Email marketing is a fantastic way to stay in touch with current customers and grab new ones in the process. Often, we fill branded emails with deals, sales, coupon codes, and more to keep people opening and clicking. However, you might not be reaching your full potential. Are you making these five common email marketing mistakes?
1. Not Maintaining Your Mailing List
Once people hit subscribe, they go into your mailing list. This includes corresponding information about each customer and helps you understand your customers through patterns, reports, analytics, data, and demographics.
But a mailing list doesn’t maintain itself, and an out-of-date one can cause issues. However, here are three regular activities to gain the most out of a mailing list.
Review Names & Information For Accuracy
Go through the list and make sure names aren’t misspelled or there isn’t conflicting information. Typos can mess with the email system and complicate delivery.
Remove Inactive Users
Cutting inactive users from your list can help the overall health of an email campaign. Having too many of these can hurt the overall analytics and drag down engagement. If someone hasn’t opened an email for six months, cut them. You want your emails to go to subscribers who want to buy from you. They are the ones who matter. Make them the priority.
Keep Costs Down By Managing Your List
You’ll have to get a bigger plan as your list grows. Removing inactive, low engagement, fake, or duplicate addresses will help you stay on budget, reach engaged customers, and make your emails work for you.
2. Sending Filler Emails
In marketing, content is king, and people subscribe to see what you have to offer. If you waste their time with irrelevant content and information, they’ll hit the unsubscribe button. You can cover a lot with bite-sized paragraphs and beautiful pictures. And when you need to say a little more, don’t be afraid to provide a button that takes them to the long read. They’ll appreciate the freedom of choice.
Use Clear Calls-To-Action
Save time and confusion by having clear calls-to-action (CTAs). Make it obvious and convenient to follow you on social media, buy a product, or click a link. Don’t hide or bury it — put it out front and center. Your subscribers will thank you.
Avoid Filler Words
Tighten up reading time by avoiding filler words, such as:
- Whatever,
- Just,
- Et cetera,
- Totally, and
- Just in case.
If you can say it with three words instead of five, do so. Avoid complicated or collegiate words. Emails are informal reading and should be conversational. Read it out loud and if it sounds too stuffy, try these tricks to make it flow better.
3. Erratic Sending Schedule
When starting an email campaign, it’s difficult to know what time of day to send out an email. It’s best to find a time that works and stick to it. Consistency over time will work out better than chasing the perfect mail time.
Less Is More When Sending Emails
People will unsubscribe if bombarded with emails. Decide the type of emails you plan to send throughout the month, then try to condense information or combine two emails into one. Long-form emails should be monthly and more frequent. Time-sensitive emails, such as an upcoming sale or a limited-time coupon code, should be short and sweet.
Stick To An Email Calendar
You’ll lose your carefully gained trust and subscriber count if you drop off the schedule or miss dates. Remember, they took the time to fill out a form. They have expectations. If you drop the ball and miss emails or drop off entirely, that reflects poorly on your company.
4. Email Clutter Causes Confusion
Give it space. Each item in your email needs some space around it. Think about it as giving pictures and paragraphs space to breathe. If it looks too tight, use white space and it’ll look a lot better.
Don’t Over Inform Your Readers
Avoid the temptation to pack your email with information; emails are Cliff’s Notes version of your pitch. Give readers a taste then send them to your blog or website for more information.
Use Visuals Strategically
A carefully placed image can add impact, appeal, and beauty to any email but too many can overpower the text and purpose. As much as we love a beautiful image grid, that belongs on Instagram. Choose the best images to support the email and add the rest to your website or social media.
Avoid Subscriber Whiplash
We love a good sale, coupon, or deal as much as the next person. But, it can be too much if the email is full of deals and offers — you’re giving your subscribers whiplash. Choose one or two good deals and make sure they occupy a central part of the email.
5. Encourage Sign-Ups
You’re great. Do people know where to sign up for your email? Make sure people are aware of where to go and how to sign up. Put a CTA in the header asking them to join or have a sign-up in the footer. Make it easy and don’t be afraid to ask for sign-ups throughout the website.
Use Sign-Up Incentives
People are more likely to subscribe if they receive exclusives for joining. Throw a unique coupon code in the confirmation email as a thank you for joining. Keep them opening your emails if there’s a chance of a secret sale or free shipping.
Use Email & Social Media Together
These marketing channels aren’t mutually exclusive; they can work together. Push for email signup on social media and push for follows on social media in your email. Run contests, giveaways, and sweepstakes to capture more sign-ups. Advertise it everywhere your company exists. Get the word out.
Use Email Marketing To Your Advantage With Farmboy
Are you making a few of these mistakes? Now’s the time to change that. Email has been around for a long time, and it continues to be a great way of reaching customers. The Farmboy digital marketing team knows the ins and outs of building a results-focused email strategy for our clients. Begin engaging and delighting your customers by contacting Farmboy today!
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