It’s easier to get people to sign up for your mailing list than it is to get them to subscribe. Even if they stay subscribed, unengaged recipients who have no brand relationship with Build strong brand relationships with email marketing. you are no better than people who never joined your list. In fact, they’re probably worse!
So how can you successfully engage your audience, build brand relationships, and make the most of your list to grow your brand? Read on to learn why email marketing is ultimately all about relationships — and how to improve yours.
Make your From address more personal
As we discussed in part one of this blog series, your emails should all “come from” real people — not entire companies. The more personalized, the better. Add your company name as an afterthought, not the primary sender.
Bad example:
Subject line: This is a marketing email!
Starting Price XYZ Company
Good example:
Subject Line: This is a topic related to your interests!
Starting Price Anne Jones of XYZ Company
You can even shorten your sender name to first name + last initial or just first name, depending on your brand personality. The more casual your brand is, the more conversational you’ll be. So including just the first name and your company helps you seem approachable and professional, like “Chips from SharpSpring.” (If your CEO is well-known, do use their full name! Take Neil Patel of Ubersuggest or Ryan Reynolds of Mint Mobile, for example.)
On this note, please make sure your “From” address is a legitimate one. Do not send marketing information emails using a “No Reply” address . Not only does this show that you don’t care about feedback, but it violates many digital communications laws. (“No Reply” is OK when sending account information or trigger-based emails such as forgotten password resets, order notifications, etc.)
If you’re worried about your inbox getting flooded with responses, don’t be. First, most recipients won’t reply, and that’s okay. But those who do reply are sending valuable feedback, such as:
- Request for more information
- Inquiries about your services
- Constructive criticism of your activities and products
They might even ask you to update their email address indonesia telegram data in your system so they stay subscribed! Anyway, why ignore these responses? It’s much better to keep the line of communication open. True, a few negative reviews may come through, but is that stress worth the cost of potential upsells and improvement opportunities? We think not.
It’s also worth noting that Gmail is the most popular email provider in the world, with nearly 30% market share, and that the importance of an email is judged by the number of recipients who interact with the sender . Yes, that’s right! If people are responding to your emails regularly, your sender address may avoid the dreaded “Promotions” label and end up in the primary inbox.
Bottom line: Allow replies to your email marketing fully integrated crm campaigns. You’ll gain valuable feedback and better engagement across the board. Plus, you’ll avoid fines for not complying with CAN-SPAM and GDPR.
Personalize each campaign based on user behavior
No one likes to be part of an “email blast.” Today’s consumers don’t have time for that. They’re inundated with email marketing campaigns every day, so they’re increasingly resistant to generic messages sent to every customer of a company. There’s a psychological effect, too; your recipients want to feel heard and special. Over the decades, people have learned to expect email to come in two flavors: (a) relevant messages sent directly to them, and (b) spam. The only way to avoid falling into the latter category is to highly personalize each campaign.
With so many tools available to analyze each potential customer’s preferences, browsing history, and previous behavior, there’s little reason not to send fully personalized emails to each recipient. At the very least, include their name and send them content that’s relevant to the funnel they’re visiting. For example, if they joined your mailing list based on their interest in your e-commerce brand guidelines, they may need more information on that topic.
You can also personalize for each segment. Depending deb directory on how you set up your CRM, you can drill down into each segment to send relevant marketing campaigns.
Let’s say you sell bicycles and bicycle equipment, and you also offer online courses on bicycle maintenance. Your subscribers may come from multiple sources, so your list would include:
- Recreational cyclists who buy bikes and basic supplies from you
- Avid cyclists who order bicycle accessories such as travel bags, multi-lights, etc.
- Aspiring bicycle mechanics who sign up for your course
It’s a rare email campaign that will appeal to all of these different people. To really engage with each market segment, you need to personalize each campaign based on their interests and previous purchase behavior. For example, a casual cyclist who has only purchased one bike from you probably won’t be interested in your bike shop marketing suggestions. An advanced cyclist who has purchased multiple specialty parts might be a little annoyed by receiving an email promoting your “Beginner Bike Kit.”
Once you have these niche segments and their campaign plans, personalize each email as much as possible. For example, if your goal is to:
- Someone in a specific role, include it in the subject line, like “Calling all bike shop owners!”
- people in a specific geographic area, by programming it into a subject line such as “Attention all Chicago cyclists…”
- Customers who have purchased a definable product or package, such as “Bike Repair 101 Student, Next is…”
Remember: the more specific, the better! Your open and engagement rates will thank you. (Be sure to check out part two of this series for more advice on writing compelling subject lines.)
Keep user intent in mind to build brand relationships
One of the most common ways to grow your list is to use a lead magnet, asking for someone’s email address in exchange for something valuable (like an eBook). Unfortunately, this means a lot of “tirees” will sign up just to get the freebie.
Contrary to popular belief, you can definitely turn these opportunistic subscribers into loyal followers. The secret is to break out of the traditional “email download” format, which is highly transactional and therefore unappealing. To drive interest in your brand and encourage freebie seekers to stick around, follow these steps:
- Require a double opt-in. This requires sending a follow-up email to a prospect immediately after they provide their address. They need to click a link to confirm their subscription. This is also your opportunity to direct them to your list: what emails they can expect to receive, how often, etc. To really maximize your list building, don’t send out the download until they’ve confirmed their subscription!
- Send them a welcome sequence. Instead of collecting their emails and simply including them in your next newsletter, send all recipients a unique welcome sequence with high-value If they don’t receive your newsletter until a week after subscribing, they may not remember signing up — and they’ll unsubscribe. Instead, engage them right away with an engaging welcome series. Don’t overdo it: sending a few emails over a 7-10 day period is perfect.
- Make it human. As we’ve said throughout this blog, personalization = relevance. Don’t make your messaging generic. The more you can optimize each campaign to individual preferences, the better the results. So in our bicycle brand example above, the welcome sequence could be:
- Students in the bicycle maintenance course receive several emails with helpful advice on becoming a mechanic and opening a shop.
- Recreational cyclists receive several emails with bicycle safety tips, ways to improve their new bikes, and more.
- Advanced cyclists receive invitations to join cycling Facebook groups, promotions on cycling tour programs, and recommendations for complementary cycling accessories.
Remember, your subscribers aren’t interested in simply filling their inboxes with generic content. They want specific, actionable items that align with their goals. The more you offer, the better engagement you’ll get — and therefore, the fewer people who will unsubscribe!
it’s over
All email marketers encounter unsubscribes, as well as recipients who never engage with their emails. Rather than targeting individuals, find ways to deliver highly relevant, exciting content to your audience. These are the people you can turn into buyers or convert into loyal customers! The secret is to personalize as much as possible, making each subscriber feel special and like your brand is here to help them achieve their goals. With a well-defined CRM and a little email marketing know-how, you can send highly relevant, engaging campaigns every time. (Want to use SharpSpring to do exactly that? Get in touch here.)
Now that you know how to craft compelling emails, increase open rates, and personalize your campaigns, it’s time to set benchmarks and measure your results. In the next blog in this series, you’ll learn how to test and monitor your email campaigns.
