They say the more things change, the more they stay the same, and email is a prime example in the marketing world. It’s been around forever, yet it continues to outperform every other marketing medium despite social media, and now AI is trying its hardest to keep up.
That doesn’t mean hitting send and hoping for the best is going to cut it, though. Much of email marketing boils down to capturing readers’ attention and imagination. While they won’t make you a marketing maestro overnight, the do’s and don’ts outlined below will steer you in the right direction.
The Do’s
Let’s start strong with the best email marketing practices that will have your audience eagerly await each new message.
Craft an opt-in mailing list
If you only take one piece of advice from this guide, it should be to build your mailing list on a voluntary, opt-in basis. Sure, it’s harder than sending out cold emails to millions of people you got somewhere on the web and hoping something will stick. But it’s also how you attract people interested in your offerings to engage with your messages and eventually your business.
Getting the necessary consent isn’t rocket science. Free e-books, surveys, and special offers should be enough to entice people to share their deets. Transparency goes a long way, too. Be upfront about needing the email for newsletters and promotional purposes. Do so in a way that treats everyone who signs up as a valued individual, you can’t wait to build a relationship with.
Segment your mailing list
Five thousand people might be interested in keeping up with your organic shampoo brand, but that doesn’t mean they’ll all respond to your emails with equal enthusiasm. Segmentation splits your list into groups of people with something in common. Take your pick of the criteria. Demographics and location are staples, but you might get even more engagement if you segment the list based on buying habits or recipients’ current stop on their buyer’s journey instead.
Either way, segmented lists let you create high-impact variations of the same email that’ll have a much better engagement rate. Buyer personas may not completely overlap with real people, but even strategically using the recipient’s name in the subject line and body will do much to bridge the gap.
Send out punchy emails
Boring, aimless emails are little better than spam. You want to grab a reader’s attention and not let go until they’ve clicked that CTA button! A catchy subject line, relevant copy that doesn’t overstay its welcome, and just the right amount of tasteful images will make your emails a joy to read.
Secure your email marketing platform
Your EMP is your bread and butter. The last thing you want is for its account and the heaps of sensitive customer data it has access to fall into the wrong hands. That’s exactly what may eventually happen if your password is easy to guess or a carbon copy of the ones you use for accounts elsewhere.
Ensuring secure access to the EMP and all your other marketing tools is a must. Luckily, password managers replace the tedium of having to think up and remember unique passwords with streamlined credential creation and secure temporary sharing with team members. The passwords they come up with are unique and complex, they’re stored in an encrypted vault, and are impossible to guess in a million lifetimes.
Adding a VPN to your security toolkit provides another crucial layer of protection. By encrypting your internet connection, a split tunneling VPN shields your marketing activities from prying eyes — especially vital when accessing your EMP from coffee shops, airports, or client offices. This ensures that login credentials, customer data, and campaign strategies remain confidential even on unsecured networks.
Automate Your Workflow
Email marketing is powerful, but it works best as part of a complete strategy that includes social media. Manually managing multiple social accounts can be a huge time sink, which is where automation comes in. A platform like Socinator streamlines your social media activities, from scheduling posts to managing multiple accounts from a single dashboard.
By automating these routine tasks, you free up valuable time to focus on what truly matters: crafting those perfect emails and analyzing your campaign results. This synergy between email marketing and social media makes your overall strategy far more efficient and effective, allowing you to consistently nurture your audience and grow your brand’s reach across all channels.
The Don’ts
Email marketing is a skill and an art form, and while it takes time to master, at least you can get a leg up by avoiding the following common mistakes.
Hit send without testing first
You spent days working on an email that will kick off a new campaign. You’re proud of it, but you’ve also likely developed tunnel vision from thinking about the big picture for so long. Many tiny mistakes can sink what would otherwise be a marketing masterpiece. Think typos, broken links, and images that aren’t loading correctly. Or worse yet, a layout that is not optimized for mobile users, which is practically everyone at this point.
On the other hand, testing also means experimenting. Segmentation is a good start, but subtle changes can be equally impactful. A/B testing is an email marketing staple for a reason! Use it to fine-tune your subject lines, determine which CTAs lead to the best click-through rates, and more.
Overdo it
You know who likes receiving your third email in less than a week? No one, not even your diehard fans. You shouldn’t abandon your drip campaigns; just space those emails out so they don’t come off as pushy and end up in the spam folder.
Similarly, you should never send emails just because. Each one needs a goal, whether it’s to inform, entice, or reward loyalty.
Write a novel
Modern audiences don’t particularly care for long-winded paragraphs extolling the virtues of your wares. That sentence alone would be enough for many to hit the unsubscribe button. Write clearly and concisely, with only a short sentence or two per paragraph. Say what needs to be said enticingly, leave them wanting more, and have the CTA do the rest.
Key Takeaways
Here’s a summary of the tips this article covers to help you master email marketing more effectively.
- Build your email list through voluntary, opt-in signups for better engagement and compliance.
- Segment your audience to tailor content and boost open and click rates.
- Keep emails concise, relevant, and visually appealing for maximum impact.
- Safeguard your marketing platforms and take cybersecurity into account.
- Never send emails without thorough testing, and avoid overwhelming your subscribers with too many messages.
- Brevity is key — keep your writing clear and purposeful, and always include a strong call to action.
Conclusion
Email marketing remains a powerful tool, but only when used thoughtfully. Follow the best practices and steer clear of common mistakes, and you’ll keep your audience interested and your campaigns effective, even as the digital landscape continues to evolve.
Remember, with the right approach, every email you send is an opportunity to spark a connection and inspire action.
FAQs
What is A/B testing, and how can I use it effectively?
A/B testing is sending two variations of an email to small segments of your list to see which performs better. You can test different subject lines, CTA button colors, or image placement to optimize your campaigns for better results.
Should I use a dedicated email service provider (ESP)?
Yes, using an ESP is essential. These platforms provide professional tools for managing large subscriber lists, automating campaigns, and tracking performance, which is impossible with a standard email client.
What role does a strong call-to-action (CTA) play?
The CTA is what prompts your reader to act, whether it’s to “Shop Now” or “Read More.” It should be visually distinct, use compelling action words, and be the single, clear purpose of your email.
How can I grow my email list beyond just sign-up forms?
Consider using lead magnets like free e-books, exclusive webinars, or special discount codes in exchange for an email address. Promoting these on your website and social media is key.
