Email marketing is still a good option for small businesses. The act of sending an email is far cheaper than buying advertising space in a media publication or on TV. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of email marketing increases even more when you combine it with other low-cost promotional techniques such as social media, search engine optimization, and pay-per click ads.

Here are 10 ways that you can use email marketing to promote your business:

• Email Lists: You need a list of prospective customers or clients in order for your email campaign to be successful. Before starting your campaign, take time to build your database. One wayyou can do this is by including an offer in the footer of every blog post or web page. For example: “Enter your email address to get a great free report.” Another way is to make your menus available online and ask patrons to connect with you on Facebook.
• Send one type of content for each list segment: if you are developing several lists, try sending different types of offers and information to different lists. For example, send coupons and specials offers to one list, new product info or sales push to another list, extra content that’s behind the paywall for those who have subscribed.
• Set email frequency: If your goal is to build a healthy list of subscribers who will sit back and wait patiently until it’s time for you to send them something special, think again. The best way to engage subscribers is to provide content regularly and often. Frequency varies depending on the type of list -for example a sales or coupon list may only need an email every couple of weeks, while a list that receives extra content might only want one every month.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for information: In your monthly email, be sure to ask for detailed information such as demographics or shopping history. Use this data to offer tailor-made content in the future.
• Include a call to action: Make it easy for lists members to engage with you and buy from you by including a clear “call to action” at the end of each message that lets them do just that.
• Test your emails: After you’ve created your email, test it with a small group to make sure it’s easy to read and understand. You can then go back in and tweak the message or format so it looks great on all different types of devices.
• Measure your results: Remember, you’re only as good as the data you gather, so make sure that aftereach email campaign you have a process in place for gathering subscriber info and feedback. This will help you determine which of your strategies work best so that you can adjust your plan accordingly.
• Keep it real: When it comes to building trust with subscribers, there’s no substitute for authenticity. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to lose subscribers -and potentially customers -if your emails feel too ‘marketey’.
• Make sure that every message is clear about who you are: Several companies use a signature with their logo and other info at the end of every email. While this may seem like an effective way to build brand recognition, it can also annoy customers who want to keep you separate from your competitors.
• Offer content in multiple formats: If you’re sending an educational or informational email, consider adding a video or infographic. This will not only enhance the message but help differentiate your brand from others that are simply full of text.

As with all other aspects of marketing, the success or failure of your email campaign depends on how well you understand what will resonate most with your audience. Once you’ve identified that angle, it’s time to put together a plan for crafting and executing an effective email campaign. What are some things that people typically like in their emails? How about lists? GIFs? Videos? We can help! Contact us today to learn more about our custom design services.