start receiving emails that are actually useful to them. This means improved open and click rates, as well as more conversions.
It also means a lot less unsubscribes.
Segmentation can be done via your CRM software or email autoresponder, such as Keap. It’s easy to do.
There are lots of ways you can carve up your email list. Here are some ideas:
Age: Does it make sense to send the exact same email to a teenager and a 50-year-old divorcee? Probably not.
Gender: There’s no harm in tailoring your emails to specific genders for better responses.
Past purchases: This one is especially useful because you’re targeting customers with products or services they’re definitely going to be interested in. As opposed to, you know, targeting everyone with the same product or service recommendations, regardless of their past purchases.
Purchase frequency: With this one, you can reward those who shop with you often.
Send mobile-friendly emails
The whole world is going mobile crazy, so isn’t it time your email marketing campaign got in on it, too?
See, mobile-friendly emails are a big deal. For example, if your email is displayed incorrectly on mobile, it’s very likely that the end user will just delete it. This all boils down to poor formatting, such as oversized images, an overload of text, as well as a lack of using alt text with your images.
You can use a template to improve your formatting for mobile devices, but there are other things you need to take care of, such as using buttons instead of links for calls-to-action (CTAs). Buttons outperform links on mobile devices because they’re easier for people to notice and tap.
Here are some more tips:
Use responsive email design:This will automatically adjust your email for mobile devices
Shorten your subject lines:If your subject lines for desktop are a tad long, they need to be shortened for mobile. Make sure you keep them compelling, of course
Interactive content vs. regular content
Email marketers are doing all they can to stand out from the crowd in 2019. And one way to stand out from the crowd is via interactive content.
Interactive content is much more engaging than regular content, and engaging content is key. For example, a B2B company might send out an online quiz that helps people understand more about their own needs and wants, and this itself can push them in the direction of a conversion.
The B2B company, meanwhile, gains invaluable data. It’s a win-win situation.
Here are a few examples of interactive content you can use in your email campaigns:
Videos:It goes without saying that video marketing is hot. But what’s key is that you segment your list so that you send the right videos to the right customers. For example, customers who are high in the lifecycle need to be targeted with shorter videos
Infographics: Infographics visually dazzle your subscribers with useful information that looks really pretty. They’re stuffed with value and highly effective.
Polls, quizzes, and surveys: Don’t make these too short and make sure to answer questions that will elicit the kind of responses that will provide you with some valuable insights. It’s all about using polls, quizzes, and surveys to gather information that you can then use to create more profitable email marketing campaigns.
Personalize your emails
Did you know that 35% of Amazon’s product sales come from recommendations? And this includes email recommendations.
Personalized recommendations—and personalized emails in general—are a big deal, with people wanting more and more hyper-personalization from brands.
Personalization isn’t as difficult as it may seem. It’s simply a matter of taking care of the ‘little things’ that mean so much to people. For example, adding the email subscriber’s first name in the subject line can go a long way to improving open rates, while wishing them a happy birthday is a fantastic way to build brand loyalty by making them feel special.
To make sure you’re able to personalize your email marketing campaigns, you need to ask for the right information when people subscribe to your email list. Optimize your opt-in form so you can get all the information you need.
Make sure your subscribers can reply to you, too. [email protected] looks super impersonal and is bad for building relationships. Add your email signature to your emails, too. Make people feel wanted and loved.
Perform A/B tests
Here’s the good thing about A/B tests (also referred to as split testing): They ensure that you optimize everything about your email for maximum performance.
And here’s the bad thing about A/B tests: They take time.
But, boy, is it worth it!
A/B testing means that you’ll know what works and what doesn’t. For example, when you compare 2 subject lines, you get to find out which one leads to the most open rates. Awesome.
When performing A/B tests, make sure to keep the test focused on just one element of your emails only. If you’re testing subject lines, keep everything else in your emails— from the headlines to the body copy to the CTA to the images—the same. The only thing that needs to be different are the subject lines.
Other things you should test are headlines, intro copy, body copy, the offer, images, and the CTA.
Final thoughts
Email might be an evergreen digital marketing strategy, but it’s also one that’s evolved as the years have passed. Make sure you stay on top of your strategy by implementing the ideas outlined in this article and email marketing growth hacks you find online, and don’t forget to track your results. Then, keep an eye on the trends to see what you might need to do next.
Aljaz Fajmut is a digital marketer, internet entrepreneur, and the founder of Nightwatch—a search visibility tool of the next generation. Check out the Nightwatch blog and follow him on Twitter: @aljazfajmut
