How can I sell more with email marketing?

Email may be one of the oldest forms of marketing, but, with an ROI of 3800 per cent, it is also the most effective. You read that right: thirty-eight hundred per cent! Which means that, for every cent you put in, you get 38 back. This kind of return simply can't be matched with social media marketing or Google Adwords. How do you pull this off? A matter of believing in the power of email and knowing how to craft and send out a successful email to your customers.

Allow yourself to be convinced by these email marketing statistics

On July 22^nd, 2020, HubSpot, a leading global platform for marketing, sales, customer service and CRM software, published a survey with the latest statistics from the world of email marketing. The following is of relevance to you:

• 35 per cent of business professionals check their email on a mobile phone.
• 75 per cent of millennials prefer to receive communication from a company by email.
• users of segmented campaigns record profit increases of up to 760 per cent.
• email engagement (open rate, click rate) has grown 78 per cent in the last year.
• 80 per cent of business professionals believe that email marketing increases customer retention.
• 59 per cent of respondents say marketing emails influence their purchase decision.
• 59 per cent of marketers say email is the biggest source of ROI.

Convinced of the usefulness and necessity of email marketing? Great, then we can move on: how do you get started with email marketing?

Types of emails

There are many different types of emails. These are the most common:

• A daily, weekly or monthly newsletter.
• Emails that are sent out based on consumer behaviour. The purchase confirmation someone receives after placing an order, for example. These fall under the heading of 'marketing automation'.
• Emails aiming to sell more, better and faster, and which often have a special offer.

In the best-case scenario, you use the different forms in conjunction with one another. In this article, we focus on the email that is aimed at conversion rate. After all, you do want to sell more, right now.

The email targeting conversion rate: sell more, right now

With the right email marketing software, you can put together a successful email in no time. The most widely used software packages for email marketing are Mailchimp, Laposta, ActiveCampaign, and Spotler. Webshop owners use these the most for a reason: the packages can be linked to your webshop. Benefit: you receive extensive reports on the results of the email, and the email addresses of customers who place orders are automatically transferred.

Have you chosen the software? Then you can get started.

Putting together a successful email

1: An eye-catching subject line

How many emails do you receive each day? Exactly, too many to open all of them attentively, let alone read them. Your customers receive dozens of emails each day. It's up to you to stand out. We could write a book on this subject. Here are a few tips and ideas to keep things manageable, so you can get started right away:

• Create urgency.
• Spark curiosity.
• Make a special offer.
• Call the recipient by name.
• Be relevant.
• Start a narrative.
• Keep it short and sweet.
• Start with an action word.
• Use numbers.
• Ask a question.

The right subject line will benefit the email's open rate. And once that email has been opened, you're already halfway there! All that remains is the click in the email to get them to your website.

2: Relevant information

Once you have convinced the recipient to open the email, it is important to live up to expectations. You don't do this with flat advertising texts. The recipient has to benefit from the message, and relevant information is necessary for this.

In the first line, make it immediately clear why they're receiving the email, and what you have to offer them. Make your customer feel special!

Next, you want to share as clear a message as possible. Almost the same tips apply here as for the subject line:

• Be clear and keep it short and sweet.
• Make it clear where the recipient should click, and what they will be getting.
• Do you have a special offer? Then clearly state what this entails, and when it expires.

If you can convince the reader to click, they will be entering your webshop. Your e-commerce website then does the rest. With the help of marketing automation software, you could follow up any shopping carts that have been filled, but later abandoned, with an automated email.

No idea what to send your customers? Join forces and work with a supplier or partner for a change.

3: An attractive layout

Like the subject line, the layout is also important to get noticed by the reader. Do you want them to stay tuned and convert (click and buy)? Then make sure you have a clear structure - so the reader immediately understands what the intention is - and look and feel that suits your webshop.

To be fair, we aren't experts in this field, but digital marketing agency NeverBounce is. They recently published a post on email marketing design. If you would like to find out more about this topic, this is worth reading: 14 Email Marketing Designs Worth Testing in 2020.

By the way, if you opt for Mailchimp's email marketing software, you get access to hundreds of tested and proven email templates. Which saves you a lot of time and effort!

4: Time the mailing

You don't want to be a stalker; at the same time, don't be a stranger. So plan the emails you send out carefully. How often - and at what time - depends on each target group and product. Do you get a lot of unsubscribes? Then you may be mailing too much (or not sharing relevant content). Are your emails not being opened? Then it could be that the recipients aren't familiar with you. Tip: Instead of a company name, use a personal name as the sender. For example, 'Tim from Combidesk'.

5: Hold on. Do you have permission?

Before you hit 'Send', there's one more thing to do: have you the recipient's permission to email them? It is mandatory to have an opt-in; otherwise, your message will end up in the spam box, and - in the worst-case scenario - your email address may be blocked. So sort this out before you get started with email marketing.

Do you have a customer base that you can mail? If so, you can link your webshop to your email marketing software through Combidesk: then all your contacts will be ready to be emailed. And with that required opt-in.

Email is gold

Needless to say: with a good email list, you've struck gold. Email marketing requires little time, money or effort, and delivers more than any other form of marketing. What content will you be sharing with your customers?