When you send out an email campaign are you getting the results you want? Whether you seek an increase in open rates, click rates, or a specific action, not achieving these goals can be frustrating and possibly detrimental to your organization. For many email marketers, there is no formal strategy or timeline when it comes to sending emails. A new product comes out, there’s an organizational announcement, or they feel they have the subscribers, so you should “just get something out.” Unfortunately, the “get something out” mentality, as with any aspect of your business, can leave your subscribers/consumers receiving nonessential information.
Along with not having an internal strategy, there are several mistakes your team may be making that are costing you money. These four mistakes include not having a strategy, straying from brand guidelines, not building a reputable list, and not creating segments within your master list.
Along with not having an internal strategy, there are several mistakes your team may be making that are costing you money. These four mistakes include not having a strategy, straying from brand guidelines, not building a reputable list, and not creating segments within your master list.
1. Not Having a Strategy
You wouldn’t launch a product or service without a strategy, so why are you marketing your business without one? Creating an in-depth strategy can ensure the right message is getting out to the right people, with the right message. With the freedom to be tailored to your organization, a strategy should answer the most important internal questions: what are your goals, what has worked in the past (applicable if you’re currently sending out emails), and deciding what content should be sent out.
2. Straying From Your Brand
No matter what email platform the organization is using (MailChimp, Constant Contact, etc.), staying within brand guidelines ensures your subscribers will be able to distinguish your email in their inbox. While all of the platforms have a library of templates and features that can be used to make your campaigns pop, switching the look and feel too often or using prebuilt designs will give the look and feel of a prebuilt message and one that wasn’t customized for your valuable contacts. In short, you should not need to rebuild the wheel for every email. The most well-known brands have slogans and campaigns that include key aspects that are carried from one marketing tool to the next.
3. Not Building a Reputable List
A question almost every digital marketer is asked, “I have this huge list of emails, why aren’t people taking action?” To which we all respond, “How did you build your list of subscribers?” If your answer involves purchasing a list or adding every individual you’ve ever met, you may have built a large list, but not one of value. Building a reputable list still involves people you’ve met, but also asking people if they’d like to receive your emails. Implementing different opt-in strategies guarantees your message is going out to people that are interested and will more than likely execute your desired action. Opt-in solutions can include opt-in forms, either on your website, a social platform, or simply sent out to your list to determine who would like to continue receiving your message. Opt-in forms are a time and cost effective way to ensure you’re message is reaching the right people.
4. Lumping Everyone Into One List/Category/Segment
Once you’ve built a reputable list, it’s time to ensure those subscribers are going to act on your call to action. Having every email campaign go to all of your subscribers is not capitalizing on their unique traits such as decision-making power, interests, or demographics. Creating different segments or tagging contacts with “donor” or “programming” gives you the power to send emails tailored to a specific audience. If one product or service needs an introduction or a bit of a push, having segmented contacts will guarantee your message will be seen.
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