Top 5 Email Marketing Musts from the Mailchimp Influencer
Email marketing continues to prove its worth in the digital marketing landscape. In a recent Digital Marketing Mentor podcast episode, Optidge founder Danny Gavin had a captivating conversation with Emily Ryan, a Mailchimp influencer. This discussion provided a treasure trove of insights and practical advice for anyone looking to harness the power of email marketing.
With the projected global revenue from the email marketing industry in 2024 expected to reach a staggering $12.33 billion, this is not just a figure; it’s a beacon of untapped potential that many may not even realize. This significant growth reflects the power of email content marketing. Indeed, it is a promising future that no one understands better than Emily. This potential should inspire optimism and excitement about the future of email marketing.
Emily’s expertise and influence in developing and executing email content marketing strategies have uniquely positioned her to recognize this market’s needs.
Let’s take a deep dive into the top 5 email marketing musts according to this well-respected Mailchimp influencer.
1. An Undiscovered Goldmine: Getting into the Inbox
Emily’s passion for email marketing is palpable. This is especially true when she highlights its unique advantages, particularly its direct access to potential customers’ inboxes.
“Going into someone’s inboxes is like going into their living room. It’s like a personal place you get to go into. That is super powerful.”
Research into email marketing certainly backs that up.
In a recent article, a summary of two studies indicated that email marketing promises one of the highest ROI of all marketing channels for every dollar spent in 2024.
This digital marketing tactic is often used ineffectively or overlooked altogether. Many businesses don’t understand that their email lists are valuable for reaching a large percentage of their customer base. Essentially, it’s an untapped resource.
Unlike sharing content on social media platforms, which own your audience, you own your email list. This ownership should empower businesses to spend more time on their email strategy, as having direct access to someone’s mailbox can reap a high ROI if the timing and message are correct.
An effective email marketing strategy will allow businesses to build their list of engaged subscribers who have elected to receive their content. These are not just random email addresses but individuals who have shown interest in your brand and are more likely to convert. Email marketing can curate an audience legitimately interested in what you have to deliver.
2. The As and Bs of Email Marketing
One of the most underutilized features in email marketing is A/B testing.
“I’m always blown away that people aren’t A/B testing their emails.”
A/B testing, also known as email split testing, is a simple yet powerful controlled experiment in which two or more versions of an email are sent to different segments of an audience.
For example, marketers can determine which version performs best by experimenting with subject lines, content formats, and send times.
The goal is to use the most effective email to improve email metrics, click-through rates (CTRs), conversion rates, and optimize campaigns.
A/B testing can ensure that your email choices are evidence-based and that you deliver the information your audience wants to read.
3. Work Smarter, Not Harder
According to Emily, automation is the second most overlooked email marketing tool. Email automation involves sending automated messages to your audience based on meeting predefined criteria, and various platforms are built to assist with this.
By setting up automated workflows within these platforms, businesses can ensure that their audience receives timely and relevant content, enhancing the overall effectiveness of their email marketing strategy.
For example, instead of emailing people for two months once they join, why not set up ten different email welcomes ahead of time?
Automation should be part of every email marketing strategy. The automated marketing response will make your workflow more efficient, optimize costs, reduce errors, promote brand awareness, and improve the customer experience. It will also enhance your email list segmentation, re-engage individuals who might have been losing interest, and allow for detailed reporting. It’s time to work smarter, not harder.
4. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
The importance of visually appealing emails cannot be overemphasized. While plain text emails have their place, Emily estimates that 95% of the emails they send involve creating HTML graphic emails.
Many images can be included in an email, from pictures of people and logos to product images and call-to-action buttons; there is plenty of choice. Further, many tools exist within email marketing platforms and as standalone tools to help craft visually appealing and engaging imagery.
Images are crucial to an email campaign because our brains are hardwired to process images faster than text. Images help information stand out in a crowded inbox and enable you to communicate your message quickly and effectively.
Additionally, messages in emails can be a source of lead generation. The more attention your email receives, the greater the likelihood of people clicking through to your landing page.
Images leave a lasting impact and impression on your audience.
5. Like Peanut Butter and Jelly: SMS and Email
While email remains a cornerstone of digital marketing, the recent introduction of MailChimp’s SMS marketing tool has added a new dimension. Unlike email, SMS offers the element of immediacy, which is well-suited for timely promotions. It also provides another access channel to customers through their phones and generates quick responses or updates on order information.
A recent article indicated that subscribers who receive both email and SMS are 2.4 times more likely to buy than those who receive just texting.
Together, email marketing and SMS texting can form a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, providing greater depth, a wider audience reach, and increased customer engagement.
The Email Marketing Musts
If you’ve ever questioned the power of email marketing, Emily always asks them, “Have you been in your email today? I guarantee that most of us either have our Gmail tab open or check our email daily.”
Emily’s insights into email marketing testify to her expertise and the untapped power of this field. For anyone looking to enhance their email marketing strategy, the valuable lessons shared in this post included:
- Email content marketing combined with SMS texting can provide a more comprehensive marketing strategy than alone.
- Incorporating images in an email campaign is vital to its success
- Automation should be part of every email marketing strategy.
- A/B testing ensures that your email choices are evidence-based and that you deliver the information your audience wants to read.
- Email marketing is often used ineffectively or overlooked altogether. It is a powerful and untapped resource.
By embracing the power of email marketing and staying adaptable to new opportunities, businesses can build lasting relationships with their audience and achieve remarkable results.
Contact us to learn more about incorporating email marketing strategies with Optidge.