Email marketing, as strange as it sounds, remains one of the most effective means of marketing today. Whereas most social networking sites have sold out feed space and will show advertisements regardless of the user’s desires, email puts control squarely in the consumer’s hands. Spam can be marked, and they choose which newsletters and lists to join. The question businesses face is turning this opening into an opportunity and getting conversions.

 

Ask for Little

When it comes to the bottom line, you can’t be blamed for asking for a lot. For the most part, asking for a lot is a good practice. The worst people can say is no, so you may as well go for the gold. Email is one of the few exceptions.

When sending emails, present them a single and clear call to action. Put as few steps between making a decision and actually putting it into action. That’s why autofill options are so useful – the smoother the process, the easier it is to create a conversion. You don’t need customers to buy out your store. A single purchase makes your email worth the effort.

 

Build Upon Previous Emails

Cold calls are difficult and often ineffective, and the same can be said of emails. The first interaction is often the most difficult. Even if they opted in to your subscriber list, chances are they’ll forget that they even joined and may view your mail with suspicion, or at the very least apathy.

Once you have their attention, build on it. Have triggers set to customer engagement. Refer to their previous actions and base future pitches on previous purchases. Personalizing your messages increases the odds of it being viewed and creating a conversion.

 

Use Captions and Tags on Your Images

A picture can be worth a thousand words, which is a problem as your images can be blocked. Many users block images in their email, either due to data limits or to make them load faster. What could’ve made your message stand out will turn into empty boxes. That can make your email look cheap and untrustworthy.

Descriptive tags and captions can keep consumer interest and assure them that those pictures are worth unblocking and that you’re not spamming them. Even if they don’t unblock your pictures, those same tags and captions will make sure your message remains heard, even if your images are never seen.

All Messages Must Be Targeted

Sending untargeted messages is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and eating what sticks – you may get a meal out of it, but it won’t be a good one. The problem many businesses face is lack of data, so you must make the most of what you can get. Track click-through and open rates whenever you have a mailing campaign. Find out what messages get the most engagement. Look for commonalities in time sent, recipient demographics, and headline wording. Use that information to shave off inefficient parts and keep the best aspects of your campaign.

Email marketing campaigns may be old hat, but they remain one of the best ones to wear. If done properly, a campaign can represent a good source of revenue if you can get the conversions moving. To get conversions, you must approach it from the right angle and with the right mindset. Do so, and your business will benefit and profit.

Print this article