Email Marketing 101

Ever sent an email to your customers, clients or colleagues and never got a response? Did they even open it? Before you throw your laptop or phone out the window, we've put together some easy steps to help you transform your email marketing efforts into successful campaigns that drive traffic and increase sales.

There are three different types of emails that can appear in your inbox:

Marketing - informational or promotional messages that include, but are not limited to, newsletters, sales promotions, announcements, press releases and surveys

Transactional - usually automated and triggered by your customers' activities and could include welcome messages, order tracking, received payments, registration confirmations and much more

Operational - important information about your business such as maintenance updates, holiday closures or changes to your service availability and can be used to highlight an achievement like winning an award or receiving a new designation

Your emails should always make it easy for the reader to visit your website and social media channels. Be sure to link accordingly and watch your visits and followers increase!

Encourage your readers to reply by showcasing intriguing subject lines, an entertaining and distinctive voice and targeted content. One email doesn't fit all. By segmenting your email lists by type of reader (customer/prospective client/staff). Your voice should be consistent and personalized so your messaging doesn't come across as robotic.

Keep your emails out of spam folders. We have all seen the 'DON'T WAIT, BUY NOW' and '50% OFF...EVERYTHING HAS TO GO!!!!!' emails with all caps, too many exclamation points and hyperbolic phrases. Each spam filter is different so it may get flagged on Gmail but not on Yahoo and vice versa.

Don't write a novel. Keep your messaging short and sweet and to the point. Include images and videos and as mentioned before, appropriate links.

Make sure your emails are mobile friendly. We all can't seem to put our phones down - that's just the world we live in. 66% of email opens occur on smartphones or tablets. If your emails aren't optimized to view on these devices, you could be missing out on clicks and potential sales.

TEST TEST TEST. Never send an email without utilizing the testing feature. Confirm all links work properly, all images and videos are displayed clearly, and ensure all contact information is correct. Make it easy for readers to reply, visit your office/store and contact you to learn more.

Ready to get started? There are several email marketing platforms to choose from. MailChimp is user-friendly and free to send emails up to 2,000 contacts. Constant Contact, Drip and GetResponse are among other popular choices. Check out WPBeginner's blog post regarding 7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2018) for a list of options.

As always, Twelve31 Media is here to help! Don't hesitate to contact us today for all of your email marketing needs.