Email marketing is a powerful way to reach your customers, to let them know about upcoming events, promotions and new products, or to share valuable content with them between purchases.
The four main types of marketing emails are:
A successful email campaign leverages all (or most) of these strategically throughout the year and aligns them with your overall marketing plan.
Promotional Emails
Promotional Emails are one of the most popular types of emails. While they are a great way to drive sales and inform your audience of new products or upcoming events, you should be selective with how many you send out and consider how they are received by your mailing list.
The most successful promotional emails use 1-3 strong calls to action, like a Buy Now or Shop button. Try not to overwhelm your email recipients with too many options to click on.
Acquisition Emails
Acquisition Emails target those individuals who have signed up for your mailing list, but may not be an active customer.
It is important to send this audience content that drives action—this could be attractive offers, or content that encourages them to further engage with your business.
Retention Emails
Retention Emails are the unsung heroes of the email world. You’ve worked hard to grow your mailing list, so keep it current and active.
Take a closer look at those emails that have not engaged with you in the last 30-60 days and focus on sending them emails that request feedback or encourage them to engage with targeted promotions or offers.
Stagnant email lists can be your worst nightmare, and ignoring them for too long can lead to high unsubscription rates, bounces or spam reports.
Email Newsletters
Email Newsletters are a popular choice for businesses who want to share a lot of content at one time. They allow you to group promotions, new blog posts and upcoming events in a single, organized location.
It’s important to offer this content in a balanced and easy-to-follow format. Instead of using a lot of copy to explain your topic or event, condense the most important information into a headline and strong call to action button. Your readers are busy, so don’t overwhelm them with too many topics. Keep the overall look simple, and the most important content at the top.
When thoughtfully executed, email marketing is a powerful tool for small businesses. Leverage all four types of emails to provide your audience with valuable information and encourage them to engage with your business. It will help you to build a customer base with long-term loyalty and trust that ultimately shows in higher engagement and sales.
