Email marketing is perhaps one of the most “neglected” forms of digital marketing. Few brands take full advantage of its capabilities. We’re confident that many don’t realize email marketing has the highest ROI (return on investment) of all marketing channels. With nearly 4.3 billion people having an email address and most of them being active daily, it’s clear that email is a very powerful tool—if used correctly.
But what exactly is it, and why is it our favorite tool? That’s the question we answer in this article.
Let’s start with the basics.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is the mass sending of emails, primarily in the form of newsletters, but also through advertising campaigns, with the goal of achieving a specific objective within the marketing funnel, whether it’s sales, raising awareness of a new product, or promoting an important event.
Why is it the unsung hero of marketing?
- It’s a cost-effective marketing method
Email marketing is one of the most affordable marketing methods, since it doesn’t require you to pay multiple professionals. A good graphic designer and a copywriter are enough to create compelling content, and a platform to design and send your emails. Many platforms (e.g. Mailchimp) offer free plans for a certain number of contacts and email sends, which is a big advantage when you’re just starting out. Another major benefit compared to other channels is that you don’t need to pay per click, view, or reach. Still not convinced? Hubspot’s research might change your mind. According to Hubspot, businesses earn an average of $36 back for every $1 spent on email marketing! Still thinking about it?
- It’s easy and fast
Thanks to platforms like Mailchimp and Moosend, you can easily find templates to create visually appealing emails and send them to your selected audience. Plus, with automations for actions like newsletter signups or abandoned carts, you can automatically send targeted emails. This saves a lot of time and effort, without sacrificing quality.
- It’s personalized
A big plus of email marketing is that it’s based on email lists of people who already know your business or have interacted with it. This allows for personalized content tailored to your audience’s needs. Even small details—like addressing someone by their first name—can greatly increase open rates and conversion chances. Email marketing gives you a golden opportunity to create a communication channel and build trust with your audience. Use it!
- It’s measurable
What would marketing be without data? And when it comes to email marketing, you get access to important metrics. Here are some key ones to track:
- Open rate: Shows how many recipients opened your email.
- Click through rate (CTR): The percentage of recipients who clicked on a link within the email.
- Bounce rate: The percentage of emails that couldn’t be delivered.
- Subscribers/Unsubscribers: Tracks the number of new subscribers and those who opted out.
Having access to these metrics gives you the power to optimize your campaigns and achieve your goals.
How to start your email marketing journey
- Create an email list
The core of any email marketing strategy is, of course, your customers’ email addresses. You likely already have a list from clients and partners. Use these to segment your contacts based on their needs and characteristics, and create relevant content. If you don’t yet have a list, you can easily add pop-ups on your website to collect emails. Make sure the content is enticing and offer an incentive—like a 10% discount—to encourage signups.
Rookie mistake:
A common tactic is buying pre-made email lists. This approach can be costly and ineffective. First, you don’t know if that audience aligns with your target group, which leads to low engagement and open rates. More importantly, it’s illegal under personal data protection laws and can harm both your finances and your brand’s reputation. Always obtain user consent before using their email for promotional purposes.
- Create appropriate content
Now that you have your email list, think carefully about the content you’ll send. The benefit of email marketing is that your audience has already shown interest by giving you their email—and they know your brand. This gives you an idea of what they want from you. Always create content that adds value and is useful to the recipient.
You might offer tips that lead to a purchase or link to a new blog post. Depending on your service or product and the characteristics of your contacts, create the right personalized content. The more targeted your content, the better your open rates and chances of gaining new customers.
- Experiment
As with any marketing channel, testing is key. Try sending emails at different times and days, experiment with different content formulas and tones in your subject lines, and see what works best.
It’s clear that email marketing truly is the hidden hero in a marketing mix. We could go on for hours about its benefits and how to craft high-performing content—and we will in future articles.
Until then, if you’re ready to take the next step but want expert advice on how to proceed, don’t waste time—contact our team here.
