Email marketing basics for first timers

2023 December 09 Marina Bay Media Blog Email marketing basics for first timers
Marina Bay Media 2023. Photograph.

Most business owners understand the power of email marketing. It's a great way to grow sales and build community. 

But are you ready to step your email game up? 

First — check on your content. Is it fresh and regularly updated? Second, do you have compelling visuals and a clear brand that will resonate with buyers? If you've answered yes, you are ready to get started with email marketing. Here's a step-by-step guide.

Start with your competitors

Looking at where you stand in the market is key to making the right marketing investments. Generate a list of your top 10 competitors and sign up for their email flows. Analyze their copy, creative, brand positioning, timing, and offers to get a send of how you can compete.

How to choose the right email tool

Choosing the right email tool can be overwhelming. Here are some examples: 

  • Braze
  • Constant Contact
  • Klaviyo
  • Litmus
  • Mailchimp
  • Sailthru
  • SendLoop
  • SendPulse
  • Segment

How to create an email list

Rule number one — keep a clean list. Then make sure to understand your customer. You can segment an email list by level of intent, demographics, location, and behavior. It's also important to ensure that users have opted in. Explain exactly what you will do and what they can expect (how often you'll message, types of content. 

Depending on your email service provider, you can implement automatic list clean-up and organization. For example, you can add users who've clicked on your shopping page link within the last 30 days to "active users" — while purging users who haven't interacted with your brand in the last year. Dynamically updating your list helps you pinpoint users with the most likelihood of opening your messages.

Finally, be sure you are upholding your branding and advertising policies. Keep up to date with legal guidelines such as the CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR, for example 

Metrics and KPIs

You've likely heard that email contributes to increasing customer lifetime value (LTV) — driving long-term engagement, repeat sales, and referrals. But here are some other metrics to track and what to aim for. 

  • Clicks and CTR (2-5%)
  • Open rate (15-25%)
  • Spam rate (less than 1%)
  • Unsubscribes (less than 1%)

What are the basic email flows?

Welcome Flow

First impressions are everything. Your welcome email is a way to showcase your value proposition and educate the customer on why they made the right decision. 

The goal is to educate — and show social proof that they've joined a great community. Try linking to case studies and highlighting customer testimonials — or touting recent accolades and high ratings.

You'll also want to draw attention to core features and benefits. And make sure to clearly communicate important policies, such as guarantees, warranties, shipping, and returns.  

Post-Purchase Flow

Customers have short attention spans, so thank them ASAP. Generally, you should be following up within one hour. 

The thank-you email is a great (and may be your only) opportunity for retargeting. Popular features for post-purchase messaging include:

  • Add-on discounts and bundle
  • Rewards for sharing with friends and family
  • Opt-ins to ongoing offers

You should also cement a relationship with customers by immediately asking for an opt-in to future marketing messages. Don't make the mistake of signing them up automatically — they may opt out and you'll lose a customer for life!

Abandoned Cart Flow

For customers taking their time on a purchase, it's up to sweeten the offer.

For example, create a catchy headline that emphasizes the product's price and benefits. You can also highlight convenience — such as a 100% guarantee or 24/7 support. 

How to write a good email

Think like a human, think like a buyer, and be a good writer.

Hiring a professional copywriter may also be a worthwhile investment. Poor copy and clickbait will get flagged by email providers — and it will annoy potential customers. 

Good email copy has a clear goal and right-size elements based on consumer behavior — not assumptions. Lead with user needs and nurture your community.

To get feedback on your email content, be sure to follow the rule of three. One person from branding, one from legal, and one decision maker (who says yes/no to the copy) is the most you need.

How to design a good email

Choosing high-quality images and videos is critical. Online buyers are spoiled for choice these days. 

Keep your design high-contrast and easy to read, avoiding more than 3 calls-to-action in total. That way, the customer will know exactly where to click to get what they need, fast.

How to create good email offers

There are three segments of consumers who benefit from email offers: new users, loyal customers, and those at risk of leaving. Here are some good ideas for offers:

New users
Codes for sharing with friends and family
One-time discounts

Loyal customers
Add-ons and bulk discounts
Rewards program offers
Seasonal deals

At-risk of leaving
Timed discounts
Free trials and samples

How to test emails

At a minimum, emails should be tested on all browsers and major email providers — plus mobile devices. Then, you may want to consider testing how specific elements perform.

A/B testing or split testing an email campaign starts by establishing a baseline for statistical significance (P value). Each test should go out to 1,000 users at minimum for the results to be statistically significant.

It's unwise to rely on your email service provider to automatically deploy the "winning" email. Popular elements to test in emails include copy, design, offers, and behaviors.

What's next in email marketing?

Once you've gotten into a good flow with emails, be sure to continuously test and seek out opportunities for improvement. As the market changes, so will the makeup of your customer base. 

You may find that what works one year needs tweaking the next.

Contact Marina Bay Media Today

If you are a business owner interested in creating a robust online and social media presence — and protecting your business reputation, contact Marina Bay Media. Our team of certified branding, marketing advertising; reputation management; social media; and web development experts is here to help you reach your clients and customers.