We can all admit that email is not the coolest kid on the block. It’s not hip like Pinterest or Instagram. People aren’t going to have viral email newsletters and it won’t ever be a cleaver hashtag (unless it’s #emailstillworks). These days it seems more and more marketing agencies are pushing companies to use social media, however it’s important to recognize that email marketing still reigns supreme when it comes to direct targeting your audience. Email might always be considered antiquated or bothersome, but don’t let the shiny new penny detract you from the fact email still works.
According to a study done by McKinsey & Company, email marketing is 40 times MORE effective than social marketing. Take that in for a minute. 40 times more effective? That’s staggering!!
Social media is a great way to highlight things going on in your company, but it’s not until that customer is receiving your emails will the conversion on the sale side actually occur. To paraphrase an article I read once, social media gets you leads…emails get you sales.
So how do you create these amazing revenue generating newsletters?
- Personalize them. Everyone likes to think a company is speaking directly to them. Unlike social media, email campaigns can be customized to fit specific audiences.
- Share tips or ways to use your product. Think about it, what better way to market your products than to show how they work in the real world. Can your product be used in a non-traditional way? Show that!
- Reward them for reading. Offer a promotional code or something to entice your readers to purchase. As a consumer, even I am often enticed to buy something just to get free shipping or a bigger discount. People like to feel as if they are included in the fold if they can get an exclusive deal.
Remember to always think about how you as the consumer want to be treated. Don’t overuse email marketing, don’t overly pitch to your customers and above all else, give them something to actually take away from your emails.
So, go forth and take back email marketing from the naysayers…and if you get #emailstillworks trending, I’ll be the happiest girl in the world!
