Email Marketing Isn't Dead, Here's 4 Ways to Keep It Alive

Email marketing is still one of the best forms of marketing.  It still provides the best form of ROI for marketers and converts better than social media even in many cases.

So why is email marketing struggling?   

Email is getting harder for two reasons:

1. The law of diminishing returns:  the more one channel is used/utilised the less it returns  
2. A demand for personalisation: users demand a more tailored digital experience
   

Why email marketing is changing?

The average office worker receives 90 emails a day. That’s a lot of emails to get through.  

Many emails can merge a Hi {first name} these days.  People demand a true bit of research in an email they receive.  Not a Hi buyproduct.com.

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But if done correctly email can still generate between 1%-10% lead response rates.

Some email marketing ideas to get 2019 rocking

If the market is changing we must adapt.  To adapt and win at email marketing we need to adopt some new rules.

Insight #1: Personalisation means personalisation

A merge field means nothing.  You need to be able to make the email mean something to the reader.  

Tip 1:  Personalise based on segmentation

• Create sub lists which can split targets into groups based on industry, role, location, skill, interests
• Personalise the content they receive, talk about their problems and your solutions
  

Tip 2: Personalise based on true research

• Is it worth spending 1-3 mins researching a prospect before they receive an email.  
• We believe it is.  At sella our research shows that a personalised note will increase open rates of an initial email and future emails by a factor of 2.2x
  

Insight #2: Multi Channel Advertising

Tip 3: Facebook and LinkedIn advertising can work

• LinkedIn and Facebook allow you to match an audience member to an email address
• This allows you to create targeted retargeting advertising campaigns and reshare content effectively
  

Tip 4: Include social campaigns/touch points in an email campaign

• Social media can allow you to engage a prospect before an email is sent
• LinkedIn allows you to engage a prospect before or after an email goes out
  

Insight #3: Multi Channel Campaign Management

Tip 5: Set up a campaign management system

• Many people fall down in managing multichannel marketing campaigns
• They lose track on campaign management as campaigns jump platform
• Invest in a system which can manage campaigns on multiple channels
  

Insight #4: Test plain text emails

Tip 6:  Try plain text emails to test open rates vs HTML designed emails

• HTML emails will often get pushed straight into a “promotions” label by email providers like gmail
• Try using a plain text email template and see the difference in open rates
• If your open rate improves it might be time to go plain text as opposed to a HTML design
  

There you go 4 ideas and 6 tips to get you on the right track with email marketing for 2019. Need help with this?  Want a strategy check in to get email and social working for your business?

Get in touch at sella.io