Is email marketing effective for lead generation? The short answer is – it depends how well you do it. Get email marketing right, and it can be as much as 40 times more effective than other methods such as social media.
Even if your current email marketing strategy is performing reasonably well, there are always improvements which can be made. With a few tweaks, you can see a real uplift in sales leads.
To get you started, here are a few quick, effective tips for supercharging your email lead generation strategy
1. Get to the point
Don’t waste time on waffle, when you should be prioritising valuable, dynamic content that the customer really wants to read. Make every word count.
2. Get your email list sorted out
You need accurate, up-to-date information, organised in one user-friendly central database. If you’ve been in business for a while and have never tidied up your database, data cleansing could be in order. Once your list is in good shape, you can then grow and add value to it.
3. Test your emails
It’s no use sending out an email and hoping for the best, or wondering why a particular strategy isn’t working. Test out different designs, language, content and subject lines on your audience using A/B testing. Then you won’t have to guess that your strategy is working – you’ll have the data to back it up.
4. Personalise your emails
If you understand your customer well, you have a better chance of writing emails that appeal specifically to their interests. But you can also use automation and list segmentation tools to send personalised emails to different demographics. According to research by Campaign Monitor, 57% of marketers believe personalisation is the most effective email marketing tactic.
5. Avoid gimmicks, particularly in the subject line
It’s worth dedicating time to craft engaging subject lines, as this is what gets emails opened. But don’t fall into the trap of using spammy, gimmicky or even shady techniques to catch your recipients’ attention, as this will only end up in your email address getting blacklisted.
6. Make your emails smartphone-friendly
This is an obvious one, considering how many people read emails on their phone. But it’s amazing how often emails are sent out without being tested for small-screen responsiveness.
7. Write like a human, with one person in mind
As part of your marketing strategy, you may have developed target customer personas. When composing emails for lead generation, bring these personas to mind as real people. This will help you write a natural, engaging email to one person, rather than an impersonal one to a crowd. If it fits with your brand, don’t be afraid to use humour or informal language either. You’ll have a better chance of connecting with recipients on an emotional level.
8. Check the basics before sending
Do all your links work, are there any typos and have you spelled the recipient’s name correctly? These are all rookie mistakes, which could make the difference between a click through to your website and relegation to the trash folder. It only takes a few seconds to double-check that everything’s as it should be.
Need more help with email marketing for lead generation? Get in touch with our integrated marketing specialists here at IT Focus – call 0330 058 0100 or email info@itfocus-tm.com.
