A marketing study by HubSpot(1) found that for every $1 spent on email, you can expect an ROI of $36. Impressive, right?
Despite the rise of social media, videos, instant messaging, webinars, and other forms of digital communication, email marketing still holds immense potential. The appeal of email lies in its simplicity and convenience. Unlike other marketing channels, email doesn’t intrude on your customers. Instead, they can choose when and how to engage with your emails, whether they’re marketing communications or cold emails.
In fact, 94% of email marketers(2) believe in the effectiveness of email marketing for generating leads.
However, to get the most out of your email marketing strategies, you must know the best practices to elevate your emails from nay to yay.
11 email marketing best practices
1. Invest in an email marketing platform
Email marketing is highly competitive, with thousands of other brands like yours vying for customers’ attention. This means that a significant part of achieving great email marketing success involves reaching your customers faster – at least before your competitors do. No matter how good your marketing is, you risk losing business deals if a customer finds something else before stumbling upon your brand.
An email marketing tool can help improve the overall process of sending emails. For example, if you are cold emailing prospects, you should research and invest in solid email software. A cold email tool will assist you in managing the end-to-end process of sending emails, personalising them, generating lead lists, tracking the success of your email campaigns, and more.
Additionally, an cold email software marketing tool is essential to scale your outreach. A good email marketing tool will grow with your business.
2. Avoid paid lead lists
When you’re starting with email marketing, especially cold emailing, you might be tempted to opt for what’s known as a lead list.
It’s a paid list comprising leads related to your industry or relevant criteria.
However, it’s not a good practice.
The entire success of a cold email hinges on how well you understand your prospects’ pain points and challenges. A paid list doesn’t offer the same level of personalization opportunities as a lead you’ve found through verifiable, trusted sources or a previous interaction.
Another issue with paid lead lists is outdated information, which only increases the chances of bounce-back emails.
So, opt for genuine lead generation tactics or tools and always verify your leads.
3. Time your emails
Timing plays an integral role in the success of your email marketing efforts.
The timing of when you send your emails will largely determine whether they are even opened or not.
If you’re using an email marketing or cold email tool, use the platform’s scheduled send feature. This feature enables you to send or schedule emails based on the time zone of your target audience.
Reliable cold email software will include the scheduled send feature, allowing users to send emails at the appropriate time for their target audience’s time zone.
An email received at 3:00 a.m. is less likely to be read. Several studies have shown that Thursday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are the best days to send emails. 10:00 a.m. is the optimal time.
4. Set-up opt-ins
As mentioned earlier in the article, emails give recipients more autonomy regarding how and when they want to receive them.
Opt-ins indicate that the prospect is interested in receiving email communication from your brand.
You can embed this opt-in on your website or blog section or during the purchase/sign-up process. Additionally, including an opt-out option in your emails is essential, allowing prospects to unsubscribe if they’re not interested.
Adhering to these email hygiene practices will also help ensure compliance with various regulations, such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or EU data protection laws.
5. Keep the CTA or the main message above the fold
If your emails are longer, exceeding 650 pixels in width, it is advisable to keep the main message or primary call-to-action (CTA) above the fold. Above the fold is the section of your email that immediately appears to your recipients. To check the section below this fold, the recipient must scroll down the screen.
When your CTA is at the end, or your main message does not appear above the fold, the recipient might be discouraged from reading the email further. This is also important if you want to optimize your emails for mobile viewing.
Keeping the main message above the fold ensures that individuals reading your emails on mobile can quickly grasp the message.
Conducting an A/B test allows you to experiment with variations of your email messages to determine what resonates best with your audience.
6. Personalize the emails
Email personalization is crucial in email marketing, particularly in today’s fast-paced environment.
Consumers’ attention spans are increasingly fleeting. Engaging in conversations rather than just selling to them is an effective way to capture their attention.
When executed effectively, email personalization enables you to send more conversational emails to your prospects or customers, enhancing your conversion or retention chances. This personalization approach is particularly crucial when sending a cold email, as it helps to establish a connection and overcome the initial barrier of unfamiliarity with the recipient.
Numerous email marketing tools, including cold email software, can help you personalize your emails. You can also leverage AI-based personalization to streamline the process further.
7. Offer some value
Avoid making your emails solely focused on selling or promoting your products/services.
Today, many brands are redefining email marketing by delivering added value through their emails.
Value shouldn’t always be confined to discounts or offers. You can also share essential information with your customers to benefit their businesses or help them utilize your product more effectively.
Consider sending them reports, whitepapers, downloadable tools, templates, or courses.
8. A/B test your emails
Always A/B test your emails, especially cold emails, or when setting up a new campaign.
You can A/B test various elements in your emails, including:
- Subject lines
- Call-to-actions (CTAs)
- Message body
- Visual graphics
- Signatures
And more.
A/B testing enables you to enhance your email marketing success rate and increase conversions via email.
You can easily find this option within the platform if you’re sending your emails through a tool or cold email software.
9. Write compelling subject-lines
The fate of your email hinges mainly on the subject line.
For every email marketing campaign, prioritize crafting compelling subject lines. Dedicate time to researching and developing solid, highly engaging subject lines.
However, avoid resorting to click-bait subject lines. Employing such tactics can damage your brand’s image.
10. Automate your email campaigns
Automation has become indispensable today, and you can apply it to your email campaigns as well.
You’ll need reliable email marketing software or a cold email tool to do so.
With these tools, you can automate your entire email sequence, including follow-ups, streamline your marketing efforts, and save time.
11. Include a professional email signature
Many people tend to overlook the importance of email signatures.
A professional email signature adds credibility to your emails and distinguishes them from spammy or fake ones.
It also serves as a space to include additional information related to your brand, such as important links and CTAs, without cluttering the main message body.
When cold emailing, email signatures are non-negotiable.
Some Additional Tips
#Leverage AI for email success
Artificial intelligence (AI) powered email marketing tools can help you with various aspects of your email marketing campaigns.
You can use these tools to craft unique and compelling content, create subject lines, and personalize emails using AI.
AI can help you enhance engagements, increase conversions, and streamline your email marketing strategy for maximum effectiveness.
#Keep your emails consistent
Consistency is vital in email marketing. Maintain a uniform tone, branding, and messaging across all your email communications. This fosters brand recognition, builds trust with your audience, and reinforces your brand identity.
Whether it’s the language used, the design elements, or the frequency of emails, consistency ensures a cohesive and memorable experience for your subscribers.
#Optimize for mobile
With most emails being opened on mobile devices, optimizing your emails for mobile responsiveness is essential. Ensure that your emails render seamlessly on various screen sizes and devices.
Use mobile-friendly layouts, concise content, and clear CTAs for a smooth user experience. By prioritizing mobile optimization, you can effectively engage with your audience, increase open rates, and drive conversions.
#Track vital email metrics
Monitoring key email metrics is essential for evaluating the success of your campaigns and making data-driven decisions. Track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates to gauge your emails’ performance.
Analyze these metrics regularly to identify trends, uncover areas for improvement, and optimize your email marketing strategy.
By understanding your email performance metrics, you can refine your approach, enhance engagement, and achieve your marketing objectives more effectively.
Winding-up
Email marketing can be a valuable strategy for your business, drawing in more customers and locking in revenues. You must master the above-mentioned best practices and see the results yourself.
Remember, email marketing is not just about sending messages; it’s about forging meaningful connections with your audience. So, go ahead confidently, implement these best practices, and watch your email campaigns flourish.