The first-ever email marketing message was blasted out to 400 people in 1978. It was a wildly successful message, generating $13 million in sales. From that first message to now, email marketing has proven to be one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. It is a convenient way for businesses to communicate with their target audiences.

Even though it’s been around for decades and we live in a constantly evolving digital world – email marketing still generates an insanely high ROI. 

To be effective, email marketing campaigns must be targeted and intentional. With the right email marketing strategy in place, you can drive brand awareness and increase sales. In fact, according to an infographic from Litmus, email marketing has an average return on investment (ROI) of $36 for every dollar spent. That 3,600% ROI is higher than that of any other marketing channel.

Email marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves communicating business news, sales, promotions, confirmations, coupons, updates and other relevant information to your target audience via email.

There are several types of email marketing campaigns, including:

• Sales and promotional emails
• Newsletters
• Reengagement email
• Transactional emails
• Lead-nurturing emails

Email marketing can be an effective way to reach customers, build relationships, nurture relationships, and even direct sell – but to be successful, campaigns must be well-crafted and carefully targeted.

According to Oberlo, more than 300 billion emails are sent each day..

Email marketing is one of the most popular and effective ways businesses can reach their customers. However, if you are unsure about using email marketing as part of your digital marketing strategy, here are 6 ways it can benefit your small business.

Email marketing is incredibly effective at acquiring new customers and encouraging previous customers to make another purchase. Research by Harris Interactive found that customers are more likely to make additional purchases as a result of targeted emails. You can use marketing emails to drive more traffic to your website, which gets consumers in your sales funnel.

Email marketing is one of the cheapest forms of outreach available to a small business today. It also has one of the best ROIs available for brands of any size.

You don’t have to spend money on print materials, radio or television ads, or billboards to advertise your products and services. Instead, you can use the fund for other purposes, such as improving your website, expanding your product line, and hiring new employees.

For instance, spending money on a print ad isn’t very cost-effective if only 10 people read it. However, using the same content and campaign with email marketing, you can reach more than 1,000 people for the same price.

Did You Know? Many small businesses avoid email marketing because they fear it will be too expensive. However, there are monthly plans for various budgets, typically ranging from $300 to $2,000. Some providers also offer per-email or pay-as-you-go pricing. And let’s not forget about those that offer FREE email services to help you dip your toe in the water.

According to marketing analytics firm Retention Science, when you address recipients personally in the subject line open rate is 2.6% higher.

A good email subject line is just the first step in making an email feel like a personal message instead of spam. These are some other ways your small business can encourage a click-through:

• Send a specific email to subscribers on their birthday or anniversary date with your company.
• Offer a product or discount related to their previous purchases with your business.
• Include topics that cover items of interest for your subscribers.

NOTE: With a well-constructed email set-up, you can automate this process to benefit your brand without a large time investment.

Another way to personalize your promotional emails is to use dynamic content. Dynamic content is an element of an email that changes based on the recipient. For example, you could use dynamic content to show different products to different people based on their purchase history or interests. It’s a great way to keep your emails relevant and interesting!

One great thing about email marketing is that you can easily create segmented lists to send out emails to specific people. These email contact lists can be created based on factors like:

• Demographics (geography, age, interests, gender, etc.)
• Sign-up Location (event, website form, landing page, etc.)
• Purchase History, No Recent Purchases, Abandoned Cart
• Program Attendees (before and after – trickling into full list)
• Event Registrants (before and after – trickling into full list)
• Personal / Business Interests
• Previous Email Campaign Behavior (opened, un-opened, clicked, etc.)

According to SuperOffice, 89% of marketers do not segment their database, but this mistake can be costly. Why? Your spreading your message too thin and to the wrong people. Meaning you’ll likely miss those with peaked interest in the email topic.

Segmented emails not only make messages feel more personal and relevant to your consumers, but they also increase your click-through rate.

Brand recognition is a key driver of success in today’s marketplace. You need to create a brand that your target audience recognizes and that resonates with them. People are more likely to purchase something when they feel like they’ve invested themselves in a product or service.

Even if a click – or purchase – doesn’t happen in every email, continued emails to interested subscribers create a drip campaign that can lead to success. That is why you’ll see some results immediately and others over time.

Now authority… it can’t be bought. You have to earn it. But once you have it, people will listen when you speak. They’ll read what you write. They’ll buy what you sell. They’ll turn to you when they need what you offer.

By providing valuable content and insights on a regular basis, you can position yourself as an expert in your field. And when people see your name pop up in their inbox on a regular basis, they’ll automatically start to associate you with authority and credibility.

According to global tech care company Asurion, the average person checks their phone 96 times per day – that’s once every 10 minutes! The use of mobile has exploded in recent years, and email marketing gives you a way to reach users where they are. According to research from Litmus, mobile users account for 41.6% of all email opens. This is why email marketing is such an important component of a small business growth strategy. It puts your message right where your prospects happen to be.

If you’re an e-commerce store owner, service-based business, non-profit, manufacturing company, entrepreneur, etc. etc. etc. – email marketing is one of the most compelling strategies for growing your business, reaching your customers, building your brand, and increasing sales. Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. It allows companies to communicate with their customers and potential customers through a direct, personal channel, resulting in increased sales, loyalty, and customer satisfaction. 

With the right strategies and tools, you can send relevant, engaging, and informative emails with success. Ready to get started, but don’t know where to start? We’re here to help! From content and design, to set-up and analytics, our team is ready to help you take advantage of email marketing!