Despite all the bad press leveled towards email campaigns, they can be a very effective marketing tool. It is important to follow a few key rules in order to make sure that your communications end up being read, and not flushed away in the junk folder.
Make it Distinctive
Your customers probably receive between 50-100 pieces of email communication specifically for marketing purposes per day. If yours looks just like everyone else’s, then your chances of ending up in the deleted items folder is very high! Although content matters the most, the design also should look fresh and new – and feature the key points you want to highlight. For a food service company, a photo that shows your offering looking inviting and tasty is key. The process of email marketing is quite opposite to web development as it helps in grabbing the attention of customers.
Also, the subject title is absolutely critical! It is very important to make sure that it is both attention grabbing and descriptive – as your recipient will make a decision to delete or read your piece in about 30 seconds.
Send it to Your Warm Market for the Best Results
Although it is tempting to send an email campaign to everyone, you will get the best results if you send out emails only to your web market . Use lists you have generated from trade shows, in-store signups, signups from your website (always have a signup form on your site!), and past customer lists. This ensures that your emails will be welcome and read.
If you are just starting out and need to run an email marketing as a way of generating new leads, it is best to purchase a targeted email list that features only recipients who have expressed interest in similar products compiled through survey results. There are many places on the web where you can purchase such targeted lists, and they are more effective than the “shotgun approach”.
Adding an opt out link at the end of the message also helps you maintain a targeted list of who is interested, and who isn’t.
Track Your Results
Make sure that you keep track of all replies to your emails, as well as bounce notifications and opt-out notifications. Using a service such as Constant Contact means that all this data is stored for you – making it easier to manage and retrieve.
Offer Incentives
Your recipients will be much more likely to open and read your mass mailings if there is a coupon or other incentive inside. Many food companies such as Pillsbury offer valuable recipes as well as coupons. Sweepstakes are also great incentives, as everyone wants to be a winner.
Review Case Studies
Most email marketing service providers feature case studies of successful campaigns. It is a great idea to review these case studies to see what worked and why. This is how to build on the success of others!
