Email marketing techniques

We have seen a number of email marketing mistakes over the years. (We even made a few ourselves in the very early days of being in business). Thankfully, we’re in a position where we know what mistakes to avoid, and how to avoid making them. That also means we can help you avoid them too!

The wrong approach to email marketing

“I don’t want to email my list every week, as it will be email overload”

Don’t save your emails until you have something extra-special to share. The mistake people make is not having regular contact with their email list for months on end. When you send messages to your email list, make sure the messages are valuable and use them to build trust and nurture their relationship with you. If you don’t do this, how can you expect them to remember you?

As with all marketing communications in today’s world – Consistency is the key when it comes to your email marketing efforts.

What email styles work for you?

Newsflash… We’re all different. That also means we all absorb information in different ways and have our own preferred methods of communication. Are there any emails that you have subscribed to that you can’t wait to open?

Why is that?

Is it because you know and appreciate the value they contain in regard to tips and tricks? Is it because they’re visual? Are there emails you automatically hit delete on without even reading because you know they are going to be too text heavy and you’ll never get around to reading them?

With the above in mind, here are my top five email marketing tips:

Tip #1 – Use a Subject Line That Packs A Punch

Sometimes your creative juices run dry, and you just get stuck on an email title.  Our secret sauce for creating punchy email subject lines is an app called Headlinr!  It’s a fabulous Google Chrome Extension that assists you with some catchy titles (that you can edit and develop, making them your own).

Tip #2 – Be Brave

The emails with the highest open rates for us have always been the ones where we stick our heads above the parapet and voice our opinions. Say what you’re thinking – don’t shy away and simply follow the crowd. What makes your blood boil about your industry? That’s a subject you’ll be able to write about with passion!

Tip #3 – Get it out of your system – Write now, Edit later

Whatever you do, DO NOT stop writing mid-flow to make edits! Get the content out of your system and onto paper (ok – computer!). Edit it after you’re done – or even better get someone else to edit it!  I guarantee that your content flows so much better if you work in this way.

Tip #4 – Use Customer-Focused Language

Use the word “you” as much as you can. Why? Because it will make your writing far more personal for the reader. If you include anecdotes in your writing, and you make your reader feel as if you are talking to them personally – you’ll be on to a winner!

An extra point on this – it’s important you develop your own distinct tone of voice when writing emails or blogs. You’ll find that your writing becomes more authentic.  Definitely make an effort to create a natural tone – don’t use “email marketing speak”!

Tip #5 – Spice up Your Out Of Office Reply

I always try to add something a little quirky when I put my out of office message together – I really think it’s an opportunity to shine! Ask your audience to guess where you are that day from a few clues or Google fun facts about the place that you are visiting. It’s just another way to engage your audience, allow them to get to know you better and is also just a little bit more creative than a standard out of office reply.

If we had £1 every time we were told that email and print were dying – we’d be millionaires!  

Print is certainly not dead (in fact, there has been (and continues to be) a huge increase in traditional media over recent years). Many of us are email addicts and, in honesty, I doubt that is a trend that will change any time soon.  If you are interested in making the most of your emails and content marketing then here are the three email sources that we recommend you follow:-

1. Hubspot– The masters of inbound marketing.  Subscribe to their blog, or follow them on social media.  click here
2. Content Marketing Institute– The thought leader in content marketing – click here. 
3. Smart Passive Income, Pat Flynn– is very passionate about email marketing.  Learn loads here. 

Whether you are sending an email to the masses or just to one person, you are communicating your brand. My advice is to be unique in everything you do, even if this means putting your head above the parapet by being a little quirky or different.

Do you have any email marketing tips or advice?