Email marketing is one of the most powerful ways to take your business to the next level. Statistics show that your return on investment is $42 for every dollar you spend. An effective email campaign is a great way to stay on your subscribers’ mind each time they open their inboxes. Unlike social media and the complex algorithms, it is sent directly to your subscribers. By subscribing, they have already told you they are interested in what you have to offer. Putting your most valuable business asset to work for you can reap huge rewards for you and your business.
Today’s newsletter discusses how to get started if you aren’t using this powerful marketing tool and how to grow your list of subscribers.
When I suggest email marketing to clients that are not using it, the themes of reluctance are common: “It’s complicated and I don’t know how to do it”, “I am not creative enough to design one”, “I don’t have an email list” or “My email list is not long enough”, “I don’t have time”……
As a result, nothing changes and it is business as usual.
There can always be fear and uncertainty when we try anything new. Launching your business is one of the biggest steps you will take in life. It is a decision that is a big leap of faith. Once that leap is taken, we must then take steps and actions to grow that business to be the success that we dreamed of it being and what we want it to be.
Here are some tips and answers to leverage your relationships, use email marketing and watch your business grow:
1. Email marketing platforms. There are a number of platforms to use and some of them cater to specific markets such as restaurants, nightclubs and service providers. They all offer tiered plans depending on your needs and number of subscribers. Most of them also offer free plans. Whatever your business or niche may be, there are platforms to meet your needs and the interests of your audience. Additionally, you set the day of the week and time you want your email to be sent allowing it to arrive at a time that would work best for your audience.
Another advantage to these platforms is that most of them provide you with analytic reports for your campaigns. These reports help you see how successful your campaign was, tips on ways to improve your email and gives you the ability to see what is working best for you.
2. Designing your email campaigns. You don’t have to be a graphic artist or a Canva pro to design your campaign. All of the email marketing platforms have pre-designed templates you can use. Many of them offer AI features to help you with the wording of your email. You have the capability to pop your own photos into the template or use photos from sites that provide stock images to download. Put your best foot forward using inspiring photos for them to see. In very little time, you will have a professional looking email showcasing your products.
Shout out your specials. You should put a can’t miss offer in your email subject line to entice your audience to open the email. Announce your weekly specials, happy hour or service discounts to get your customers to click and read.
3. Your email list. Are you worried that your email list is not long enough to start using email marketing? There are many ways to gather emails addresses and grow your list. Growing your list happens one email at a time and your list can grow rapidly. You can make it easy and convenient for people to sign up by adding a pop up on your website. If you don’t already have it, add a place on your website for visitors to sign up in the footer on every page on your website. Add an email signup link to your social media pages to get even more people to sign up. If you own a restaurant, include a QR code on your menu or a tabletop display. Having a place for guests to leave their business card is also another way to collect email addresses. There are endless ways to collect email addresses, grow your audience and reap the rewards of the additional revenue.
Email marketing is truly a powerful way to grow your business and increase your revenue. If someone has an email address, they most likely have it on several different devices. Whether they use a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone, all of the devices have the ability to display your marketing email and be seen. Think about how many times a day you look at your email.
If you still aren’t comfortable with creating your own marketing email or truly don’t have the time, it is well worth hiring someone to get you started or to do it for you. It is effective and affordable and has an impressive return on the investment. Find someone with experience using MailChimp, Constant Contact or a similar program. With the holidays just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get started.