7 Tips For Starting an Email Marketing Program

Of all digital marketing methods Email is one of the cheapest, most efficient, and most targeted. To help you get started with your email campaigns we compiled a list of 7 helpful tips:

1. Avoid Spam Red Flags

Certain words and practices that will get your email sent directly to the spam folder—this is a good way to waste both time and money on an email send. Certain words like “free” in your subject line, attachments larger than 100 kilobytes, and form fields are surefire ways to get your email marked as spam. Be aware of spam best practices and try to avoid spam risk as best you can. Most popular ESPs will have a spam analysis tool to test your emails before you send.

2. Add a Personal Touch

Including person information (such as recipient name or recent purchases) in your subject line and email body is a great way to increase open rates and garner trust. If a repaints see that you’ve taken the time to address them by name, they may be less likely to dismiss your email as junk.

3. Use a Reputable Email Service Provider (ESP)

An ESP enables you to upload your email list then send personalized emails to each individual, or a subset of individuals, on your list. ESPs also allow you to set up automated emails based on specific user activates such as purchasing a product, remaining inactive for a set amount of time, or abandoning cart (more on that later). Choosing the right ESP for your needs is important as features, send limits, and pricing vary by product and plan.

4. Don’t Over Send

Modern consumers are sent several emails daily, and “email fatigue” is something that they are all familiar with. Make sure you are sending an appropriate amount of email to your customers—monitoring metrics like unsubscribe rates and open rates will give you a good idea if your customers are becoming tiered of your emails.

5. Prioritize Mobile

Mobile technology is more prevalent than ever, especially among younger audiences. Over 50% of internet users check their email on their phone. If you emails aren’t optimized for mobile users will have a hard time navigating and reading your emails on a mobile device. Keep your content concise, and be sure your email provider optimizes its design for mobile users.

6. Reward Loyal Customers

Reward those who read your emails with special offers, such as discounts, reminders, limited-time savings, contests and other incentives. For your most loyal customers who routinely open your emails, bump up those offers even more as a way to thank them for their business.

7. Set Up a Cart Abandonment Campaign

If a customer has added products to their cart, but not checked out, they may just need an extra nudge to make a purchase. A recent study found that it’s possible to recover more than one-quarter of abandoned carts with targeted abandoned-cart messages. Cart abandonment campaigns are often some of the highest converting, so it’s well worth your time to set one up.