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How to Create an Email Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses

woman at computer drafting email newsletter

Email marketing isn’t dead! In fact, 80% of businesses believe email marketing boosts customer retention. About 60% of people say emails influence their buying decisions.

For every $1 you spend, you can generate $32 in ROI, too!

Don’t rush to start creating your email marketing strategy yet. Instead, keep these tips in mind first. With these tips, you can create a campaign that’s bound to generate results.

You can boost leads, online sales, and start improving your ROI with ease.

Add email marketing to your digital marketing strategy with these 10 easy tips today.

1. Create a Website Lead Magnet

Before anything else, make sure to create a lead magnet on your website. The lead magnet will help you gather subscribers. Without subscribers, you’ll have no one to send your stunning emails to!

You can encourage more people to sign up for your emails by offering them something in return. For example, you can offer them an ebook.

Make sure the subscription form is short and easy to use. Otherwise, they might get frustrated and quit halfway through.

2. Segment Your Lists

Once you start building an email list, segment it! Segmenting your email list will make it easier for you to personalize your messaging. Personalization can help you connect with customers and appeal to their interests.

Otherwise, they might think your emails have nothing to do with their needs.

You can segment your list based on buying behaviors, interests, or demographics.

3. Know the Objective

As you develop your email marketing strategy, give each email you create a singular objective. Then, keep that objective in mind throughout every piece of the email.

Otherwise, you could confuse customers. They might not understand what action you want them to take.

4. Start Designing

Design your emails with your company’s brand elements. You’ll have an easier time boosting brand awareness and recognition.

Use white space to give your content room to breathe. Make sure the most important information is above the fold.

Isolate your call to action buttons to boost conversions, too.

5. Make Sure You’re Mobile-Ready

About 52% of people open emails from their phones. Before you start sending marketing emails, keep mobile optimization in mind. Otherwise, people will struggle to look at your content.

You can work with an experienced agency to optimize your emails and website.

Test your emails on mobile devices before you send them to your mailing list.

6. Write Stronger Subject Lines

Strong subject lines could make or break your entire email marketing strategy. If your subject lines aren’t compelling or intriguing, people won’t open your emails. Instead, your messages will end up straight in the trash.

Try to tease your content to spark intrigue. Keep your subject lines short and sweet. Use power words in your subject line.

If you’re offering a deal, add a deadline to encourage people to act immediately.

Perfecting your subject lines can take time. Use A/B testing to determine which tactics boost your open rates.

7. Create Click-Worthy Content

Take the time to review your content before you start sending marketing emails. For example, the body text should remain relevant to the subject line. Make sure you’re following up on the promise you’re making customers.

Try to make your content about the customer, rather than yourself.

Personalized emails perform three times better than blast emails. You could have an easier time connecting with your customers.

Focus on the value that you’re offering them. How can you answer one of their pains?

Once you write your first draft, run through it and cut out the fluff. Make sure your message is clear yet concise.

You can A/B test to determine the perfect length of emails for your target audience, too.

Avoid sounding spammy or selling too hard as well. Instead, use these tips to boost engagement with your emails.

8. Proofread (Twice!)

If your emails are riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, your readers will take notice. It could have a negative impact on your brand. Before sending marketing emails, proofread them twice.

Review the subject line and email body. You should also check to make sure the:

  • Objective is clear
  • Subject line sounds enticing
  • Images are eye-catching
  • Email lists are clean and segmented
  • Images have alt text
  • Text avoids unnecessary jargon
  • Preview text is ready
  • Preview works on different devices
  • CTA aligns with the email’s goal
  • Return email is set

Have someone else in your office read over every line before you press send.

Consider setting your email aside for a day before proofreading it a second time. That way, you can look at it with fresh eyes.

9. Consider the Timing

Once you start sending marketing emails, start reviewing your open rates and clickthrough rates. You might notice these metrics are higher on specific days.

On average, the best day for email open rates is a Thursday. The best day for high clickthrough rates is a Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the lowest number of unsubscribers occur on Sundays and Mondays. The lowest bounce rates occur on Mondays. The highest click-to-open rates occur on Saturdays.

However, these statistics can vary based on your target audience and industry.

Try to send your emails during the middle of the week. On Mondays, people already have a full inbox to attend to. They might send your email straight to the trash.

By the middle of the week, they might not have as many emails to worry about. Your emails could stand out.

Review your data to determine what works best for your target audience.

10. Analyze and Optimize

Your data can tell you a lot more than the best day to send an email. Once you develop your email marketing strategy, review every piece of information you can gather. Gathering information can help you make more informed decisions in the future.

You can also A/B test your email to learn more about which subject lines, headlines, images, or call to action buttons were more effective.

Then, start making adjustments to your campaigns. Optimizing your email marketing campaigns will set them up for success.

You can start improving your email marketing strategy to boost your ROI!

You’ve Got Mail: 10 Tips for an Effective, Results-Driven Email Marketing Strategy

With these tips, you can set your email marketing strategy up for success. Get ready to start reeling in customers. Start building your next campaign with this guide today.

Need help setting your campaigns up for success? That’s what we’re here for.

Contact our team today to get started.