Many companies now love the idea of social media marketing.
In particular, they look at other companies having their “viral moment” and want to be that runaway hit that they heard about. And glorious it is to hit that sweet note.
But companies rarely achieve success through only one channel, and with all the focus on social media, one much more consistently effective medium is often overlooked:
Used properly, email marketing is 40 times more effective than Twitter or Facebook, so here is a quick guide to the four elements required to make it work for you:
Targeting
Start with your target audience in mind — how do you reach and appeal to them? If you are trying to reach the corporate high-flyers, a blanket email isn’t going to cut it – but a well-produced e-magazine might well!
Subject lines
Most people decide whether or not they will open your email based on the subject line. Designing an attractive headline that draws people in to read your article is key, but it must be honest. If you draw people on false premises, they will remember. Make it sharp and creative, then deliver on your promise.
Added value
Once again tailor your message to your audience, and to people interested in your wares. Some on the more consumable end might like offers of free goods, gifts or reward discounts, midrange might like the quality product as a special bonus, whereas others in the Business to Business trade might be attracted to unique information, speeches, or networking opportunities.
Find out what they value, and add that to your offer.
Call to action
Once they have opened your email, people appreciate given a direction to follow. If they like your content or offer, they will follow it. Remove any obstacles in their way, as you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do as you suggest, and they want to participate – let them.
Do you want them to call? Tell them to and give your number.
Do you want them to sign up? Tell them to and provide a contact form.
Do you want them to purchase? Tell them to and provide a button to buy.
Try to have your email do only one thing. Providing choice diminishes their chance of doing anything.
Also make sure that your email’s call to action is accessible on all platforms. Many emails are now read on handheld devices, so let them follow your instruction wherever they prefer to read their email.
A well-designed, functional email is a great step to engage your audience, but to really be effective, it is vital that your website is ready to receive them, and continue their happy engagement.
Make sure you have an optimized and organised site that will guide your readers to the conversions you are trying to hit. A full website audit is essential for making sure your site is up to standards.
When you have SEO experts and professionals take a look at your SEO efforts, you’ll have a whole list of actionable steps to take — customised based on your goals and desires.
