Email Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
If your business sells a product or service, you’ve likely considered email marketing. But so many people fear email is a dying medium, and businesses have taken solely to platforms like Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to market themselves. While these options can be a wonderful way to get your name out into the world, there is one large factor missing on social sites: control.
All social media platforms are governed by algorithms that dictate how and when content appears to users as well as how long some content lasts. As a profile on a social media site, we have very little control over the algorithms that affect the way our content reaches people. With email marketing, we have true ownership over the emails on our subscriber list, and we have complete control over our messages (1).
The truth is, if you’re not using email marketing, you’re leaving money on the table. Keep reading for our best tips for beginners that will help the process feel a little easier while keeping you from making some of the most common email mistakes when starting out.
Make the A-List
While it’s true that people are bombarded with emails, setting yourself apart from the crowd will ensure your messages are being noticed. Gary Halbert, a well known copywriter and marketing leader, often talked about a concept he called A/B Piles. People mentally sort their emails into two categories: A Pile and B Pile. The A Pile are the emails that individuals look forward to reading because they are valuable, enjoyable and bring up good feelings. The B Pile, put simply, is everything else. Take some time to think about what type of content will make the difference in which category you’ll be sorted into when subscribers open their email list.
Add Genuine Value
No one wants to be told they should buy something—they want to come to that conclusion on their own. Instead of saying “try our product,” reposition your message to explain why a customer should buy your product and why your product will improve or add value to their life. People only want to make a purchase they’ll feel good about, so your job is to identify their problem, and then explain why your product or service solves it. This value is what will lead people to your email. Each time they read a message, they’ll feel as if a pressing need was addressed and solved.
Keep It Simple
Soliloquies may stun in the theater, but they’re rarely effective in email marketing. Remember, your subscribers are getting tons of messages in their inbox every day, so you want to keep your emails short, sweet and to the point. If someone can open your email and scan it for useful information quickly, they’ll be more inclined to check it out. If your emails are chock-full of information and require a large amount of time or effort to glean tactful information, you’re probably missing your mark. Break up or avoid large paragraphs, or try using bold font to make text blocks skimmable.
Subject Lines Matter
Don’t be gimmicky in your subject line! You’ve seen it time and time again:
Today Only! | Last Chance! | Don’t Miss This! | 50% Off! | Hurry Before It’s Gone!
While these tactics may work for big box stores sending out emails every single day, it’s not a great strategy for small businesses. Subscribers want something more when they work with a small business or individual. They’re looking for a personal relationship, and they will be turned off by content that doesn’t feel conversational or genuine. Try swapping gimmicky phrases with sentences that get a similar message across while notifying subscribers of the contents of your email. For example, instead of a vague, gimmicky, “Today Only!” try something more genuine and thoughtful: “A special deal for you, but it’s only available today!”
Call To Action
Arguably one of the most important aspects of a successful email marketing message is a clear and simple call to action. A call to action can be anything from a quick phrase like, “read more here” with a link, or a simple button that says “shop now” or “contact us.” Make it as easy as possible for your customers to take the next step! Plus, you will be able to review how many people clicked these links after opening your email, which will help you assess your success and adjust if necessary for future messages.
(1) aside from being pulled into spam or promotions, however there are many ways to control for this.