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Amidst numerous new ways to reach customers, does email marketing still hold value?

The results and figures overwhelmingly affirm a resounding 'yes'!

Email marketing boasts an incredible return on investment of $36 for every $1 spent. In addition, McKinsey and Company's study found that customers are three times more likely to buy from an email than social media. 

Prepare for an eye-opening realisation of just how effective email marketing remains, even in 2024.

If you are assuming email marketing is the best option for your business this upcoming year, you’re reading the right blog! Read on as we unveil the best email marketing practices to set your campaigns ablaze this 2024! 

Why email marketing in 2024? 

Despite the rise of social media and other digital marketing channels, email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience. Here are a few reasons why:

Provides a direct line of communication.

When you send an email, it goes directly to the recipient's inbox. This gives you a better chance of getting their attention than posting on social media or running a paid ad campaign.

It can be highly personalised.

You can segment your email list and send targeted emails to different groups of subscribers. This allows you to send more relevant and engaging emails specific to these subscribers' needs. 

It is measurable. 

You can track your email metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This data can help you improve your email marketing campaigns over time.

It is relatively inexpensive. 

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing channels. You won't pay for amplifying its reach unlike in paid ads or social media campaigns. 

8 best email marketing practices 

1. Build a quality email list. 

As the name implies, the email list you're constructing should focus on quality, not merely vanity metrics. Construct an email marketing list that drives high-quality, converting leads.

While it can be tempting to buy email addresses, resist the urge. Aside from not getting authentic engagements and results, you're also going against the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) standards. Keep it authentic and genuine!

And it doesn't end there. Once you've got a high-quality list, update it regularly. By doing so, you make sure you're connecting with authentic contacts and removing unresponsive subscribers, reducing the clutter.

2. Personalise email campaigns. 

Personalisation extends beyond including names in subjects or greetings. It's about demonstrating the relevance of your offer—answering the question, 'Why do I need your offer?'

You can accomplish this by tailoring your email marketing by finding your clients' previous interactions with your website and social media pages. Then you can organise these clients based on their specific criteria. This is called email segmentation. 

By segmenting your email list, you ensure your subscribers aren't bombarded with emails they won't interact with, and only the ones that matter to them. 

3. Craft engaging subject lines. 

Your email's subject line can make or break your entire email marketing campaign. And no, this isn't an exaggeration. 

Spice up your email marketing subject lines with these:

• Incentives. Incentives don't always come in the form of discounts. You can provide them with insightful information and articles for their future reference. 
• Address their pain points. Your subject line can address a specific pain point right away, and it captures your subscribers' interest. 
• Use emojis. Using emojis in subject lines increases its chances of being opened. It catches attention and optimises space. 
• Keep it short. A subject line with 30-50 characters, applying all the tricks above, is enough. 

4. Design mobile-friendly emails. 

Since most of your subscribers view emails on their phones, ensuring mobile responsiveness is an absolute necessity.

Responsive email marketing ensures it can adapt to any device without distorting formats or images. With that, you're giving your subscribers a seamless customer experience.

Follow these tips for responsive emails:

• Use a single-column layout. 
• Pick readable fonts.
• Optimise images for mobile access.
• Use a big typeface for call-to-action buttons. 

5. Focus on quality content. 

To begin, avoid mixing content that might confuse your readers. For instance, excluding details about your business's upcoming event from an industry insights email helps readers focus on the specific action—whether to read the blog or sign up for the event.

Keeping it short but direct, simple, and engaging also convinces them to click your CTAs. Add some sense of urgency and use eye-catching visuals to capture their attention.

Adding video significantly improves email marketing conversion. It's also an effective method to save space in your email since all the content you wish to convey is now included in the video.

6. Test and analyse your email marketing campaigns.

Customer trends and behaviours evolve constantly, making it essential for your email marketing campaigns to adapt accordingly.

By testing and analysing your email marketing campaigns, you can determine what strategies work best and what sections need improvement. An effective test is the A/B test, where you send two versions of the same email to different sets of subscribers to see which converts best. 

This isn't only for emails. Test out your landing pages as well. Ensure it loads fast and can be browsed on any device. 

Some key performance indicators for your email marketing campaigns are:

• Open rates: how many people open your emails
• Click-through rates: how many people click your email CTA
• Unsubscribe rates: how many people have unsubscribed from your email 
• ROI: how much the campaign makes versus your campaign spending 

7. Follow email marketing regulations. 

Being transparent with your email marketing campaigns allows you to be compliant with the regulations surrounding it. That way, you also ensure you're running a legitimate campaign.

Some countries have mandated email marketers to notify their subscribers about their data collection policies and must inform them properly about them. If your email list is purchased, these emails have no consent to share their data with you. And that could spell trouble.

Also, allow your subscribers to easily unsubscribe from your emails. While it might result in a loss, making the process difficult can worsen the situation.

8. Stay in the loop with email marketing trends. 

As customer needs and trends evolve, email marketing undergoes constant change. Your campaign should be prepared to swiftly adapt to these shifts.

Be informed of these changes by keeping up with industry updates. You can also read the latest industry trends, articles, and blogs here at Elephant in the Boardroom!

Conclusion

Harnessing the power of email marketing in 2024 demands a strategic approach that aligns with the evolving digital landscape and consumer behaviours. The eight best practices outlined provide a comprehensive guide to drive impactful results and foster a meaningful connection with your audience.

Ready to email your way to success? Partner with Elephant in the Boardroom to create emails that convert and boost your business.