15 + 1 tips for e-mail marketing

07. 11. 2016 Autor

E-mail recipients open on average less than one third of e-mails and only 5,4 % of them clicks on something in it. On the Emailing 2020 conference all the e-mailing specialists spent the day by trying to figure out or find a way how to improve these statistics. And what were the outputs?

1. Great first impression

The first e-mail is crucial for developing an e-mail relationship with your customer. Use this first e-mail to welcome them and build a relationship, do not start with just senseless sending of new great shopping opportunities. According to the Acomware survey, the open rate of welcome emails is around 60-70 %.

2. Personalize

Your customers probably give you some information about themselves while submitting for your e-mailing, use them. Do not send them a unified e-mail. At least divide the male and female, so that you do not send annoying and irrelevant offers.

3. 150 ideas for A/B testing

Do you feel like you have already tested everything in e-mailing? Try these 150 A/B tips by Jordie van Rijn from Amazon.

4. E-mailing pyramid

The absolute must of e-mailing are thematic campaigns. If you want to work with your customer database on a more proficient level, you divide them into separate segments (segmented campaigns), or even better, you send completely individualised e-mails (profile and preferences). Probably the most sophisticated and effective technique is nowadays automatic trigger e-mailing, based on the onsite behaviour.

5. Go for the triggers

Do you need a proof? Acomware compared classic campaigns with trigger campaigns and came with quite astonishing results. In spite the fact that from all the e-mails sent only 6 % were part of a trigger campaign, these e-mails were responsible for 45,5 % of the sales.

6. The third one decides

Usually the third e-mail decides whether the customer will stay on your mail list or whether he or she will unsubscribe. The second one and the fourth one are very important as well.

7. E-mailing pays off

Investment in e-mail marketing is much safer bet than any other. The probability that your investment will return is much higher than in other online marketing fields, such as social media or affiliate programs.

8. Focus on the database

Think about your database like it was your market. E-mail is the cheapest and most effective marketing tool available. Moreover, the results from e-mail marketing can be used in other communication channels as well. That is why even Kath Pay z Holistic Email Marketing is surprised that e-mail marketing is used by only 63 % of companies.

9. Fill the subject with emotions

Test various motivational factors in the subject line. Offer some added value, a special offer, use your customers’ curiosity or even their fear. For example, the subject line “Do your landing pages pass this test?” caused a 125 % increase in open rate of a particular e-mail.

10. Not all metrics are equal

Use the right metrics and understand them! Higher CTR doesn’t necessarily mean more conversions. And it sure does not mean higher conversion rate. Actually, in most cases it goes the opposite direction. Do not try to maximise your CTR, just optimise it.

11. Smartphones rule

When setting up a campaign, do not forget to check how the mobile version looks. It is estimated that more than one half of all e-mails is opened on smartphones.

12. Engage them

Dear customer, we are sending you our newsletter… blah blah blah who cares. Make your email campaigns more dynamic and unique. Start with the subject of the e-mail and the sender, continue with a proper salutation, play with colours, product choices, offer some loyalty bonuses, show reviews from reliable sources and don’t forget to leave your contact details including your physical branches, if you have any.

13. Let your online shopping carts cry

It happens quite often that your customers put some products in the shopping cart, but then just leave without finishing a purchase. Send them, via e-mail, their lonely shopping cart, show them how sad it is and what they left inside.

14. Build/Maintain the product/brand awareness

Once a customer made a purchase in your shop (meaning you already got some of his or her trust), you have a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship and turn the shopper into your loyal customer. Tell him he made a good choice with the product he/she bought and offer him/her some related ones.

15. Don’t you dare to ever forget about your customers

Every person is happy when there is someone interested in them. Show your interest! Send them a name day card or even a birthday card if these data are available. These e-mails re not very common and surely will make a positive impression.

And now that “plus one”

Do you know what should be the main driving force behind your every campaign? Radek Hrachovec would advise you to always think about your customer in the first place. To share with him your passion for your products and not just your passion for the profit. Customers don’t usually care very much about you or your shop, but they care about their needs and you should always keep that in mind.

Do you want to know more about the Emailing 2020 conference? Check Twitter (#emailing2020).

If you want an example of successful e-mail marketing, check out our clients website 321linsen.de (in Switzerland Lentiamo).