If you ever wondered what the most cost-effective marketing trend was to grow your business, we have two words for you: Email. Marketing.
Why? Because in the U.S alone there are over 91% of adults who use email. And every dollar you spend on email marketing you make $38 in return. So, therefore, the benefits of email marketing are profound in getting foot-traffic through the door and turning them into sales.
Your competitors have already begun the jump too. Sixty-six percent of customers make a purchase as a result of email marketing. Email has also proven to be 40 times more effective than Facebook or Twitter in helping your business acquire new customers.
Data has shown that emails prompt purchases at three times the rate of social media. Also, the average value of a purchase is 17% higher than traditional purchases.
So what should your strategy be as you begin to build your email marketing campaign funnel? We’re glad you asked!
- Set up your email list
- Choose an email service provider! Campaign Monitor and Mail Chimp are some of our favorites.
- Make sure your service provider supplies you with in-depth analytics so you can measure the success of your marketing campaigns.
- Collect email addresses
- You can do this by creating an opt-in form, aka ‘sign up for our newsletter’.
- There are also ‘offline’ marketing tactics to gain emails, such as:
- Adding a free offer popup in your homepage
- Encouraging people to sign up by including an offer or signup URL on online orders.
- Running a prize draw, and asking people to enter and opt into your marketing emails.
- Using SMS marketing and asking people to send a text message to subscribe to your updates.
- Send promotional and relational emails
- Relational emails help build your relationship with your subscriber, by delivering free information or gifts.
- Promotional emails promote your business and notify subscribers about offers and sales, such as:
- Highlight new items, changes to product inventory, special sales, and events.
- Tell the story of how your business got started.
- Introduce subscribers to the people behind the brand
- Show how you create your product.
- Show off interviews, reviews, and positive coverage.
- Include blog content.
- Celebrate your customers.
And here’s a final piece of insider scoop to best marketing practices: Send a welcome email to your new subscribers! Make sure your online form sends an instant email, and add a catchy subject line for some extra incentive.
Don’t listen to the rumors, email is far from dead – we promise. In fact, it’s actually growing. So why wait on getting extra foot traffic through your door? Use email marketing to flood new and returning customers to your local business!
