Why Is Email Still Important?
Email was invented in the 1970s and it’s not going anywhere. Even with the rise of social media, email marketing continues to be a crucial part of digital marketing. Email is the most reliable and authentic way to connect with your customers.
With hashtags and simple shares, it’s much easier to build a following on social media than it is to build up your email list, but the people on your email list are more engaged and invested than your social media followers. They’ve invited you into their personal inbox, rather than a feed they can continuously scroll through. When you’re selling your business and products, your email list is your client list. The potential new owner is buying your business, including your customers, so if you don’t have an email list, you don’t have a business to sell.
Email Marketing Tips
Use an Email Service Provider (ESP) instead of sending from your personal email. These platforms can help you create beautiful and engaging emails while sending your emails seamlessly to as many people as you need. The email service also comes with analytics and tracking, so you can see who opened it, where they clicked to, and if they took action.
ESPs include MailChimp, Constant Contact, Flodesk, Active Campaign, Convert Kit, etc. Even website services – like Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy – have their own email services you can add to your website plan. Each of these has its own pros and cons, so pick whichever one is best for you!
Write a compelling subject line. With some ESPs, you can even write preheader text, which is what shows up as an email preview after the subject line. These two pieces are what make the person decide to open the email or not, so make them count!
It’s important that your email looks good. Using legible fonts, complementary colors, and thoughtful imagery will make your email professional, and an increased focus on aesthetics will keep the email compelling.
Set up a thoughtful email schedule and avoid spamming your audience. There’s no one-size-fits-all email schedule, so consider your audience and determine the appropriate cadence – once a week, twice a month, once a month could all be appropriate options. This can lead to increased unsubscribes and being blocked by email providers (like Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) as spam.
How to Build Your Email List
The best way to get people to sign up for your email list is by offering incentives. Depending on your business, these can be anything – so get creative! If you’re a store or restaurant, a discount or free dessert could be a great incentive. If you’re a service-based business, you could create a free ebook that would provide your clients value.
