Everybody says that the “money is in the list,“ that there is a higher return on investment from email marketing. You may have also heard that it’s the channel with the best cost-benefit rate. All of this is true. But did anyone ever tell you what you should NOT do to start off on the […]
Everybody says that the “money is in the list,“ that there is a higher return on investment from email marketing. You may have also heard that it’s the channel with the best cost-benefit rate. All of this is true. But did anyone ever tell you what you should NOT do to start off on the right foot?
Contents
- Make sure you don’t make these 10 email marketing mistakes
- 1. You are sending emails without permission
- 2. You do not have a segmented mailing list
- 3. Your content isn’t interesting
- 4. Your sign-up form is VERY long
- 5. You don’t carry out A/B testing
- 6. You don’t use call to actions
- 7. You don’t use the correct landing pages
- 8. Emails as an image instead of HTML templates
- 9. You missed the timing
- 10. You are ignoring people who no longer wish to receive your emails
Make sure you don’t make these 10 email marketing mistakes
1. You are sending emails without permission
There can be no email marketing campaign without the user´s permission. It’s as simple as that. If you have bought emails or obtained them through some other “smart” means, then you can forget it: you have already started on the wrong foot. Only send emails to those who have ALLOWED you to do so.
2. You do not have a segmented mailing list
If you don’t have a segmented mailing list, even though the emails were obtained with permission, your campaigns will be unsuccessful. If you work with a variety of products and services, uses segmented lists.
If you only work with one product or service, you can segment according to the range of people that use your product/service. In summary, segment, segment and segment.
3. Your content isn’t interesting
Dull content: dear me, the number of companies that send me emails like this. As for those that send me emails with interesting content, they can guarantee I´ll be eager to receive the next one… You need to know what interests your audience, and give it to them. If your audience wants informative content, give it to them, if they want great offers, then send them, it’s easy!
Interesting content is what they want. Create emails that will be read.
4. Your sign-up form is VERY long
Simplify as much as possible when creating your sign-up form. Most of the time, the company only needs two things: a person’s name and email address, that it! But many insist on asking for much more, resulting in a very low sign-up rate. Think of it this way: “What is trivial?”
Answer this question and request only what is normal, generally only “Name” and “Email”.
5. You don’t carry out A/B testing
Internet is a powerful tool, and one of the reasons for that is the A/B test. If you are leveraging email marketing but you’re still not using A/B testing, then you are losing money. Carry out A/B for EVERYTHING, for headings, for email format, the landing page,
6. You don’t use call to actions
What would you like to do when users read the email you´ve sent them? Would you like them to read more on your website? Would you like them to buy? Would you like them to call you?
Whatever it is that you want them to do, make it clear and simple, or better still, make it OBVIOUS. Do it so that users don’t need to think, it’s staring them in the face.
7. You don’t use the correct landing pages
An extremely simple mistake, but one that some people still make. Users open the email and see something attractive, for example, a product. They then click on the product and are taken to… the homepage. How come?
If they click on a product then they want to go directly to the page showing that product, and not get to the website only to have to search for what they want. Don’t do that!
8. Emails as an image instead of HTML templates
Only send emails HTML templates, otherwise, around half of your list won’t even see the email. Use HTML templates with a balanced distribution of text and images.
9. You missed the timing
Don’t be under the impression that you can send emails whenever you like, they need to have some timing. If you send one today and another in two months´ time, users may see that as spam.
The same applies when someone signs up for your newsletter today and only receives an email two months later: it’s useless! They won’t even remember it.
10. You are ignoring people who no longer wish to receive your emails
It’s quite common that when people request to unsubscribe to emails, that many companies still continue to send them. Unacceptable! If someone states that they no longer want to receive them, then you should stop sending them.
And another thing: when you don’t even provide an opt-out option on the email, users will ultimately put you on their blacklist. Don’t do this, let people have the freedom to choose.
What about you, have you ever made any of these email marketing mistakes?