Ever since the first email was sent in 1971 by Ray Tomlinson, the modern communication era has begun. It can be said that that first email looked more like a password than like a message because it contained just a sum of numbers and letters, but, we can all agree that its significance was immense. It paved the way for email marketing as we know it today!
Yes, there are still spams and unwanted emails, but there is no denying that with the right email strategy, one can turn everything around. These ‘right’ strategies are there to enable us to promote our brand, our services and products; they are there to help us stay in touch with our old customers and to help us reach new ones; and finally, they are there to tell a story and share some important news.
So, today, let us mention the 5 most effective email marketing strategies in 2024 and beyond that will help you make your emails stand out from the crowd. By implementing these strategies, you will certainly get bigger sales!
About email Marketing
Before we start talking about effective email marketing strategies, let us first cover some basics.
Email marketing is when you send an email to all the subscribers who have signed up to your email list. Emails of this kind are used to inform your subscribers about something, to promote your business and your products/services, and to drive sales.
It is also worth mentioning that email marketing has drastically changed over the years. Those ‘one-size-fits-all’ emails are long gone. Instead, personal emails are used. This is because personal emails generate a much bigger ROI, or, return on investment. On average, for every 1$ you spend, you get 42$ in return. This is why email should be the backbone of your email strategy!
If you do not know how and where to start implementing your email marketing strategy, do not worry. You can learn all you need by following different online guides to email marketing, or you can hire a company that can help you out.
5 Effective Email Marketing Strategies
Now that you understand why email marketing is so important for you and your brand, let us focus on some marketing strategies that you should start implementing right away.
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Get Personal
Personalization is one of the best things you do when it comes to email marketing. According to statistics, personalized emails have approximately 30% higher open rates and approximately 40% higher click rates, when compared to non-personal emails. But, that is not all! Statistics go even further and claim that 70% of people are more likely to buy something from your brand if you offer them a personalized experience.
You can create personalized emails by including the things you know – the first and the last name of your subscriber. Stay away from those generic ‘ Hello, Customer!’ Greetings as much as you can. Moreover, it is also a good idea to use birth dates as they can generate almost 340% higher revenue per email.
However, have your boundaries! If you are not careful, you can easily cross the line, and make your emails sound confusing, irritating, or even offending. Try not to use your subscriber’s name too often, for example.
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Make Your Emails Mobile-Friendly
Imagine creating a perfect email and sending it to everybody on your mailing list. You are excited because everything looked too good, but then you open that email using your phone, and you see the problem. The images are in the wrong place, the text is mixed up, and the overall design of your email looks bad. As a result, you get subscribers who won’t even open your email.
Luckily, there is an easy way to make your emails mobile-friendly. Here are some tips:
- Always display small images
- Use a bigger font size
- Place everything in one column
- Position the most important text in the center
Never underestimate the power of a good-looking email. Of course, the content of your email is also very important, but if everything you wrote looks chaotic, nobody will even bother to read it. Thus, make it look good. If you do not know how to do that, take advantage of some web tools that can boost your email marketing campaign in no time. One of those tools that most marketers love is Mailchimp, for example, a great tool for sending emails that really click, however this is not the only tool that you can find. Take your time and research all your options.
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Timing is EverythingÂ
Another very useful email marketing strategy that can help your brand grow is knowing exactly when to send your emails to your subscribers. But, that is easier said than done, unfortunately. There is not a specific day of the week or a specific period of the day that will suit all the subscribers on your mailing list. Some of them may be in different time zones, some of them may be working at that specific time, some may be sleeping, etc. And, if you choose the wrong day and time, the chances of them not opening that email are very high.
So, what should you do? That is, what is the best time for sending emails? According to experts, the best time is Tuesday or Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 03:00 PM.
Moreover, the time you will choose to send your email should also depend on your business. For instance, if you are working with online and offline retail, the best day to send an email campaign is Thursday, and the best time to send it is between 80:00 and 10:00 Am. Keep in mind that each business type has its own preferred timing, so if you want to do this right, you will have to do some research on your own.
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Keep Your Subject Line Short and NeatÂ
Whether the email is going to be opened or not largely depends on the subject line (and on the fact whether the email is personalized or not). Statistics show that more than 60% of all email recipients won’t even open your email if the subject line is too long and confusing – they will think it is spam or junk.
Thus, if you want your email marketing campaign to be successful, start implementing this strategy right away. You can either use some of the many email marketing tools to help you out, or you can try to do this by yourself. If you decide to go with the second option, take your time. Be sure to create a subject line that will make the reader open your email and enter your site.
A rule of thumb for creating subject lines is writing something relevant and interesting. Moreover, you should pay attention to the number of words used – it is best to stay between 6-10 words. Additionally, you can also try to make your subject line urgent. For instance, if you are selling makeup, your subject line can go something like this: ‘Hi Angie, check out our one-weekend makeup sale!’
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Everybody Loves Freebies
Last but certainly not the least effective email marketing strategy is to give away freebies. Freebies or promotional giveaways are a great way to increase the number of subscribers on your mailing list, and thus, increase your income.
You are probably wondering why you should give away free stuff, right? Do not be skeptical about this one, after all, there is a good reason why all major companies are implementing this strategy. Offering something free of charge will intrigue many people, and, most importantly, it will make them give their email addresses to you in exchange for a freebie. This is how your emailing list will grow.
However, once again, it is important not to cross the line! As with everything else, in email marketing too, there are some rules that must be met. According to the CAN-SPAM Act, your email must have three things – a proper subject line, your commercial email address, and an unsubscribe option.
Why is email Marketing ImportantÂ
Implementing all the strategies mentioned above can significantly improve the success of your email marketing campaign. But, why is that important? Let us give you three examples:
- It is important for brand awareness – by using email marketing, you can reach your customers directly. That is, you can remind the old customers that you are there, or you can let the new ones know why you are there.
- It is important for conversions – sending emails is great for driving sales. It is an easier way for selling your products and services.
- It is important for customer loyalty – maintaining a good relationship with your subscribers is of key importance. But, what is also important is to send emails that have good content, such that will keep your subscribers waiting for new ones every week.
Do not forget that email marketing is accessible to people from all walks of life too! Anybody can receive and understand the email you sent. Moreover, email marketing is affordable! It is one of the most cost-effective strategies you can use for your online campaigns.
