Everybody is on the email marketing bandwagon because of its conversion rates. But, how do businesses get the desired results from their efforts? Just like everything in life is a result of your hard work and persistence, the same philosophy extends to email marketing as well. From creating an email content calendar to choosing the perfect email signature generator and everything else in between needs careful thought and consideration.
Putting effort into the right things and directing your resources towards the required avenues will give your marketing emails the much-needed boost from the get-go. Whether you are a seasoned business or an individual just starting, you have to create your email campaign at some point. Here is a holistic guide on how to craft a marketing email: a short guide for beginners.
Create an interesting email subject line
The subject line of each email is the gateway to your email. Do not take this lightly and create a system to avoid all the subject line red flags. Use emails to connect with your audience by either creating a hook or by intriguing them.
In the process, make sure you also integrate your keywords and do not shy away from commands. Understand your target audience and create an intriguing subject line with creative and catchy lines that will attract your target audience.
Add an email signature
If you are launching or overhauling your email marketing campaign, an email signature needs to be a part of your campaign. If you have an email signature, think of optimizing it and creating a personal email signature.
And if you do not have an email signature, it is time to get one and improve your click-through rates or CTR. Adding an email signature is an opportunity for you to highlight all your promotional channels, and it will leave your readers with something to explore after reading your email.
Include distinct CTAs
In digital marketing, a call to action or CTA is a big part of all content efforts, including websites, landing pages, blogs, emails, and other channels involving content creation or curation. The purpose of the CTA is designed to help your prospects make a buying decision. Like other channels, you need to build up your audience to a CTA and treat it like a punchline. It has to be action-oriented and prompt your reader to further engage with your content and ultimately make a buying decision.
Consider using email template generators
As you grow your subscribers and mailing list, it is impossible to draft an email each time you need to contact your subscribers. Template generators can help you become more effective and help you stand out. This instance is where templates step in to help you optimize your email marketing efforts.
For example, new subscribers to your email marketing campaign deserve a gratitude email, which is a template. So, consider using an email template generator when you start your email marketing campaign to set the right precedence from the onset of your campaign.
Write in simple words
An email marketing campaign is an opportunity for you to establish yourself as an authority in your industry. But, this is not the space to use fancy language. While you have to be a wordsmith, you want to stick with simple language and focus on delivering your strong value proposition. Simplify it for your audience to understand what you are trying to get across. Focus on creating a copy that connects well with your prospects. Writing in simple words will help you get heard and make sure your language does not take away from your core marketing message.
Stick to the brand’s tone of voice
After you establish your target audience, you need to research the type of language used by that age group. The tone of voice used in each piece of writing is a way for your business to showcase your brand persona. Consequently, once you have established a voice, you can play around a little with tone. Depending on the purpose of the email you are sending, you can alter the style a little.
For example, a transactional email has to be professional and serious as you do not want your brand to appear reckless; but, a feedback email can include a little bit of humor to entice readers to give feedback. As a general rule of thumb, establish a voice, and stick to your brand’s tone of voice.
Pay attention to the audience’s timezone
If you send an email at 1 in the morning, chances are it will get buried in your recipients’ inbox by the time they wake up. Are you a local business catering to city-specific needs, or are you catering to different cities and time zones? Know the high performing post times for your time zone. Then begin scheduling email dispatch during the times that boost the highest engagement. Pay attention to the audience’s timezone and use segmented lists if you have prospects in different timezones. In all instances, make sure your audience is getting emails at high engagement times in their timezone.
Validate your email lists
Email marketing requires time and resources, and all business owners will agree that they do not wish to waste their time and resources on a dead lead. Make sure you have a mechanism in place to validate your email lists. For example, if there is a typo when someone lists their email or if someone quits a company and changes their email, the sender gets a delivery failure notice.
But it can be a nuisance to get countless delivery failure notices when you have an extensive mailing list. To avoid this, validate your email lists and get valid insights on your marketing efforts from the day you begin your campaign.
Create an email content calendar
An email marketing campaign is all about warming up your reader to your brand and enticing them to make a buying decision. A content calendar will allow you to dispatch all that you have curated promptly. For starters, like building a blog, you need to identify the different categories of emails. After this, you need to draft the content and decide when you will dispatch each email. After you create an email content calendar, you need to keep building it to get the desired outcome from your email marketing efforts.
If you are kickstarting an email campaign or overhauling an existing one, keep these tips in mind and yield desired results from your email marketing efforts!