Email marketing continues to outperform other digital marketing channels, including social media and paid search, and with a return on investment of $36 for every dollar spent, investing in email marketing campaign can have some serious payoffs.

Every business, whether it has a physical or virtual presence, needs an email marketing strategy. It is especially important for small businesses because it jumpstarts the sales process, strengthens it, and raises customer awareness of the brand.

How to Get Started with Email Marketing

When a business is in its early stages, a well-crafted email marketing strategy boosts conversion and customer acquisition.

Email marketing campaign is useless if it is not executed strategically. You can achieve your campaign goals and KPIs by incorporating the following email marketing tips.

1. Collect email addresses for your email marketing list

To begin an email list, most businesses will have some existing contacts. Consider the customers and people with whom you already have a relationship.

Don’t be discouraged if you’re starting from scratch with your email list. Begin by placing a paper sign-up sheet near your register, incorporating an online sign-up form into your website, and encouraging your social media followers and loyal customers to sign up.

| Use these tips to grow your email list!

2. Select the type of email campaign

Email campaigns differ and deciding which one to use can be difficult. Do you distribute a weekly newsletter? Should you send out announcements about new products? Which blog posts should you share?

Every marketer is plagued by these questions. The answer is subjective.

You can begin by learning about the various types of email campaigns available, and then decide which is best for your target audience.

You should also create separate lists for different types of emails so that customers and prospects only receive emails that are relevant to them.

3. Options for simple registration and subscription

As a small business looking to expand and scale operations, you must take some basic steps to attract attention. The first step is to make it as simple as possible for your customers to register for or subscribe to your email list.

Do not make the process more difficult by requesting unnecessary information or requiring lengthy registration forms. With a single-click signup option, all you need is a name and a valid email address.

4. Make your emails look good

Create an email that resonates with your audience and has an appealing tone. A lot goes into creating the perfect email. A perfectly curated email has an eye-catching, attention-grabbing, attractive, and appealing design.

Because most people only skim through the information, use bold colors, words, and appealing visuals to stand out. Designing an email is an art, so take your time in coming up with the right design, visuals, and information.

5. Offer incentives and promotions

When subscribers and customers sign up for your email campaigns, offer them incentives. They should understand what benefit they will receive, what value you provide, what discounts and sales are currently available, and how valuable your business is.

Incentives for subscribers encourage more leads and assist small businesses in expanding their market.

6. Create a schedule

Determine how frequently you intend to contact your list and inform your audience ahead of time.

They’ll know exactly what to expect ahead of time this way. Failure to do so can result in a large number of unsubscribes and even landing you in their spam folder.

Furthermore, once you’ve established a schedule, stick to it. It will foster trust and keep you at the forefront of your audience’s minds.

7. Preview and test before sending

It’s easy to make mistakes with email marketing, especially when you’re first starting out.

Perhaps you overlooked an important link or made an embarrassing spelling error right in the subject line. Doh! Because there is no Back button in email, always send yourself or a staff member a Test Email before sending to your entire list.

8. Keep track of your results

Don’t be deceived: email marketing does not end with a send. You should keep track of your open and click-through rates, as well as your unsubscribe rates, and work to improve them over time.

If you want to see real results from your email marketing, you must first understand how each email performs so that you can make improvements and learn more about your customers and subscribers.

Spending a few minutes in your email reports will provide you with valuable information such as who opened your email, who clicked on specific links, and what information was most interesting to your readers.

9. Select an email marketing service provider

If you’re serious about email marketing, you’ll need to work with an email marketing service provider. Working with a provider is the only way for your company to use email marketing automation to effectively deliver messages to large groups of contacts or subscribers.

You’ll also get professional email templates, tools to help you grow and manage your email list, and tracking features that show you who is opening and engaging with your campaigns and messages.

Do you need assistance getting started with your email marketing strategy?

Learn how an email marketing company can help you make the most of your marketing budget.

Consider Xoopah if you’re just starting out with email marketing or looking for a new email marketing tool. Our Starter plan for small businesses includes everything you need to take your email marketing strategy to the next level. Request early access to our platform today.