Email Marketing Part 2:
How to Engage Your Readership
In this three-part series about email marketing we will be discussing reasons you should be doing it, tips to engage your audience and how to increase your email audience.
1. Know Thy Audience
What matters most to your audience? If you are selling shoes, then likely your customers will want to know about sales, new products and deals. Business owners can sometimes confuse what matters to them versus what is important to their customers. Feed them information that is relevant and your chances improve that they will open your email and make a purchase.
2. Engage with Visuals
Animated shoes dancing across the screen, a beautiful shot of a remodeled kitchen, a fancy new logo – these can entice a reader to do a, b, or c. Stunning images of your work or your product is important in this digital landscape. Customers want bite-sized, quick and shiny pieces of information that will take them to where they want to go. If it’s cool, if it’s something they need (or want), and they can envision themselves or a loved one using your product or service, then chances are they will click. Take the time (and spend the money) on really good visuals of your products and services.
3. It’s in the Bennies
Benefits (or “bennies”) are vital to communicating why a customer needs you. Will your product make my hair shine? Will my website be faster and prettier? (the answer is yes!) Make these statements stand out when you are designing your email. This will pull your reader’s eye to these impact statements and even if they don’t read the fine detail, they will understand what fabulousness you offer. Don’t hide these in the closet – pull them out and shine a big light on them.
4. Consider Relevant Co-Branding or Partnering
If you need a little boost from a bigger or more popular company, consider co-branding or partnering with a relevant business. Crocs are infamous for co-branding their shoes with famous celebrities (Justin Bieber and Drew Barrymore to name a couple). Partner with a business that fits well with your ethics and mission. Make sure you tout the similarities and both companies will receive an increase in brand awareness and sales.
5. Have a Giveaway or Raffle
Providing a fun raffle or giveaway is a great way to get people to open your email and participate. Include a great prize (Trip to Scotland? Free products?) for their input or action. This might include following you on social media and tagging a friend, taking a brief survey, or providing a great Yelp review. We all want the chance to win something big or fun and if it takes a few minutes, why not? Make it exciting, fresh, and relevant.
