Why Email Marketing? 5 Short Tips to Get Started
Do you have a large client base that you want to reach out to, or maybe you have a big sale that is coming up that you want to inform your customers about? Are you going to hang fliers, posters, post newspaper ads, or call every person to get the word out? The answer is probably not, simply because it is time consuming and costly, and not very targeted. It’s a good thing that email is still a popular tool and used by a lot of people in 2015, including your customers.
Email marketing is essentially “mass emails” that are designed using intuitive web-based programs, such as Constant Contact or Mail Chimp. These programs give you an easy way to send out to your contact list in the click of a button! Rather than drafting a separate personal email for each individual, you create and customize one email that is sent to everyone on your targeted list. Want to insert an image or letterhead? No problem.
Email marketing is highly beneficial for many reasons, which is why you should take it into consideration if you haven’t yet. Aside from the obvious goal of enhancing the business’s overall marketing campaign, other benefits of email marketing are:
1. the low cost of getting started
2. the amount of targeted customers it reaches
3. the ease of use
4. the metrics on click through and open rates
Cost Matters
The price for email marketing is very affordable compared to newspaper or print ads. Assuming a majority of your clients have access to a free email account, the hard part is over. Depending on your subscribers and program you choose, you may have a monthly fee. For Constant Contact, the lowest price is $15/month and the highest is $50/month. In comparison, Mail Chimp, is “free” for fewer than 2,000 contacts, but up to $50/month if you have over 2,000.
Inform Everyone
Because email marketing is set up to email everyone on your contact list, you can reach everyone at once. In addition, you can segregate your email lists, for example, based on their interests and industry sectors, and customize your emails based on their demographics. Customers can continuously sign up to receive your emails and newsletters from your website or Facebook as well, which makes it an ongoing benefit!
It’s Simple
Email Marketing is easy to use, no matter which platform you choose. Each provider makes the templates, designs, and formats simple to use. For business owners who are not so tech-savvy or have time constraints, they can navigate through them, making it a great marketing tool for all. Once the template is set up to your liking, you can use this for your future emails. Now that the benefits of email marketing are clear – here are 5 tips to follow when drafting your emails, newsletters, or promotional letters to your customers.
1.Make it Mobile Friendly
If the emails cannot be downloaded or are difficult to read – they will be turned away and will go straight to the trash folder
2.Call to Action
Define the goals of your email and have a clear Call to Action for your subscribers. For example, are you offering tips or a promotion in your email.
3. Engaging Subject Line
If your subject line isn’t straight to the point, hard to read, or doesn’t seem appealing, customers won’t bother opening it
4. Content Is Important
Whether you’re sending a newsletter, a promotion, or a simple calendar email, make sure to keep the content exciting. Include simple graphics, social media icons, as well as purpose of the email in a short & sweet form.
5. Share your email
You can repurpose your email by sharing them on your social media.
Now that you know the benefits of email marketing & some pointers, what’s stopping you from starting your campaign today? Start Constant Contact 60-day free trial today! And we can help you get started.