Email has been around for decades, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s a critical part of digital marketing but often overlooked or done poorly. Why? It takes a lot of work to capture someone’s attention in a split second and nurture their interest with relevant content that ultimately converts them into customers. 

 

Being so, email is still one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience and achieve your marketing goals. A recent study by McKinsey & Co. found that email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter combined. [source]

 

Related: Master The Art of B2B Email Marketing With Key 6 Rules

 

So if you’re not doing it well or not doing it at all, now is the time to change that. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you run an effective email marketing campaign.

 

 

1. Set a clear goal

 

When creating an email campaign, it is essential to have a clear goal. This will help you determine the emails’ content, the campaign’s frequency, and who to target. 

 

For example, 

• To boost engagement with your brand, consider sending a weekly newsletter with links to the latest blog posts or inviting subscribers to join you on social media.
• To nurture leads, you must focus on delivering high-value content relevant to their interests.
• To re-engage subscribers who haven’t been active, you must send a monthly email with exclusive offers or VIP access to upcoming events.
  
  

2. Build your email marketing list

 

Organizing an email marketing list may take more time, but building a strong foundation for success is worth the effort. An organic list consists of people who have specifically chosen to receive your messages and are more likely to engage with your content. This leads to a better ROI for your email marketing campaigns.

 

There are several sources to help grow your email list organically. You can start by:

• Adding existing email lists.
• Contacts from your personal and professional accounts. 
• Contact information from your CRM or e-commerce system. 
• You can also generate new leads by requesting emails via social media or your website. 
  
  

3. Know your audience

 

Most email marketers have a general idea of their audience, but more is needed to produce successful email marketing campaigns. To truly succeed, you need to segment your audience into groups according to their demographics, behaviors, and the stage of the customer journey they’re in.

 

Many software programs help you segment your audience, or you can do it manually using data from past campaigns and analytics. Once your list is segmented, you can start creating targeted email campaigns more likely to resonate with each group.

 

4. Plan your email marketing campaign

 

No matter what type of email you’re sending, all successful campaigns have a few key components in common. Emails must be timely, interesting, relevant, and valuable to engage your audience.

 

Additionally, it should also be consistent with the overall theme of the campaign and unfold in a way that makes logical sense. Moreover, it is essential to note the frequency of your emails, the type of content to include, and a compelling CTA.

 

5. Craft your email message

 

While there are several things to consider when crafting your email campaigns, there are three essential components: the subject line, body content, and visual design.

 

Starting with the subject line, to make the first impression of your subscriber’s interest, keep it short and sweet, but make sure it’s relevant to what’s inside the email.

 

Quality is critical when it comes to your email’s body content. Address your reader by name and include a clear CTA, but ensure the rest of the content is valuable and in line with your brand’s voice.

 

Finally, don’t forget about visual design. Your email should be easy to read and on-brand. Before you hit send, look at how it appears on your mobile device, as an average person spends over 4.5 hours daily on smartphones, according to a report. [source] So, it’s important to ensure your design looks good on smaller screens.

 

6. Use autoresponders

 

Autoresponders are a powerful tool for email marketing, allowing you to automatically send triggered emails after a specific action, such as a customer submitting their email address.

 

Autoresponders can also send timed, automated messages that save you time and effort. Still, they generate leads, build trust, provide purchase or shipping confirmation emails, send transactional emails, and convey useful information to customers.

 

In short, autoresponders are an essential tool for any email marketing campaign. Furthermore, autoresponders help you focus on other aspects of your business while staying in touch with your customers and keeping them updated on your latest products and offers.

 

7. Track email analytics

 

Email analytics are essential for understanding how your email campaigns are performing. To nail it, you’ve got to collect data to improve future campaigns. You must test the design and layout, email marketing copy, subject lines, and calls to action. 

 

Paying attention to crucial email metrics such as the unique email open rate, click-through rate, bounce rate, and unsubscribe rate will give you a well-rounded picture of how your campaigns perform and where you can improve. By taking the time to track and analyze your email analytics, you can ensure that your campaigns are as successful as possible.

 

Though email marketing is a great way to connect with your customers and drive sales, it’s not as simple as sending out a few emails and hoping for the best. To run an effective email marketing campaign, you must plan, create engaging content, and track your results. By following these steps, you can create a successful email marketing strategy that helps you reach your target audience and boost your sales.