There’s a solid chance you’ve considered email marketing for your small business. Might even given it a shot. At the very least you’ve been on the receiving end of another business’s campaign.
That is all because it is a highly effective marketing strategy.
Don’t worry, if you’re unfamiliar with it or have no idea how to do it yourself we’ll guide you in the right direction.
We’re going to discuss what it is, how it can provide your business with benefits, how it works, and even provide you some tips for moving forward with your own email marketing campaign.
What is Small Business Email Marketing?
In it’s simplest form, email marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves sending out emails to your customers to promote your business’s products or services.
But email marketing is slightly more complicated than that if you’re going to do it right and actually benefit from it.
We have all received emails from businesses, some welcomed, some spam, but nonetheless they flow through our inbox.
There is a fine balance, however, and maintaining the trust of your subscribers resulting in more sales, and spamming them.
Targeted Marketing That Benefits Your Business
Email marketing can benefit your business in many ways.
First off, your email list should be composed of those who have already demonstrated a solid interest in your business. Perhaps they’ve even purchased a product or service from you before. Nonetheless, they’ve signed up and told you they want to hear more about you.
A sales lead does not get any better than that. These are interested people!
Now that we’ve established that they’re interested, you’ll want to keep them interested by maintaining continuous engagement with them, which email marketing makes possible. Keeping your business in the forefront of their mind and keeping your brand relevant.
The next time your customers want to make a purchase, they’ll think of your business. They’ll probably reach back to one of your emails, copy the coupon code you’ve so generously included, and head over to your website to make a purchase. Or they might give you a call to schedule an appointment.
There are all sorts of possibilities when you send them a useful and relevant email.
Another way email marketing benefits or businesses that you are able to provide your email subscribers the latest deals and inform them of new sales.
What do people do when there is a sale? They jump on over to your website to make a purchase!
They may be a potential customer on your mailing list that is on the fence about making a purchase, but when they get the sales ad from you they decide and to go through with the purchase.
In essence, email marketing for small businesses drives validated traffic to your website and can increase revenue.
Alright, you’re convinced email marketing is for you, but now you’re wondering how it works.
How it Works
So far we covered what exactly email marketing is, how it can benefit your business. Now we are going to dive in to exactly how it works and the different types of email campaigns you can employ.
Mailing List Generation
First you need to start out with generating your email list. You can do this number of ways.
You can use the emails of your current customers, people that you already interact with. You’re also able to generate emails from your website as people sign up to receive the newsletter.
Avoid shady practices such as buying email lists or sending unsolicited emails. You don’t want your business known for its spam.
Once you have a few subscribers to your email list, you can schedule different types of campaigns such as a welcome message, a trip campaign, or a regular newsletter.
Various types of campaigns
There are several ways you can use your mailing list to engage your customers. Each type of campaign can be setup to send at various times of the day or days of the week, and contain different pieces of information.
In the end, you want to drive your customers to take an action such as a purchase or give you a call to setup an appointment.
- Welcome Emails. As someone is added to your mailing list, send them a welcome email thanking them for joining your list. While you’re at it you can throw in a discount code to encourage them to return to your site.
- Drip Emails. A drip campaign is an automated, pre-made set of emails that is sent out over a period of time. These emails could contain blog posts, coupon codes, or other evergreen content that goes out to your email list in order over a predetermined amount of time.
- Newsletter. Probably the most common type, the newsletter campaign informs your mailing list of the happenings within your business on regular intervals. These could be weekly or monthly emails that inform your email list of your latest offerings, services, sales, discounts, and any other news you want to pass on to your subscribers.
Tips for Great Email Marketing
We want you to be successful in your business, so here’s a few tips and tricks to energize your email marketing campaign.
Don’t Be a Spammer
Regular emails doesn’t necessarily equate to over email me and spamming. You don’t want to overwhelm your email list with too many emails to where it feels like spam. That is quick way to get people to unsubscribe.
Send Neat, Clean, and Professional Emails
Make sure your emails are clean and professional. You want them to be mobile-friendly and viewable on mobile devices. You are subscribers should be able to easily navigate the email and find your call to action.
Legitimacy is Key
There are a lot of regulations involved in email marketing. So be sure you are aware of of the email and spam laws in your area. If you’re in the US you can read more about the CAN-SPAM ACT on the FTC’s website.
Engage Your Subscribers, They’re Just People
Imagine using a megaphone to bellow at your customers in your store that there is a sale on aisle 4. It’s loud, obnoxious, and annoying. Email can feel the same way.
Instead, use copy that talks to your subscribers like you’re talking with a friend. Your email will not come off as spammy and it will give your business credibility.
Hopefully this provided you with a great starting point into email marketing for your small business.
Remember, email marketing is a great way to interact and engage those that have already shown a clear interest in your business. Don’t flood them with emails, treat them like people, and with a professionally curated email strategy you’ll be able to increase your sales.
We provide professional and affordable email marketing services for small businesses. Just give us a call or text or shoot us an email so we can discuss which options are best for your business.