Is Email Marketing Still Effective? A 2018 Guide

A guide to creating an email newsletter that works in 2018

In light of GDPR, there is a lot of talk about mailing lists and if email marketing can still help your business. As of May 25^th 2018, new regulations allow you to contact only individuals who have given explicit permission for you to do so (for more on the ins and outs on GDPR specifically, read this post). Not only that, the rise of social media (76% of adults have a social media profiles according to Ofcom), inbox clutter (an ONS bulletin reports that the most popular activity online was sending or receiving emails), and general advertising noise (many industry experts estimate we are exposed to 5000-10000 adverts a day), you’re right to question the best way to reach out to your audience. So, we’d like to explain why you should send an email newsletter – and how you can ensure that you are getting it right.

Why send a newsletter?

A 2017 YouGov survey of over 70,000 people reported that over half use social data as their main source of news. However, according to the same survey, only 24 percent of those people think that social media separates real and ‘fake’ news well. You only need to scan your social feeds for #fakenews or #clickbait to see consumer cynicism for yourself. Did you spot the recently trending #leaveFacebook following the Cambridge Analytica controversy? A couple of points here – firstly, all this distrust is leading the public to question where they hang out virtually. Secondly, you do not own and cannot fully control your output on social media channels. Algorithms and ‘shadow bans’ are causing headaches for marketing managers and business owners, and Twitter’s update to policies on scheduling are throwing this platform into question too. So, why send a newsletter? All of the concern around paid and organic social media is leading marketers to once more recognise the value of a customer’s inbox. Providing you have a genuinely crafted mailing list – which people have actively chosen to be part of – they are waiting to hear your news. The real question is; how do you create a newsletter that not only stays on the right side of the law, but will build a relationship of trust with people that will serve your business well? Now is the ideal time to revisit the way you plan, write and send email newsletters – or if your company is new to email marketing, how to start as you mean to go on.

Where to start with email marketing

To help you craft your approach, here is a guide of where to start with email marketing; Aside from the legal dos and don’ts, let’s get back to basics. Why do you send email newsletters? Whether you’re revisiting your communications plan, or starting from the ground up, the first thing to consider, and review regularly is your purpose and your objectives. Ensure you align your email marketing plan and consider your customer life cycle / journey too.

Your email marketing strategy

A successful email newsletter will look, sound and perform differently from one business to the next. Depending on your customer type you should decide if you are aiming to achieve:

Brand awareness: In Successful Adverting, Thomas Smith theorises that on the 9^th time of seeing an advert or offering, a person will start to wonder if they’re missing out on something. This kind of email lets your reader know that you’re still around, and gradually builds recall of your brand over that of your competitors.
Transitional conversions: there are many touchpoints for your brand. This kind of email builds on one experience and encourages your reader to level up within your sales funnel and become a warmer lead.
Transactional conversions: This kind of email is most likely for product marketing, such as sales or brand-new products, but can also be effective for services such as training, or perhaps a limited-time service offer)

Think about how your prospects are likely to become prospects then choose your objectives and develop an email marketing strategy accordingly.

How much does email marketing cost?

If you know what your email marketing objectives are and how they integrate into your customer journey, this will give you the most realistic and accurate idea of your return on investment (ROI). There are many email marketing services that offer a free service, others have varying monthly costs. In some ways, you get what you pay for, but if you’re not already sending a newsletter, there is a lot you can achieve with a free service such as MailChimp. You can measure transactions, but also, much like social media, you can measure reach (open rates), and engagement (click throughs). And because your audience are effectively subscribers, it’s possible to segment your list by using groups or tags to remember how people interact with your content; learning from that information and building on it next time.

What an email newsletter should contain – make it relevant

More than ever, it’s important to keep your email newsletter topics relevant. Keep your customers in mind. Does your ideal customer purchase regularly – such as with FMCG or fashion items, where the latest news about sales or offers are likely to encourage a transaction? Or is a customer more likely to invest in your product based on your expertise, such as a car purchase or a mortgage product? Will they find informative emails containing reviews or project case studies more valuable? This is a good approach for professional services, such as a commercial law firm or a pioneering architect. Using segmentation, you can talk to people at different stages of the customer journey. Learn your audience’s interests and configure your emails to send more of what they like, and less of what they don’t.

