Of all the digital marketing platforms and channels out there, email remains one of the most effective methods in existence. In fact, with an average ROI of better than 4,400%, it’s the best bang for your buck. With that in mind, it’s still vitally important to do it the right way. A solid email marketing campaign can have enormous returns, but only if you succeed at connecting. Here are 6 strategic tips you can follow to make your email marketing campaigns a success in 2021.

 

1. Get Professional Help

 

 

Email is proven to be a cheap method of getting your message out. But blasting mass emails to billions of your ‘closest friends’ at random isn’t going to cut it. Effective email marketing is complex. And, while I won’t say you CAN’T do it on your own, there are businesses out there that are really good at it. Even a small investment is an investment, and it’s better to put that money somewhere where it will get the best possible return. Professional help doesn’t have to be expensive. It can even be offshored at a fraction of the cost of local advertisers. Click here to contact us and find out how we can help your business with email marketing.

 

2. Focus on People

 

 

Customers are people. That’s the main take-away of this tip. And, if you’ll just step back and look at the world around you, you’ll see that just about everybody is having a hard time right now. People are socially isolated, and they need to connect and feel valued. The good news is that your business is also made up of people. And so, with the application of a little genuine empathy, connecting with your audience shouldn’t be too hard. But be careful, your audience is bright enough to know when you’re faking. Remember that marketing is all about building relationships. A one-time sale isn’t going to sustain your business. So, connect and build a relationship first, and sell later – or you probably won’t sell at all.

On a related note, connecting to people is about being real. While previous years have trended toward big, flashy graphics and grandiose content, the opposite will be more effective in 2021. Keep it simple and relatable. Let your audience see that your business is a group of people, not a faceless machine.

 

3. Don’t Blow Up Their Inbox

 

 

One immediate impact of the pandemic was a change in the nature of business in general. Almost everybody was forced into an online business model, with heavy reliance on digital communication like email. This resulted in a massive increase in the amount of marketing emails that were received by your customers. On top of this were many unscrupulous businesspeople who tried to take advantage of the crisis to sell bogus products and services online. As a result, customers are more cautious about which emails they open, and can easily be annoyed by too many messages.

What does this mean for your business? It means that every single marketing email that goes out MUST have real value for the customer. If they get even a whiff of useless fluff, they’ll banish you to the spam folder. So, get your content right before sending it out. This helps to ensure that the information is accurate, and it reduces the need for follow-up messages for updates or corrections. In this case, the old adage that ‘less is more’ is actually true.

 

4. Use AI Technology to Improve Engagement

 

 

The best way to get your emails opened is for the message to arrive when the receiver is using their phone. It’s about the best timing. If they receive your email during a business meeting, forget about it! The big challenge here is that people are unique individuals with differing schedules and lifestyles. So, deciding when to send marketing emails can be challenging.

Choosing when to send emails is referred to as ‘Send Time Optimization,’ and there are AI applications designed specifically for this task. There are several good email management software programs out there with this capability, amongst which is MailChimp. MailChimp is a great, old standby. But, unless you have time to focus on managing your email campaigns closely, I will refer you again to tip #1 – seek professional help. There are people who really know how to finesse systems like these – and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

 

5. Make Emails Interactive

 

 

As I mentioned in tip #2, your audience is currently being inundated by a tsunami of incoming mail, most of which is commercial in nature. That’s a lot of noise to cut through. Getting noticed in that sea of messages can be a challenge. But in 2021, it’s a matter of quality over quantity.

If you remember that your audience is isolated and bored, then a whole new opportunity opens up. Reach out with entertaining, engaging, interactive content, and you’ll stand a much higher chance of getting your messages read.

There are many things you can do to make your emails interactive. You can add GIFs, Surveys & Polls, and even clickable images. Imagine a picture that, when clicked, opens a video pop-up with a fun and interesting message about your products and services. In the end, your goal is to get their attention. And old-fashioned text-only content is boring.

 

6. Use BIMI to Protect Your Brand and Your Customers

 

 

Phishing is a significant security threat that can affect anybody doing business through email. If you have a legitimate business and a recognized brand name, there’s a good chance that somebody will try to use your brand name to lure your customers into identity theft traps. BIMI allows your email messages to arrive with your logo displayed beside it in the inbox. It’s an authentication tool that provides an extra layer of security, and can help your customers to trust your messages enough to open them. Click here to learn how to set up a BIMI record. It’s relatively easy, and nothing but beneficial.

In conclusion, email marketing in 2021 should remain a central pillar of your overall marketing plan. It’s affordable and effective, and has the potential to grow your business in powerful ways. But it’s vital that you do it right to avoid alienating your audience. Connect to them on a personal level, and they’ll be happy to do business with you!

 

 

Best Regards,
Chau Lim
Email: chau@virtualdonewell.com
Phone: +61 413 981 888