Newsletters were once a great way to touch your client base every month, keeping them up to date with the new advances and happenings within your company. However, they became overused and underappreciated, going directly into spam or deleted before they ever reached a person's eyes. This change of attitude towards newsletters does not mean email marketing is no loner a valid option, however, it does mean the way in which email marketing is conducted must be adjusted to fit the way in which people are reading email.
One of the most important ideas to remember when participating in email marketing is the way in which people are getting and reading emails and news in general. People are no longer sitting at a computer to read your email. They are on the train, bus, or grabbing a quick lunch while catching up on emails on their smartphones or tablets. They will devote approximately 3 to 5 lines (which equate to about 5 to 10 seconds) to your email if it is not directly related to business at hand, before moving on. Therefore, you must catch their attention int he subject line and the first two lines of your text. Excessive graphics are a waste of time and will ultimately result in being deleted.
This means newsletters are no longer relevant. People care about your business as much as they care about a commercial on television, even if they have been your client for thirty years. Therefore, your email must be as catchy as a commercial on television, of course in the written format as oppose to the graphic format. You must have news that is informative, interesting, and witty. And it must be able to reach an audience in an email as well as social media. Your campaign must tie your business together with their unknown needs on several letters.
Email campaigns have become a way to share small tidbits of information, such as a quick press release regarding a new business merger, addition of a new key employee or a new offering. They may also be useful as a way to share your blog or even advertise a large upcoming promotion, which can result in several progressive emails over the course of several weeks, if done properly.
The logistics are just as important as the content. Proper email campaign etiquette has been well-defined over the years. to begin, never just add a person to your campaign because you happen to have their business card. Ask permission, or risk deletion. Also, provide an out. You must let people know they can unsubscribe and provide an easy option to allow for that process, or your email will be marked as spam. Finally, allow your website to generate interest in your email campaign, offering those interested parties to register through a website link.
If you are interested in producing a productive email campaign, The Mighty Pen is happy to help. We can design the campaign, write the content, and even manage it for you, including linking it with social media outlets to allow more traction back to your site. Contact us at www.themighty-pen.com to learn how we can help you market your business so you can focus on your business at hand.