Today, an email marketing strategy is essential to a strong marketing program. Everybody uses email. Even social networks and blogs rely on it. But you cannot just write an email and blast it out to everyone you have ever met. That is called spam or “spray-n-pray” and it can really make people angry. It is also illegal.
Email marketing is flexible, free and traceable. A good email marketing strategy can be the most beneficial marketing tactic available to you. It can be used to build your brand, to alert customers and prospects of new product or service offerings, to follow up after people buy from you or subscribe to your newsletter and to build a relationship with your customers and prospects. According to a 2009 study by Unilever, email marketing doubles buying intention during a new product launch.
Components of an Email Marketing Strategy
Your marketing strategy should answer all of the questions you and your customers or prospects would ask about why you are sending out emails.
– Goals. What do you expect to accomplish by sending out emails? Your email marketing strategy should be very clear about the reasons for every email you send.
– How Often. Email frequency to your customers and prospects is a vital element of your email marketing strategy. How often does your strategy indicate you should contact your various list segments?
– List Segment. Because the goal of the strategy is to make each email sent relevant to the receiver, you will need to be very specific about who will receive each email. In fact, you will probably want to send several versions of an email to different segments of your mailing list.
– Message. What do you want to say? A good strategy will indicate a clear purpose for each email. Will you send company updates? How often? Will you send information and links to new content? Will you announce special events? Will you offer information about new ways you can help your customers?
An email marketing strategy often is intended to sell products and services, provide information that moves readers toward a purchasing decision, and follow up after the sale is made. A good email marketing strategy will reflect the recent trends moving email from the mass marketing approach of the past to personalization of the message, the offer, and the interaction. Your email marketing strategy should also include analysis. You will want to measure the rate of response and refine messages for better response. You will also learn more about how your customers want to communicate with you.
Finally, your email marketing strategy must respect each person you email. Keep in mind that 70% of our decision to buy, according to John McKean (of the Center for Information Based Competition), is determined by “how we are treated as people.
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