This past year has required consumers to become intimately familiar with digital shopping and services. Even though stringent lockdowns are mostly in the rear window, people have shown a marked change in how they shop, consume content, and connect with people. ScreenTime reports are way up, and people are glued to their inboxes. The upshot? Email marketing is more important than ever – and so is capturing those crucial email addresses.
Here’s what you need to know.
Get In My Inbox: Why Consumers and Companies Love Email Marketing
If you’re a “show me the money” type – and let’s face it, all good business owners are – you need to be on the email marketing bandwagon. With ROI on email marketing as high as 4400%, building your email lists is a no brainer.
Here are just some of the reasons the world loves email marketing:
- It’s permission-based. Those people on your list asked to be there. You’re not just some rando shilling a product to people on the street.
- It’s personal. Digital campaigns make it easy to segment your audiences, personalized greetings, and even tailor content based on past actions and purchases.
- It’s timely. Email marketing has a much shorter production cycle than print, letting you send out timely offers or news items with minimal lead times.
- It’s trackable. Unlike print campaigns, you can easily see how your campaigns are performing based on opens, click-throughs, and unsubscribes.
- People prefer email. Emails are easy to read, organize and act on. No wonder 72% of people prefer to get their promo materials via email.
- It’s affordable. Templated designs and all-in-one campaign delivery software mean you can easily and cost-effectively brand and send your content – for way less than a print campaign.
- It’s versatile. Email marketing is powerful on its own, but even more so when integrated with other tactics. It’s a powerful way to loop people in on everything else you have going on.
Given the above, it’s no wonder we subscribe to the “always be subscribing” mantra of email marketing. Every new subscriber means a bump for your bottom line.
Let’s Exchange Emails: Boosting Your Email List Sign-ups
Increasing your email marketing list should be a major part of your digital strategy. The more subscribers, the better your ability to connect with your audience – and sell to them. Here’s how to get people opting into your all-important emails.
- Give them a reason. 60% of subscribers sign up in exchange for an offer or freebie. Give your audience a high-value reason to sign up, like an ebook or discount code.
- Make it easy. The more info users have to give you, the more likely they’ll abandon a task. Display your sign-up CTA in a prominent spot, and make signing up a breeze.
- Tell them what they’ll get. Be clear about exactly what subscribers can expect. What kind of content will they get, and how often? What’s in it for them?
- Send a welcome email. Don’t leave subscribers hanging. Sign-ups should trigger a welcome email – one that shows your brand’s personality and what you have to offer.
- Make your newsletters available online. Many email campaign platforms provide a web-based link for newsletters. This means users can check out a sample newsletter before signing up – a winning tactic for content-heavy newsletters.
- Offer multiple plans. Monitor engagement and segment low-interest users into a “light” newsletter category. Receiving fewer emails might be the difference between them clicking “open” or unsubscribe.
- Encourage sign-ups on every channel. Your website isn’t the only place to engage sign-ups. Make sure your social channels, blog posts, and guest posts are also encouraging people to opt-in.
- Run a contest. Try running a giveaway or contest that has a newsletter sign-up as a requirement for entry. Just make sure your entrants are people actually interested in what you have to offer – not just the prize.
- Use social proof. Have an impressive number of subscribers? Note the number in your sign-up box. If a million others are reading, someone is more likely to subscribe.
- Use a (delayed) lead box. Users balk when a pop-up “sign up!” box immediately appears on a website, but if the box appears after a certain amount of scrolling or time on the site, you’re golden.
- A/B test your forms. Tweaking the design or language on your sign-up screen can make a huge difference to conversions. Always A/B test to see what works best.
Ready To Hit Send On Your First Campaign?
In today’s post-lockdown world, email marketing can be the difference between breaking even and breaking out. Dialing in your email marketing strategy is a must if you want to build your business – and your bottom line. If you’re ready to get in on the email marketing action but aren’t sure where to start, get in touch with the team at StellaPop. We can help you craft a killer marketing strategy – and a lead capture campaign that will see your subscriber numbers skyrocket.
See Also:
Why Your Marketing Email List is So Important
How to Improve Your Email Deliverability and Reputation
Which Automated Email Campaigns Should Your Business Be Using?