Is email marketing dead? The numbers (and exciting Mailchimp features) don’t lie!

If you had any doubts before, the online industry (and statistics) proved that email marketing is here to stay. Here’s how you can make it your advantage.

2020 will become the first year that users open more emails on a mobile device than a desktop. The role of email marketing as simply sending messages to your customer’s inboxes is over! Email marketing services’ new functions allow you to develop personal relations with current customers. Or to smoothly reach out to potential new buyers. No matter how small your business is, you have the power to reach people 24/7, 365 days a year. Above all, this is one of the most cost effective and opportunity rich forms of digital marketing today! It shows a significant increase in sales for a favorable price (if not for free). Also, high measurability for your campaign is a plus! It`s one of the most personal forms of marketing communication on hand!

And there are some big numbers in this game as proof. By 2023., global email users’ figure will grow to 4.3 billion. This is half of the world’s population! With such a high number, there is a need for organizing all of your data. Therefore using an email marketing service is a good call that will make it a much simpler task.

The main advantage of a service like MailChimp is that it has a great user-friendly interface. (Fun fact: Mailchimp got its name because it is so easy to work with that monkeys could use it!) You can manage subscribers, set up autoresponders, create appealing email templates, target subscribers, and split-test your campaigns. And they are upgrading their features season after season.

By using email services, you can get an insight into the email open rates and most clickable links. Also, how many people unsubscribe after receiving your email, and even how your response compares to the industry average. It’s very important to have insight into the activities of your subscribers and this free service allows you that. 

Monitoring email marketing metrics is playing a key role in the success of your digital marketing efforts. Also, there are different types of target audiences you have to consider. E.g., with a welcome email high open rate, you can insert some useful info that will spark interest in potential buyers!

Also, MailChimp offers you the option to identify inactive subscribers and activate them more with your brand again. All you need to do is schedule specific campaigns and set additional emails several days apart from one another. Do you have a problem with abandoned carts? A.K.A. customers added items to their cart but then left the site without purchasing the items. There is an option for a follow-up email that you send to potential customers after they leave your site. Do abandon cart emails work? The statistic is here to back it up again. Sending three abandoned cart emails results in 69% more orders than a single email. This type of e-commerce email is one of the most effective for boosting revenue.

Consumers have a need for genuine connections and authenticity so you should learn how to communicate in their own language. 

Also, if you overlook a clear CTA in your initial email, you can correct it with a follow-up email. MailChimp offers to send it with more info when a subscriber opens an email or clicks on a specific link. The latest statistics show that as many as 87 percent of marketers use email marketing to disseminate their content. 

With all the options available, there are some primary steps to consider. The first one is setting measurable goals. That includes an increase in recipients, reading the newsletter, fulfilling the desired action and making a purchase. The recommended approach for newsletters is a ratio of 90/10, meaning 90% of information and 10% of sales material. Less is more and the educational material will lead to more sales than a simple generic copy.

But now we may face a potential problem. You kept reading about how email marketing is the most cost-effective form of marketing. So you wish to try it out. But then what happens is the results that don’t match your expectations. Truth is, there`s nothing unusual about that. Email marketing is more than just one mail a month. It’s dozens of potential plot twists for which you have to write well-timed, engaging and smart messages. Each sent email must pass the tests from the title to the call to action. Also, have a goal and a target.

Every next email you write should be based on the results and knowledge you gained in the previous one. That takes time and patience. Only when you put all this together, you can automate the process with some help from email marketing tools.

Furthermore, there are a number of electronic communication terms and conditions that need to be considered when sending an email. Do you know that it is against the law to send an email to a person that didn’t allow it? That there must be an option for unsubscribing in every email? If you accidentally violate GDPR requirements, your emails can end up in spam or your account may be suspended.

So there is not always fun and games even though it has a number of great benefits. You have to keep certain rules in mind so a potentially great thing wouldn’t backfire into being a business mistake.

TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGN:

FUN VIDEO

Simply adding video to your email title can push your open rate up by almost 20%. On top of that, click-through rates increase by about 65% when you include video assets to your marketing emails. It’s catchy, amusing and begs for attention and your consumer will likely give it to it. 

SHORT AND SWEET COPY

Email copy maybe even more important than you think. Keep it concise and to the point. Email attention span is just 13.4 seconds and the ideal length of copy in an email is around 50 words. Using shorter sentences, limiting difficult words and localizing the content for global audiences is the best way to go. Keep in mind if your subscribers feel confused or overwhelmed by the big words. In that case they are more likely to unsubscribe from the newsletter.

EASY-TO-LOOK-AT EMAIL DESIGN

Designing for accessibility and effectiveness to a broader audience includes using real-text HTML. Then create a strong visual impression within your email and use Alt text for your photos and the right photo size. Avoiding long sections of center-justified text and using bold when necessary as well as appropriate font sizes. Lastly, optimize line spacing and use highly contrasting colors to ease the reader. 

COMBINE EMAIL WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

There is an increased move from computers to smartphones when it comes to checking your emails. And can you guess where you check most of your social media notifications? On your smartphone, as well. Combining email marketing with social media is starting to become popular, and with a good reason. Simply adding social icons and links to your marketing email headers or footers can be a good start. Email marketing disarms social media and organic and paid search when it comes to customers acquisition and retention. But you can make it EVEN more valuable by pairing it with social media.

USER-GENERATED CONTENT – UGC

UGC has become a cheaper and more cost-effective way for companies to promote their products. Also, it adds more credibility rather than branded content ads. It became so effective that even companies like GoPro have been encouraging consumers to create it. UGC drives real-time engagement and motivates your consumer to contribute content with email marketing. The challenge is to develop email campaigns that are as appealing and informative as other heavily consumed marketing tools. You can keep the subscriber engaged with fun content. That way there’s a greater chance of them purchasing an item. 

The unquestionable thing is, email marketing is still one of the most effective channels for direct marketing. Every day, we witness email getting more personalized, interactive and more effective. Studies show that 70% of people think email will still be relevant in 10 years! Interactivity has become one of the important factors so expect much more in the field in future years!

Want to skyrocket your email marketing strategy? Neuralab`s Mailchimp-certified content team can do it for you!