It’s hard to forget the macabre first scene of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Do you remember it?
In Medieval England awash in the plague, a man tries to pawn off his relation to the body collector:
Relation: “I’m not dead yet!”
Body collector: “He says he’s not dead.”
Man: “He will be soon. He’s very ill.”
Relation: “I’m getting better! I think I’ll go for a walk!”
Whether you’re a fan of Monty Python’s dark, absurdist humor or not, we’re watching the exact same scene play out today in marketing. Just replace the “dying” relation with email marketing.
Email Marketing – Not Dead Yet!
Everywhere you turn you can find an expert that proclaims that email marketing is a thing of the past–a dead or dying relic that isn’t worth your time or money.
But here’s the thing. They’re just plain wrong.
Now, more than ever, email should be a vital part of your marketing strategy. As our founder, Natalie Gowen, likes to say: “The money is in the list.”
Just take a look at these numbers:
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- 99% of people check their email every day. Some as often as 20 times a day!
- 73% of millennials prefer their communications from businesses to come from email.
- 77% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months.
- Email marketing ROI is $36 for every $1 spent.
- 69% of marketers use email marketing to distribute their content.
This feels like the moment to drop a proverbial mic.
Okay, fine, I can hear you saying. But how do I get emails to work for me?
Here are a few tips to get your marketing emails performing at their best:
1. Content Matters:
Simply sending a pack of words out into the void isn’t going to do you any good. Your email content needs to engage and delight your audience, offering them value and a general good time–something that will make them more likely to open your next email message.
As you craft your message, keep these important ideas in mind:
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- Subject line: This, along with seeing who the email is sent from, is what will decide whether someone will open an email or not. You have just a few words to grab your audience’s attention and prove your value. Keep it snappy, personal, and intriguing.
- Useful content: The last thing your audience wants is another long, boring email. Make sure that your content is high value that educates, entertains, and inspires. This is no time to gate content or even hit the hard sell.
- Invite readers in: Here at Moxie Tonic, we’re big fans of the StoryBrand methodology that places what your audience wants at the center of your marketing. Keep your content focused on solving their problems and invite them in with a clear, engaging story.
2. Keep Your Marketing Emails Mobile Friendly
According to recent research by HubSpot, the majority of email views come from mobile devices (41%), followed by desktop (39%). That means you need to make sure that your formatting and design look just as good on mobile as anywhere else.
Here at Moxie we recommend you:
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- Stay single: Keep to a single column of text–this translates much easier to a variety of formats.
- Test it out: Always send test emails to yourself and a colleague for quality assurance–try opening the email on both your phone and a desktop.
- Make CTAs shine: Use buttons for CTAs whenever possible and give them plenty of room so they’re easily distinguishable from other text.
- Watch the length: With less room for subject lines and the potential for a LOT of scrolling, keep your subject lines and overall length in check.
3. Use Time Wisely
Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong time to send emails. Think about your own habits–chances are, the first thing you do when you sit down to work in the morning is to check your email. It’s no surprise, then, that the highest engagement for B2B email marketing is from 9:00 am to noon.
Take it a step further and send it at the beginning of the week (Monday through Wednesday) to grab the most attention. The next highest engagement time is from noon to 3:00 pm.
But Why Does Email Marketing Still Work?
Now here’s the million-dollar question. Why is email marketing so important? Why should you take the time to build a list, keep it nurtured, and pay attention to things like subject lines and columns and send times?
Let’s get Natalie to say it one more time–
“The Money is in the List.”
Owning (and growing!) your own email marketing list instead of relying on 3rd party platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook gives you the most autonomy and control over your communication with your leads and current clients. You don’t have to worry about getting locked out or having restrictions imposed. If a lead opts in, they’re yours.
Having a well-nurtured marketing email list gives you a direct pipeline to warm—even toasty hot—leads when you launch new products, start new funnels, or offer irresistible incentives. It keeps you top of mind for leads and clients alike and forms the lasting relationships that you need for clients to become brand ambassadors and refer their friends.
And don’t worry that you’re burning out your list by sending regular emails. While you don’t want to spam your list with pestering, daily messages, weekly is fine. In fact, 49% of consumers say they want to hear from their favorite brands once a week. Build that relationship and your audience will open and click with happy hearts.
At Moxie Tonic, we know email marketing is an important piece of your overall marketing strategy. Book a strategy session today to learn more about what we do and how we do it.