Email provides an easy and efficient way to communicate with customers, which is why so many businesses have turned to email marketing in an effort to boost their sales. Any email you send to current or potential customers can be thought of as part of your company’s email marketing strategy, but it is a good idea to figure out your goals so you can make the most of every message sent by your company.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing most commonly refers to emails that contain advertisements, calls to action (CTAs), or other forms of marketing that try to encourage current or potential customers to purchase a company’s products or services. You can send emails to people who have made purchases from your company in the past to tell them about new products or specials. You can also send emails to non-customers who might be interested in your business to encourage them to visit your store in person or take a look around your website.
What are the benefits of email marketing?
There are many benefits that email marketing can offer to businesses of all sizes. Some of the most appealing benefits of this type of marketing include:
- Reaching more people. Your business can reach out to a huge audience with email marketing. That’s because there are approximately 2.5 billion people using email around the world, and around 244.5 million of them are in the United States. Most of the email addresses used in the United States—79% of them—belong to consumers. Unlike print, radio, and TV ads that will only be seen by people who subscribe to those services, email ads can be seen by people of all ages, with all interests, from all walks of life. Email marketing also allows you to target potential customers when they’re on the go, as 53% of emails sent are opened on cell phones or other mobile devices.
- Creating your audience. As a business owner, you don’t want to waste time or money advertising to people who likely won’t become customers. It is much more effective to target people who have either purchased from you in the past or are likely to do so in the future. Your email list should be made up of people who have shown interest in the types of products or services your business provides.
- Spending wisely. If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to advertise, email marketing is a great choice. Other forms of marketing can be expensive due to printing, shipping, and other associated costs. Email marketing can work for any budget and can also help businesses improve their profits. In fact, research shows that every $1 spent in email marketing can result in a profit of $44.
- Advertising regularly. Physical advertisements take time to create and display, but emails are quick and easy to send. Email marketing makes it easier for businesses to advertise frequently, which can lead to more business. Social media marketing also provides this benefit, but email marketing has been shown to have 40 times the effectiveness when it comes to gaining new customers compared to marketing on Facebook or Twitter.
- Encouraging people to share. When people are interested in your business, they are more likely to tell their friends and family about it. It’s easier than ever for consumers to share information about businesses online, and emails are incredibly easy to share. Members of your email list can forward a message to people they know or share it on social media. In fact, people who receive email ads are over 3 times more likely to share information about the business on social media than people who receive ads from other sources.
How do you create an email list?
Once you’ve decided to start utilizing email marketing strategies, you’ll need to put together a list of online users who are likely to purchase your products or services. One of the easiest and most effective ways to start building this list is to put a subscription form or button on your website. You can also include a subscription link on your social media profiles to encourage people who are checking out your business to subscribe to your email list. Create engaging emails that will inspire subscribers to share them with people they know, which can lead to more subscribers. You can also start a contest where people are entered to win a prize after subscribing to your email list.
How do you get started?
You need engaging text as well as eye-catching graphics to create the most effective email marketing campaigns. Hiring an online marketing company to help you craft your email advertising strategy will give you the tools, expertise, and style needed to attract subscribers.
Are you ready to learn more about email marketing? Pennington Creative can help you discover how this type of marketing can work for your business. Contact us today to learn more about our marketing services, including content and design for small and medium-sized businesses.
