Email marketing has been around for a long time. It’s one of the oldest forms of online communication! Despite its age, though, it still sits at the top of effective marketing tactics.
Despite the rise of social media, people still use email more than other platforms. In fact, the Data shows that most people are on email—and the number of email users increases every year.
What’s even better? With email marketing you own the connections—no more pesky algorithm changes messing up your groove. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had clients lose money over algorithm updates – ugh!
That, among a plethora of other reasons, is why building a successful email marketing campaign is so important!
So, what is an Email Campaign and how do you properly set one up? First, let’s explore what Email Marketing is as a strategy.
Email Marketing… What is it?
Email Marketing is like any other form of marketing, really. You’re sending promotional messages in mass to users on your email lists. The typical goal here is to generate leads or sales. Part of what I offer to my clients, and what I teach, is relationship-based marketing. Meaning, instead of only reaching out with promotional materials to your email list, you should also be placing high priority on building relationships. People want to do business with people, but they also want to be treated like a person… not just another sale.
This may sound exhausting – I mean after all, what if you have a list of 5,000+ people? You can’t possible individually email each of them personal messages… right? Not so! There are many powerful techniques & automations you can use to pre-build campaigns that offer personalized content to list members. Though… this is a huge topic for another post!
You Need to Stand Out Immediately
How many times have you opened up your inbox and grumbled in frustration about the 25+ new “junk” emails you have to now delete? Your email list members are just like you. There is a societal disgust for what is perceived as “junk” mail, so must be very cautious not to be lumped into that pile from the very beginning. Think of it like this… you want your list members to want to read your emails. But you don’t want them to read your emails negatively. If you don’t take care to separate yourself form typical salesy “junk” emails, you risk your reader doing one of two things:
You must not: 1. Redistribute content from Megan Donadio Digital Marketing & Consulting (unless content is specifically made for redistribution).Immediately deleting your email without even opening it
2. Opening it with their pre-conceived negative emotions, and having a negative experience with you and your content
Neither of those two options are good options, so it’s critical that care is taken to avoid either outcome. Now, let’s talk about how to build your email marketing strategy from the ground up.
How Does It Work?
Email marketing is one of the top-performing marketing strategies, in no small part because it’s relatively simple and can be automated.
An effective email marketing campaign requires three essential elements:
1. An Email List
For you to pull off successful email campaigns, you need an active email list. This is a list of people who have expressed interest in receiving marketing communications from you.
There are many ways to build an email list. One of the easiest is to create a lead magnet your target audience is interested in, like a free guide or checklist, in exchange for their email address.
These should be full of valuable information that they can use. The goal here is to provide just enough value that they feel appreciative and may seek to explore your other offers/merchandise/etc.
Be cautious not to over-promise and under-deliver. Your Lead Magnet should be useful. If someone signs up for your Lead Magnet and is left feeling puzzled and feeling as if they didn’t learn anything… it sets a baseline negative relationship with you from the beginning.
2. An Email Marketing Platform
An email marketing platform is the system you’ll use to set up your email campaigns. Within this system, you’ll build out your campaigns, often create your opt-in forms, and more.
Choosing the right Email Marketing platform is important. If you’re just starting out, you may discover many email marketing systems require you to qualify to use. Many use your email as a point of reference for your qualification. If you don’t have a website built, this could be an obstacle to keep in mind.
I recommend GoHighLevel to all of my clients, as it offers the most value for the monthly cost. It provides you with a powerful email marketing system with automations, form builders, surveys, funnel & website builder, and a TON more. If you’re concerned about value, you’ll be doing a disservice to yourself if you don’t check out GoHighLevel.
3. Clearly Defined Goals
Effective email marketing campaigns are built upon clearly defined and aligned goals. You’ll want to build several segments of your email list, and then look to build campaigns for each segment. As an example, I have a segment of my email list dedicated to those interested in learning how to become a Digital Marketer. For those people, I have a specific campaign that they’re associated with. This ensures they’re getting content that’s relevant and personalized to their desires.
Email marketing campaigns can scale without putting a strain on your resources or compromising quality.
Email Marketing Strategies
Strategy is key to success in all things with your business. …Well, some may argue there’s a bit of luck to it too, but I digress…
To succeed with email marketing, you must strategically design your campaigns. Here are some of the best email marketing strategies you can utilize:
Use the Right List Building Strategies
The success of your email campaigns depends largely on the quality of your email list. To build such a list, you must use list-building strategies designed to attract your target audience. Don’t just pay for random email lists and start blasting… that’s how you waste time, energy, and money.
Practice Good Email List Hygiene
Another essential email marketing strategy is practicing good email list hygiene. Cleaning out inactive subscribers and email addresses that are no longer in use will ensure you have a good sender reputation.
Keep Your List Warm
Regularly send emails to your list to keep your subscribers engaged (warm). Keep in mind that sporadic emailing could result in subscribers forgetting who you are and lead to low conversion rates. So be sure to email often!
If some of your subscribers go cold, you can run a re-engagement campaign.
Focus on One Objective
Design each campaign and email to focus on one objective. Trying to kill two (or more) birds with one stone doesn’t work with email marketing. It only confuses your audience and reduces your conversion rates.
How to Write Email Marketing Copy That Drives Results
Whatever your email marketing goal is, it all hinges on email marketing copy. Effective email copy is as important as effective ad copy, effective website copy, effective funnel copy… it’s just important! There are some basic things you’ll want to consider when writing your email copy, such as:
Speak To Your Audience
You’ll want to be sure you know who your ideal audience is before spending time writing out your email campaigns.
Utilize Conversational Copy
Conversational copy works far better than formal copy. Write like you speak. It comes across much more personable and relatable. Being too formal can feel gimmicky, gross, and spammy and can often get you sent to the trash box.
Recall the previous point where you’ll want to speak to your audience. If, as an example, your audience is comprised of attorneys, you’re going to want to have an element of formality to your copy. Always speak to your audience.
Create Catchy Subject Lines
The subject line is one of the most important elements of email copy as it helps readers decide whether to open your email.
Make It Easy to Read
People are busy. Write your email copy so that it’s easy to read and understand. It’s helpful to use short sentences, avoid jargon or complicated words, and utilize bullet points.
If your readers find your emails easy to read, they’ll likely engage with them more. On the flip side, if the first glance at your email looks overwhelming, you’re unlikely to get further engagement.
Leverage Storytelling
Stories are a powerful way to grab attention and get your message across. That’s why you should leverage storytelling in your email copy. Stories sell!
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