Email reports to make a massive shift in results. Emailing is still number one in marking however small changes can make a big difference
Table of contents
Does Email marketing still work
You simply must email and do it consistently. Over time it will return rewards at a cost per sale well within your budget.
The email has many forms and they include;
- Single send sales approach
- Bulk distribution
- Auto Responder
- Newsletters
- Thank you notes
- Confirmations
- Best wishes on specific occasions
Importantly they represent a consistent touch and brand builder to gather consumer trust.
However, the perennial question is “are you doing it correctly?”
Therefore understanding your statistics can bring about timely changes to increase engagements.
Constant Contact provides a full statistical summary
Understand the different information
Numbers sent
This is important for gauging the following factors. I often send a trial version of a broadcast however the niche I send to may be either high or low responders. This allows me to make decisions based on results and not random guesses.
Email open rate
Every industry has a general figure that represents an average open rate. This may vary from a normal 20% to a high 60% depending on the list and the information included. The width of your base may well impact these results.
The click through rate
This is generally those who have a current interest in your offer. You can pull out a new list of these and retarget them with extra information. Remember that today's email may just not be right for many recipients today. However, they may re-engage next time.
Your Bounce rate
Make those changes as often as you can. Have you made a mistake or have they changed. These assumptions should be made after every mail. A clean list is a great list.
The dreaded Spam
This will happen for a variety of reasons. I recently had one that had been receiving my mail for about a year, evidently a bad day. We all get them occasionally however look closely at everyone and consider why and what can you do about it. Remember permission-based emailing is the only way forward.
Finally, too many spam complaints, and your carrier my bar you, so be careful.
I love Opt-outs
No, I have not taken leave of my senses. I love a nice clean list and if a reader has moved on it is no use pursuing them further. Consider if you are selling something and they buy from another source. They are no longer a client in your market so let them go.
Email reports to make a massive shift in results and engagements
Gaining extra email engagements
This is critical to growing your stats over time. When you get a high engagement rate you should review why it is good and how you can use it again. The reverse is true for pore results.
Things that may make a difference are.
- Your from signature, is it recognisable
- Your subject line must really stand out
- The template should be standard and consistent to maintain recognition
- Pictures still tell a thousand words
Providing reader inspiration
No matter what the mail always have a call to action. You will never know the right time in the buying cycle.
Of course, this can be polite or aggressive depending on the cycle. More Information is different from a BUY NOW button that is pushing the edges. I love to include clicks to my blog posts on a similar subject however this may be a website, a blog, or even a sales funnel
Reaching the right people
Is your target audience correct? have you looked at age, sex, location and interests.
It is no good sending emails about Baby clothes to truck drivers, however you could include the elderly that buy for grandchildren.
Split your list into different interest groups so that you can target them directly. I then have a general category that I send to everyone.
Turning readers away
Check-in with your reports to make sure your opt-outs are down to a minimum. If your opt-outs are higher than you’d like, consider sending a survey to your contacts to get some feedback on how frequently they want to hear from you, and what kind of content is relevant to them.
Timing of send
Is there a best day or even time of day to send mail? I think so and I put some thought into this.
In general terms, I like mid-morning after all the general duties have been done and they are looking for the simple things to fill in before lunch. The same applies to mid-afternoon when they want to look busy before heading off to the real world.
Sometimes a weekend might be appropriate for the trades and labor force that don't get emails during a busy day. Evening mail may also hit this target.
Trial and error will prove the results
What level of success
Whilst you will have a comfort level at which you may be happy you should not settle for average. Winning the game is all about consistent improvement therefore use your stats to the best possible effect.
What needed improvement and how can you achieve it.
To me, the important stat is the open rate, this shows acceptance and trust in your media therefore a small step away from a sale.
Of course, the clicks take this a step further to a potential customer.
Topping up your list
An oft-forgotten procedure if it is not done automatically, I just went back a couple of months and reviewed my top-up procedure because it had not been done.
You can get subscribers from quite a few places however it is important to get as many as possible. This is building up an asset so top them up quicker than they leave.
- lead form on your web page
- Competitions
- Social media
- Asking for an address
- Social groups
- Canvassing
- Business meetings
Conclusion and summary
An email has been my favorite marketing over the many years I have been in business. The cost is relatively small so a single sale can cover an annual charge.
Newsletters are a product that everyone should use. It enhances branding delivers trust and has a long-term capture window.
Auto Responders work well in combination with a funnel collection of interested people in a single product. My base is spread across about twenty different niches that I can market to at any time. I simply choose a method and hit it hard to get results.
Consistency is the golden rule. Be it every week or every month or even bi-monthly set your calendar and make sure it is done for best results.
Single emails set up a communication channel that should lead to a conclusion. Use them often to get results
Email reports to make a massive shift in results by Peter Hanley
Hi Peter,
You have some good tips here. I’m just getting started with email marketing and getting a signup form on my website.
Your information here has helped me understand some of the terminology better.
You’re doing a great job. Thanks for sharing.
You have some good tips here. I’m just getting started with email marketing and getting a signup form on my website.
Your information here has helped me understand some of the terminology better. You were thorough in getting information out without a lot of fluff. You held my attention to the subject and wasn’t boring.
You’re doing a great job. Thanks for sharing.
Connie
Thanks Connie,
It is a long term game however it does produce results, I signed a good deal yesterday that has been on my list for over eighteen months, he was ready to buy and trusted me like an old friend.
Best of luck and get those names
Peter H
Hi Peter, I concur email marketing is still valid and getting even bigger in 2021. Influencers in the online marketing space agree and themselves use it to inform, convince and sell to their audiences. Pat Flynn concedes that he did not start it early enough in his online businesses. Thanks for this informative post. I believe more people will see the sense in pursuing the same.
Thanks Steve and great to see you are onboard.
Playing with the figures can make all the difference to results. I often amaze when I get a sign up after over 12 months of constant emails.
It still works.
Peter H