Email Marketing 101: Boost Your Business with These Expert Tips

Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘It’s 2023, email marketing is dead. I haven’t opened a promotional email in months!’

We get it - we hear this all the time from prospective clients who are not utilizing email marketing the way they should be.

The truth is, email marketing is still a very powerful tool for small businesses and nonprofits alike… and the data shows it.

According to a study by DMA, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average ROI is $42. This makes email marketing one of the most effective marketing channels for generating sales and revenue.

In addition, a study by McKinsey & Company found that email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than social media. This highlights the importance of email marketing in the customer acquisition process.

So, if you’ve put email marketing on the back burner, it’s time to revaluate.

Here’s why email marketing is still important in 2023:

1. Cost-effective: Email marketing is a cost-effective way for small businesses and nonprofits to reach their target audience. Compared to traditional marketing methods like ads, email marketing is relatively inexpensive, and the return on investment (ROI) can be high.

2. Direct communication with customers and supporters: Email marketing allows small businesses and nonprofits to communicate directly with their customers and supporters. This direct line of communication can be used to build relationships, provide value, and keep customers and supporters informed about news, events, and promotions.

3. Increased brand awareness: Email marketing can help small businesses and nonprofits increase their brand awareness. By consistently sending emails to their target audience, small businesses and nonprofits can build brand recognition and establish themselves as a credible and trustworthy organization.

4. Increased website traffic: Email marketing can drive traffic to a small business or nonprofit's website. By including links to their website in their emails, small businesses and nonprofits can encourage recipients to visit their website and learn more about their products or services.

5. Increased conversions: Email marketing can help small businesses and nonprofits increase conversions. By providing valuable content and promotions in their emails, small businesses and nonprofits can encourage recipients to take action, such as making a purchase or making a donation.

Email marketing can help businesses stay top of mind and build a loyal customer base. It’s as important now as it ever was to have an intentional, consistent, engaging email marketing strategy.

However, there are certain dos and don'ts that should be followed to ensure the success of your email marketing strategy.

Email Marketing DOs:

1. Segment your email list: The more targeted your email list is, the higher the chances of your email being opened and read. Segment your email list based on demographics, behavior, interests, or any other relevant criteria depending on your business or nonprofit’s needs.

2. Personalize your emails: Use the recipient's name and other relevant information to personalize the email. This makes the email more engaging and increases the chances of it being read.

3. Make the subject line attention-grabbing: The subject line is the first thing the recipient sees, and it should be interesting enough to make them want to open the email. Use action-oriented and clear subject lines that convey the message of the email. But make sure you deliver on the promise that the subject line gives. ‘Click bait’ titles that don’t follow through will lose trust with your audience.

4. Make the email mobile-friendly: Most people check their emails on their mobile devices, so it's essential to make the email mobile-friendly. Use a responsive design and optimize images and text for smaller screens. This might seem obvious, but, since most email marketing tools like Constant Contact and MailChimp are operated on desktop, it can easily be forgotten.

5. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA): The email should have a clear CTA that tells the recipient what to do next. Use action-oriented language and make it easy for the recipient to take the desired action.

Email Marketing DON'Ts:

1. Spamming: Do not send emails to people who have not opted-in to receive them. This can lead to your email being marked as spam, and it can damage your reputation. Buying email lists and mass-mailing is not cool. Period.

2. Over-emailing: Sending too many emails can annoy the recipient and lead to them unsubscribing from your list. Find the right frequency for your email campaigns.

3. Using generic language: Avoid using generic language that does not resonate with the recipient. Use language that is relevant to their interests and needs.

4. Ignoring the design: The design of the email is just as important as the content. Use a design that is visually appealing and reflects your brand.

5. Ignoring analytics: Analytics provide valuable insights into the success of your email campaigns. Use analytics to track open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics to optimize your future campaigns.

Remember that providing value should always be your top priority when composing an email to your list.

As you can see, even today, email marketing is an essential tool for businesses looking to connect with their customers and drive sales. In order to be successful in email marketing, it’s important that your messaging is cohesive with your overall marketing plan.

A professional agency like Avorio Marketing can advise you on how to fit email marketing into a robust marketing strategy, and can even execute your email marketing (and overall) strategy for you. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more!