Email marketing and subject lines

Once you know what you’re going to talk about, the first thing you want your recipient to do is actually open your email. Bear in mind; you’re landing in email inboxes amongst your competitor, but also many other emails on any given day. Again, relevance is key, but perhaps a topical approach will encourage an open too. If a subject is related to ‘right now’, it is more likely to be opened straightaway than neglected until later. You can also create timeliness by hinting at the action required or giving a timeline. For example, perhaps an event is just a short time away, or early bird tickets are available for a set window. When being creative with email subject lines, it has been common practice to create a bit of intrigue but be aware of the social media effect. Avoid anything that sounds like ‘click-bait’ (where a headline is sensationalised or over-egged, but the content doesn’t measure up) or is too vague. People are savvy and they will soon recognise offenders and chose to ignore or unsubscribe.

Email call to action (CTAs) best practices

As with all marketing initiatives, you should make it really easy for your reader to quickly understand what action to take next. Make it clear, simple and quick. Depending on your audience, you can use a combination of persuasive copy and aspirational images, but it’s best to ensure the fundamental information is text based (in case your reader does not download images or allow HTML). Within HTML emails (as opposed to plain text) you should use hyperlinks or an email call to action button. This makes it easier for your recipients to read and understand what to do, but you can also measure the number of people and instances of clicks, so you can see what works best. Your CTA could link through to an offer or new product. Within transitional and brand awareness emails, also consider linking through to more information – so you can measure engagement.

Why newsletter tone is important

Don’t just sell, don’t be too pushy. What do your customers ‘need’ to know to before they trust or buy? And what do they ‘want’ to know before they choose you over someone else? When you convey your business values, include human elements. Be authentic, and try to be natural. If you have a copywriter on your marketing team, appoint them to create your newsletter tone of voice to build familiarity and trust. Nowadays, people are more receptive and engaged with companies and brands that are aligned with their own values. Of course, this applies in person, but you will find the same is true about who people allow into their inbox and associate with online, especially if they advocate on the internet. We’re not just talking social influencers, don’t forget forums and review sites.

How to design your email marketing template

Since you’ve put so much thought into the strategy and content of your newsletter, it makes sense to take a similar approach to design. That being said, beware of getting caught up in perfecting exactly how your email looks. When working from the office, likely at your computer, creating your newsletter, consider where your reader might be when they open it. According to Return Path, over half of emails sent are read on mobile (totalling 27 billion). That doesn’t mean yours will be, but think it through. The website-like, grid based emails we have seen work well on desktop, but single column designs work well for mobile and monitor screens. In some circumstances, things have gone full circle and emails that are (or emulate) plain-text are becoming common once again. Whichever you choose, the same email will display slightly definitely on each different device and model. Instead of having lots of text, provide a ‘read more’ link through to a relevant page on your website.

Email marketing segmentation & list management

Think quality over quantity. Gone are the times of huge mailing lists for the sake of huge mailing lists. Curate your subscribers often and take note of what people like – and don’t like. A small, active list is more valuable than a large dormant one. And don’t work in fear of the opt-out. Make it really easy for people to unsubscribe. Unsubscribe links are required. Email marketing services, such as MailChimp, allow readers to do this easily using web forms. You can also invite people to update their preferences on a regular basis, but do this well. Nothing is more irritating than when unsubscribe doesn’t work – you’re risking a breach of PECR and will likely see the abrupt end to a customer relationship anyway. It is better that an individual is able to leave your list easily if they are not interested in investing in you, your products or your services at some point in the future. If you keep inactive emails on your list ‘just in case’, not only are you potentially infringing GDPR regulations, but you are wasting time – that of your prospect, and your own. If you would like guidance on implementing your email marketing strategy, or simply don’t have the time to plan and create content that works, The Ideal Marketing Company can help. For marketing advice specific to your business, get in touch on 01858 374 170 or email me at kerry@idealmarketingcompany.com. Sources:

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Is email marketing still effective?