Using Email Marketing To Nurture Your Leads

Many people think that email marketing is something in the past. People say that what worked previously won't work now. Another thing we hear frequently is, it's illegal to use email marketing. The truth is, email marketing is not only still going strong, but it's also a very effective way to nurture your leads.

Email marketing has a bad name because bad marketers are sending out spam. We've all seen the spam mail clogging up our inboxes. Well, that was the email of the past. Today's email marketing sends emails to lists that are looking for information and solutions. Here at The Click Depot, we have the expertise and the experience to manage email campaigns that are well within the bounds and very effective.

DONE CORRECTLY

While it's true that email has a bad name because of its history, done correctly, email marketing is one of the most powerful digital marketing products available to advertisers today. Management of email programs needs a plan developed with expertise. When they are, these programs deliver email that reaches customers where no other digital product could hope to get. There are indeed many limitations on using email for marketing, but in the hands of experienced experts, email marketing programs are an incredibly strong tool.

As a marketing channel, email represents one of the most powerful and effective choices available for communicating with your customers. Email is one of the most cost-effective choices to connect with your market to remind them of upcoming events, inform them of special offers, and in general, stay connected. 

The very fact that email has had its problems in the past makes it an excellent choice for digital marketers today. Most digital advertisers will shy away from email because they have not investigated the "how-to" current email campaigns.  Run correctly; an email campaign can outperform any other digital marketing product.

STRONG ADVANTAGES

An email marketing campaign has the advantage of putting useful information right in front of your market.  Almost 90% have Americans don't miss a day without checking their email. It only makes sense that you should use this vehicle to deliver timely and important information to your customers.

Through the use of email, you can notify your customers when you will have events that are special to your company and the customer. You can invite them to come and visit your facility so that they can talk to you face-to-face.

In today's digital economy, more and more companies exist without a physical location. If your company falls in this category, you can invite your market to visit your website using email. It's a simple matter to put a hyperlink on your email that will open a browser with your web page on it. This tactic is a very effective use of email because it drives traffic to your website without your customer having to research you.

Another excellent feature of an email marketing program is that you get to show every one of your subscribers what they mean to you because of personalization. When you personalize email, the engagement rate rises significantly. You can customize email based on what your customers searched for when they were on your website. If they have forgotten items in their cart, you can send them an email reminding them that they have items left in their shopping cart.  And if they've made prior purchases with your company, you can send them an email asking how they are doing with the item. You can even ask for reviews and other types of feedback.

One feature that every advertiser likes about email is its excellent ROI or return on investment.  ROI for email is some of the highest in digital marketing. 

EMAIL GOALS

The ultimate goal of any marketing or advertising campaign is to increase the business for the advertiser. When we apply this to digital marketing, the goal is usually to increase website traffic. The click-through rate (CTR) for a professionally managed email campaign is astounding. For example, compared to Twitter, email boasts six times the click-through rate. 

TYPES OF EMAIL

We break email campaigns into several different categories - kinds or types of email. The first type of email happens to be the most effective as well. That is the "welcome email,” and it sent out as soon as someone makes a purchase or completes a web form. These are the first communication that your new customer will get from you, and through them, you have a powerful opportunity to make a great first impression. 

A very effective tactic is for that first email to go out with a free offer for an additional product that matches the one the customer purchased. Or if they just signed up on a web form, emailing them some valuable information or a link to a download has proved very effective. The welcome email is five times more likely to be opened than a regular email. This approach is a great way to get your new member to convert by sweetening the deal. 

EDUCATION/INFORMATION

Educational emails are exceptional vehicles to build "Customer Loyalty" at a very low cost. Sending an email to your customer list with informative how-to information about your products or services and how these products can improve their lives send a very powerful message to your new customer. These types of emails add value to the relationship between your new customer and your company. If this new customer regularly receives emails from you with useful information, it will be more likely to remain your customer far into the future. 

PROMOTIONS/OFFERS/CLOSEOUTS

If your customer is interested in your products at a lower cost, email is an excellent way of informing them of this opportunity. When you have a product that you are overstocked on, or are closing out, your customers might be very interested and getting these products at a lower price. A good tactic to use email for when you get a new customer is to create an offer for them to belong to a select group or club where they will be the only people to see these specially discounted offers. 

EMAIL FOR RE-ENGAGEMENT

People are busier than ever due to the pace of today's world. Because of this, sometimes customers need to be reminded that you are there and what you have to offer them. These types of emails are called re-engagement emails, and they fill a special service when customers only have an occasional need for your products or services. These are especially effective when you send them out with an offer for a greatly reduced price on your product or service to retarget them and get them back into the fold. 

ABANDONED CARTS

Cart abandonment is a huge problem in the online retail market. More than three-quarters of online shopping carts are left abandoned. And one of the most effective methods of motivating the errant customer to return and finish their shopping excursion is by sending them an email. Often people abandon their cards through no fault of their own. They get interrupted, their computers freeze, or they had every intention of returning to their shopping - but they need a reminder.  This quality is one of the reasons we love email. You can send a friendly reminder to anyone who left a card while shopping.

EXPERT HELP

There are still many strong marketing uses for email today. While there are more obstacles and challenges, then there were ten years ago, this development makes it a better opportunity for today's marketer. There are a lot fewer people using this vehicle today, so "the space" is less crowded. Here at The Click Depot, we have been running effective email campaigns for many years. We know the ins and outs, as well as the pitfalls of email marketing. Talk to one of our consultants, and we can answer all your questions about how to run an effective email marketing campaign.