Email marketing is one of the oldest advertising methods in the age of technology. The excitement once induced by the "ding" of an inbox message is a faint memory, and the movie "You've Got Mail" has become a classic we watch once a year. Technology marketing opportunities continue to expand into various arenas but it's time to acknowledge: Email is still an effective tactic. Although Instagram and Twitter can be great tools for business promotion, email marketing has been and will continue to be a viable tool for the growth and success of every business. A well-crafted and executed email marketing strategy can promote business and bring continued growth and brand awareness to the intended audience.
The combination of social media and smartphones has evolved us into a society that is fast-paced and up-to-date. As people check their phones multiple times per day they are not only seeing their Facebook notifications but they also can’t evade their email notifications. The title of the email is one of the two most critical aspects of your email marketing campaign because it is scanned by the user while they decide to read or delete the message. A good title will cause the reader to think of your business, a great title will make the reader open the email. A simple email with a good title can cause people to think of your business, your contest or your coupon when they wouldn't have otherwise done so. Truth be told even the emails that are not being opened have just been brought your business back into the user’s awareness. This is great marketing at its core: making people think of something without them consciously realizing it.
To take an email marketing campaign to the next level a business must consider more than just the title of the email, the content of the email is ultimately going to accomplish one or more of the following goals:
- Reader clicks on a link and visits the website
- Reader forwards the email to a friend and tells them to sign-up for your email list
- Reader saves your email and can't wait for the next one to come out
Below are just a few ways to accomplish those goals as well as some simple ways to keep your email marketing content fresh and engaging:
- Include an Infographic - a simple graphic containing some interesting statistic or trend in your field lets the reader learn "inside information" in a simple, visually appealing graphic form
- Include a Video Link - a video is always a good way to cause people to click on a link. Videos are some of the most informative and engaging content on the web.
- Offer a Deal, Coupon or Contest - providing an incentive for the reader is one of the best ways to get and keep users coming back to your website and subscribing to your emails
I must admit, I delete probably 20 emails per day BUT there are always one or two that I open and am glad to be notified of a sale on a particular item or an interesting news story that I wouldn’t have otherwise found. While this list is by no means comprehensive, hopefully, it provides you with a few ideas that can help take your email marketing and user engagement to the next level.
