The Dos and Don’ts of Email Marketing

Email marketing isn’t the same as it used to be. In the beginning, we could just send out blanket advertisements that flew around the internet like loose leaf flyers. The goal was to reach as many people as possible, essentially fishing (not phishing) for clicks. Now, most consumers have become wise and wary of those types of marketing tactics. To keep your email newsletters and ads from going straight into the “spam” folder, there are several things you should and should not do.

Do

  • Personalize your emails past the first and last name of the recipient. Track their purchase history and suggest products that align with their interests. There’s no point in promoting a product that a person has zero intention of buying. This is a waste of both their time and yours.
  • Use email marketing to build relationships with your target audience. If every message is pushing sales or product promotions, consumers will lose interest quickly. Newsletters and follow up surveys can help establish readership and show that your company sees people as more than just sales numbers.
  • Make sure that all CTAs are unique. We’re all familiar with the standard, “contact us here for more info.” You can do better than that. Come up with something that’s a little creative and that relates to the email’s content. Humor is usually a huge plus.

Don’t

  • Waste your time sending out emails to people who don’t want them. Make unsubscribing easy, and don’t try to include recipients who clearly aren’t interested in reading what you have to say.
  • Cold message people with emails. This will land you on the “block” list faster than anything. Black hat tactics like buying email lists or generating leads through unethical practices can harm more than just your reputation—it can land you in serious legal trouble.
  • Forget to proofread. Sending out an entire email campaign full of grammatical and spelling errors will destroy your credibility. If you aren’t confident in your content marketing or writing skills, hire a professional to help.
  • Overlook the benefits of automation. Trying to segment and send out emails by yourself is a huge headache. As is trying to create personalized campaigns based on consumer behaviour. Work with an automated email marketing system that can be programmed to respond to the interest and engagement levels of readers.

Creating an Effective Email Campaign

An effective email campaign uses segmentation to define and target the right consumers. This method has been proven in the field of marketing and can increase your response quickly. Last, but definitely not the least, use analytics. The more data you have, the more customized your email marketing tactics can become. This can make or break a campaign.

If your emails are wasting away in someone’s spam folder, WSI Digital Path can help. Contact us today and put our email marketing prowess to good use. We can design an email campaign that’s both effective and memorable.