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If you are a regular follower of our blog (thank you!) you know we are huge proponents of email campaigns. If you missed our previous blog on the relevancy of email marketing in 2021, you can read it here.

There are those who consider email marketing to be the worn-out medium used by their marketing forefathers…but recent research indicates this simply isn’t true. In fact, email drives a return on investment of $36 for every dollar spent on email marketing, a figure drastically higher than revenue generated using other marketing channels.

If you’re on board with using email for your next marketing campaign but are unsure how to get started, you’re going to love this post. We’ve created an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide for setting up a successful email campaign in no time.

1. Create Appealing Options

You can’t create an email campaign if you have no one to send it to. Create eye-catching optins with appealing lead magnets, or offers, to entice those visiting your website to sign up on your email list.

Your lead magnet should be some type of free resource related to your field that will compel visitors to sign up for your email list/newsletter in exchange for said resource. What you offer will depend on your niche, but lead magnets can include:

• Checklists
• Calendars
• Cheat sheets
• Resource lists
• Templates
• Printables
• Downloadable worksheets or workbooks

 
Whatever you choose, your lead magnet should be something that provides real value to your visitors, solves a problem for them, and/or demonstrates your level of expertise in your field.

2. Create Your Email Campaign

Log into your email service and create a new campaign. Be sure to give it a relevant name so you can easily find it later and evaluate the campaign results.

Give plenty of careful thought to the subject line of your email. Without sounding too dramatic, this single sentence can either make or break your entire campaign, so it’s important to get it right.

When it comes to a subject line, longer isn’t better. Most email inboxes display about 60 characters in a subject line and mobile phones only reveal 25-30…so try to keep your subject line to 6 – 8 words, max.

Subject lines that compel recipients to open emails tend to have a sense of urgency, promise a reward for opening, or are witty and/or funny. Do not, under any circumstances write your subject in all caps or include the word “free”—both come across uber spammy and are likely to get your email flagged by spam filters.

3. Build Your Email Using a Template

Most email platforms offer a variety of templates that allow you to fill in the predesigned arrangement and adjust the colors/logos to make it match your brand.

Once you’ve chosen a template, be sure to save it so it can be used for future emails. You may choose a different format for different emails—newsletters, for example, may look different than promotional offers. Save each template for each type of email to ensure future emails are structured in the same manner…doing so will help readers recognise those emails as yours when they arrive in their inbox.

4. Add That Content

Make sure the tone and voice used in your emails matches the tone and voice of your brand. Create content that is service oriented—what is this email doing for your reader?

Ideally, you are providing them with valuable information: an informative list of tips and tricks, an update on your company, new products/services, a behind-the-scenes look at inner workings of your business, and/or an exclusive coupon code to be used for your products or services.

Be sure to include well-branded, eye-catching images and/or graphics…and leave plenty of negative space. Emails that are too wordy end up looking like a term paper and are likely to end up in the trash folder.

5. Take the Time to Preview Your Finished Email

Before you press send, take the time to preview your email and make sure everything looks great and functions properly.

• Are hyperlinks included in the right spots…and do they work?
• Does the coupon code you included function on your website?
• Is your email free of spelling and grammatical errors?

 
Once you’ve looked it over, send it to a coworker for a final review…just to be safe.

6. Decide When to Send Your Email and Schedule its Release

Depending on your industry, when you send your email can affect the success of your campaign.

As a rule, mid-week emails seem to enjoy the highest open rate so plan to schedule your campaign to go out Tuesday – Thursday. Most experts agree a mid-morning release leads to a higher open rate, so shoot for a 9am – 11am delivery.

7. Analyse Your Campaign Results

It is important to analyse the results of your campaign so you can determine what went right…and fix what went wrong to optimise future campaigns.

Three metrics you need to review following an email campaign are:

• Delivery rate – did your email get the intended audience?
• Open rate – did that subject line you worked so hard on do its job and compel recipients to open your email?
• Click through rate – did recipients complete your desired action (click links, follow your call to action, use your coupon code)?

 

Sifting through this information will help you improve future email campaigns.

And there you have it—a well-crafted email campaign in seven easy steps. While email campaigns are infinitely easier to set up today than they were in years past, the process does require thoughtful preparation. If you find yourself looking for personalised guidance in the process, contact us at Digital Canteen. We specialise in helping clients up their email open rate while avoiding the dreaded trash folder.

We look forward to helping you create an email strategy that fits the voice of your brand and lands right in front of your target audience.

Thanks for reading,
Digital Canteen Team
02-9025-4304