How to Successfully Drive Traffic with Email Marketing
When marketing your business, your database is your gold. I talk to business owners all the time that do not realize the value of their list. My clients often ask me, “Allison, how can I build my database, and stay in touch with my clients, without bothering them or risking them unsubscribing from my list? Today I am going to share the skinny on email marketing.
Any successful business needs to engage in email marketing, but the process can be pretty intimidating for newcomers. Your email list has to build your client base and entice customers to buy your products and services, without coming off as spammy or off-message. Any misstep could result in losing subscribers, so take your time to create powerful emails that are engaging and helpful.
Choose the Perfect Subject Line
A great subject line will snag your reader’s attention immediately. The subject line is your ONLY defense against being deleted before the email is opened. It should let your readers know exactly what they can expect from your email.
Here are some tips for making your subject line work:
-
Highlight the hottest topic from the email
-
Make it controversial, by posing a question or point of view
-
Include numbers if possible. For instance: “Only 5 tickets left for this week’s webinar.”
-
Include a call of action
Avoid choosing subject lines that are too cutesy or vague, as those will end up confusing your readers. They will skip over your update in favor of the other emails in their inbox with more clear subjects.
The best thing to do is consider the types of emails that grab your attention and brainstorm some similar subjects. Be specific and be engaging. Also, keep it short and concise.
Personalize Your Emails
Emails are a great way to develop relationships with your existing and potential customers. If you leave your emails too stiff and general, you’re going to turn off quite a few readers. This will result in people unsubscribing from your list.
If possible, include your subscriber’s name. The subscriber’s name can be auto-filled at the beginning of the email and this small gesture can have them feeling like the entire email was created just for them.
By building personal relationships with your readers, you’ll automatically increase your click-through rates, thus increasing your domain authority and therefore your sales numbers. Increasing your Domain Authority and Page Rank are monumentally important, because they will have popular search engines seeing you as a go-to authority in your industry.
By being more personal, customers will begin to trust you, because they will feel as though you truly know them. Use a personal signature and don’t be afraid to share some of your personality with your contacts.
Be Consistent with Great Information
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t send twenty emails a day, but how many emails you send isn’t nearly as important as the content inside the emails. Some businesses, specifically retail businesses, will send out multiple emails in a single day. The reason this works is because they’re sending out quality information.
This includes:
-
Coupons
-
Calls to action
-
Newsworthy sources and information
-
Writing that is detailed, organized and easy to understand
If your readers are conditioned to know your newsletters contain useful, timely information, they’ll open it right away and take advantage of what you have to offer. Otherwise, your emails will likely get shoved down your readers’ list of priorities; at that point, chances are your emails won’t ever be opened. If you can’t think of anything important to include in an email, don’t send one.
Monitor and Adjust as Needed
Check your email metrics regularly. You’ll want to see which marketing efforts work best and test new subject lines. Don’t just guess what is working best. Instead, track your results and use what works to your advantage. Pay attention to Google Analytics and stats provided by whatever service runs your email newsletter. They’ll be your best friend in determining which email campaign works best for your company.
-
Always test your subject lines for appeal
-
Include the offers you’re sure are working
-
Test your content and know which pieces are working
-
Experiment with your calls to action
-
Experiment with controversial subject matter
If things simply aren’t working, experiment with different variables to achieve stronger results. Try sending out updates more or less often to see what frequency your readers like best. If possible, ask your readers directly what type of information they’d like to see in the emails. Ask them how often they like receiving emails.
All of these suggestions should help you achieve better click-through rates. Just as importantly, a strong email marketing campaign also contributes to building a more personalized relationship with your subscribers.