Even in a world as social media driven as ours is today, people still rely heavily on e-mail, perhaps even more so than social media. According to the Radicati Group in a February 2017 study, the estimated number of global e-mail users topped 3.7 billion, with the number of e-mails sent per day an estimated 269 billion. Conversely in a Kissmetrics blog, it was found that 55 million Facebook status updates are made per day, globally. That’s a pretty staggering discrepancy—and despite what people may say about email or email marketing dying out, it obviously is (or has to be) alive and thriving. We have an entire ebook explaining why.
Sending e-mails that provide valuable content AND drive revenue simultaneously is no easy feat. Because of the endless sea of information people swim in on a daily basis, most are on the “up and up,” with a heightened awareness of spammy e-mails. To remain competitive, businesses using email marketing may bundle products together, offer free or discounted services (regularly) or a combination of both. While it’s great to support our customers with extra goodies, we also have bills to pay and revenue to drive.
So how can you strike a balance?
The key is to provide relevant and targeted content as much as possible. Inundating your list with countless sales offers and giveaways reads desperate—it’s important to build trust. The phrase “integrated marketing” is one that crops up a lot these days. By integrating, i.e., “folding in” your offer, products, and services into your content, customers are reminded of why they signed up for your newsletter or became interested in your company in the first place.
There are so many methods to seeing more ROI in your e-mails; here are four tips to get you started:
1. List Segmentation
List segmentation is sometimes tricky when you don’t have customers’ demographic information but it isn’t impossible. Try gauging the demographics based on analyzing e-mail open rates, or try using Geolocation, a tool available with most e-mail platforms. Geolocation can determine location based off IP address. Another fun, perhaps more engaging way to determine location information? Try doing a survey and provide a free give away for those who participate. Who knows, maybe the survey itself will drive a sale or two.
2. Relevant Content
Be relevant, unique, and savvy enough to be added to your customers’ contact list and remain forever out of spam! Relevant content should remain fresh and informative. Remember why you got in business in the first place: to serve a higher purpose, right? How can you inspire, educate, AND drive revenue all at once? This may require activation of creative chops, but, it will be well worth it in the end.
3. Trigger E-mail Campaigns
Trigger e-mail campaigns are some of the best ways to catch the eye of a customer because they’re action-specific. Trigger e-mails range from shopping cart abandonment, to e-mails sent on a customer’s birthday, e-mail sign up anniversary, and more. It’s also a largely automated process and can save a business a LOT of time while also driving greater website traffic. Hosting an event or webinar? Set up several trigger e-mails to ensure attendance and excitement among registrants.
4. Social Media
Social media may come in second place to e-mails in terms of use but there’s no denying its popularity. Throngs of people across the world log into their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat accounts daily to post updates and peruse their feeds. Get in the habit of sharing your social media campaigns in your emails, which will pique the interest of potential new customers. They may just decide to mosey over to your website and book a service, buy a product, or subscribe to your newsletter.
Email marketing, like any other form of marketing is a skill that requires development. The good news is that the more engaging and relevant emails you send, the better you’ll become at finding the tips, tricks, and tools that impact your list AND fill your bank account.
More good news? Jeeng offers email integrations designed to monetize your e-mail campaigns with little to no effort on your part. And we can integrate with any ad server you may already be using. Learn more here or contact us today to get started.
