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Emails. We get them all day, every day. We know that Domino’s will drop off a BOGOF deal on Tuesdays. ASOS will send you daily sale reminders. Your nan might send you an e-card for your birthday. Since the dawn of the internet, they’ve been part and parcel of our daily lives.
Ever since the first marketing email made a splash in 1978, it’s made waves in marketing history. It’s been the bright spark of creativity and the driving force behind businesses making bold moves. It’s where brands have built themselves into giants of the game.
The short answer is yes.
In a world of 7.6 billion people, 4.03 billion regularly use email. That’s over half the planet’s population. It’s more than Facebook andInstagram’s users combined.
91% of those 4.03 billion people check their emails daily. 59% of them believe their emails affect their purchasing decisions. The proof is in the pudding - shoppers spend 138% more when marketed to through email.
Email isn’t just perfect for picking up new customers. It’s brilliant for going between businesses too. 59% of B2B marketers report email as their top channel for revenue generation.
It’s so important that nine out of ten B2B companies use email engagement as a content performance measure.
So whether you’re business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C), email marketing remains one of the most reliable methods to boost your content marketing.
There’s some good news. And there’s some bad news.
The bad news is there’s no secret formula for putting together the perfect campaign.
The good news is there’s plenty of tricks of the trade you can try out. Every business has its unique selling points, so let’s bring them to the fore.
Keeping ahead of the competitive curve is something we take seriously. We’ve built ourselves on being forward-thinking digital natives. We keep our ears to the ground and guide our clients with our expertise.
So, when we think email marketing, we think about the world of opportunities it creates. Here’s just a handful of tips and tricks you can try out in your campaigns to keep ahead of your competitors throughout the rest of 2021.
We get dozens of emails every day. It’s part and parcel of modern life. But that doesn’t mean your customers should feel like a number. Frankly, they don’t want to. 71% of consumers feel frustrated when a shopping experience, including emails, feels impersonal.
You want them to feel a sense of community. You want them to feel like they’re cared about. Most importantly, you want them to feel empowered to engage.
Hyper-personalisation is the fast-track to being the brand where customers belong. You’re using the data you’ve already got and doing something more with it. It’s a handy tool to create a better customer journey.
For example, have you ever noticed a customer has a habit of clicking off before completing their purchase? Why not send them a personalised reminder straight to their inbox?
Clothing brand Hollister Co. go above and beyond in this department – and it works, as 72% of consumers say they’ll only engage with personalised messaging.
By making the most of the data you’re always collecting about your customers, you can turn it into a tool that takes your email engagements to the next level.
Being hyper-personal is only half of it. Building an email that's interactive too will double down on customer engagement. It'll set your emails apart from your competitors, and it'll create user experiences worth coming back for more.
It might sound like something for big budgets or big ideas.It's not. It's far simpler than that. You could try any of these right off the bat:
1. Tease a new product with an image rollover effect.
2. Give power to the people with star ratings to encourage reviews.
3. Pop quiz! Whether it's a themed quiz or a quick questionnaire, embed it in.
4. Add gifs - everyone loves those little animations.
Interactive features can be used at any time to highlight new products, tease upcoming events, and increase engagement.
Of course, it works wonders for your branding too. You'll put yourself ahead of others in your customer's minds when it comes to their next purchase simply by doing something different.
For this one, forget everything else we’ve already said. Flip it on its head.
It’s no secret we all nerd out on beautiful designs and bold colours. We love bringing that out in our brands. But there’s something to be said for text-only emails.
Just like letters, they’re the perfect form of communication for getting personal. As long as you’ve got some compelling copy crafted around a theme, you’ll have your customers attention.
It’s an easy way of building and deepening your connection with your customers as a brand. The text-only format makes your messaging feel down-to-earth and human instead of monotonous and machine-like.
If you’re a brand that prides itself on being visually stunning, this is an essential email marketing tool. Employ this for big announcements or news, and the change-up will be even more striking.
Looking for the best way to boost your conversion rate optimisation with your emails? Easy. Look no further than utilising user-generated content.
User-generated content is exactly what it says on the tin.It’s all about making the most of the magic your customers make happen. Ultimately, it creates trust and develops brand loyalty.
If you’re a creative business, the chances are your customers are too. So use that to your advantage. Find the platforms your customers post on. If they’re posting about you, don’t be afraid to use it in your emails.
Premium bath and bedding brand Parachute are big fans oft his tactic. They encourage their customers to share pictures of their products in action with the hashtag #MyParachuteHome. They collect these photos and repurpose them as content for promotional purposes on other platforms.
Opening an email and seeing something you’ve shared is a fantastic feeling. When someone feels good, they’re more likely to engage more.
It’s an easy way to spread the word about your brand and create a buzz. Your customer's posts will naturally reach new audiences, and you'll see that CRO climb up.
This isn’t so much about your content and design as it is your foundations. But it’s possibly one of the most important tips on this list.
Without making your emails responsive, what looks great on your laptop might look like last night’s leftovers on your mobile.
It’s important you get this right. 42% of people open emails first on their phones. 42% of people will also delete an email if it’s not optimised for mobile. So if it’s not formatted for all platforms, you’re putting your customer retention at risk.
Some easy ways to make your emails more responsive are:
1. Scale your designs – think simple layouts, single columns, and large content.
2. Avoid link cluttering – too many links can lead to your customers tapping the wrong one.
3. Go ‘above the fold’ – place your most important CTA’s at the top for no-scroll action.
The more responsive your emails are, the smoother the experience your customers have with your brands.
Whilst there’s no magic map to email marketing success, trying out these tips and tricks will keep your campaigns ahead of your competitors.
Experts believe that by next year, 347 billion emails will be sent every day. Build your brand one email at a time and stay ahead of the game. You’ll create meaningful relationships with your customers, double down on conversions and engagements, and grow your success.
If you’d like to learn more about excelling at email marketing, get in touch with our digital marketing team today!
