Like any other strategy, email marketing can fail when not done efficiently and correctly

With the number of email users expected to hit 4.73 billion by 2026, it is no surprise that brands still consider email marketing as an effective strategy to reach thousands and even millions of people. In fact, it is also considered to be one of the most effective channels available when it comes to driving conversions.

Data from SEO agency First Page Sage show that email marketing has a 2.8% conversion rate for business-to-consumer (B2C) brands. As for business-to-business brands, it has a conversion rate of 2.4%. Online business mentor Luisa Zhou further adds that email marketing has an ROI of 4,200%. 

These numbers show the effectiveness of email marketing. However, like any other strategy, email marketing may end up failing when it’s not executed efficiently and correctly. In order to maximize its benefits, it is important to keep in mind what to do and what not to do when planning and executing an email marketing strategy. 

What is Email Marketing? 

First and foremost, it is important to understand just what exactly email marketing is. According to Canva, email marketing basically involves sending emails in order to reach three specific goals, which are as follows:

• Communicate with current and prospective customers
• Build relationships with the target audience or market
• Drive sales 

Canva notes that any email sent to the intended audience can be considered as email marketing. However, marketing emails usually have a set goal, which is typically decided on before the emails are sent out. 

The Dos 

Have the Right Marketing Tools 

Before even executing any email marketing campaign, marketers should have access to the right marketing tools. Here are some examples of tools to consider for email marketing: 

• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
• Constant Contact
• Drip
• Klaviyo
• Mailchimp
• MailerLite
• Mailjet

Given the different options available out there, it is important to identify which tools work best for the brand and even the campaign. This involves checking the features of each tool in order to determine if it serves the brand’s needs.  

Write an Attention-Grabbing Subject Line

According to OptinMonster, 47% of email recipients only open an email based on what is on the subject line alone. In addition, 69% of email recipients end up marking an email as spam based on the subject line as well. 

This highlights the importance of having an attention-grabbing subject line. Failing to have one that is catchy and interesting enough for the recipient will lead to the rest of the email heading straight to the trash folder. 

One way to create an attention-grabbing subject line is to personalize it. This can be done by adding the name of the recipient in the subject line and using less formal language. 

Creating a sense of urgency is also another way to make a subject line more attention-grabbing. According to HubSpot, using words such as “important” and “urgent” in the subject line lead to higher chances of the recipient opening an email. 

Brands can also consider adding important dates to the subject line, including the start and end dates of a promotion or a deadline for applications. 

Choose the Right Layout  

Getting the recipient to open the email is only part of the battle. It is even more crucial to ensure that the rest of the email is just as interesting and attention-grabbing, including the way it looks. 

Dimensions play an important role in creating an appealing marketing email. It is important to ensure that the email has a consistent look and is optimized for whatever device a recipient uses to open it. In fact, MailButler notes that 41% of email views actually come from mobile devices. 

Canva notes that the layout of a marketing email is affected by different factors, but what is crucial is that the chosen layout has a sense of visual hierarchy. What this means is that the elements of the email should lead the recipient straight to the most essential ones, such as the call-to-action (CTA).  

The Don’ts 

Bury the CTA 

Speaking of the CTA, what exactly is it and why is it important? 

The call-to-action is a statement that asks the reader to do something you want them to do. This includes buying a new product, participating in a sale or promotion, or applying for a membership or subscription. 

The CTA is one of the most important parts of a marketing email, and the recipient won’t be able to spot it if it’s buried in a mountain of text. Given this, the CTA should be prominently displayed and easy to find for the reader of the email. 

Lack Set Goals or A Targeted Audience 

The content of a marketing email should reflect two things. First, the goal behind sending the email in the first place. This may be to introduce a new product or service or inform the audience about something they should know about. 

Second, it should be clear who the email is for. A marketing email about new maternity products, for example, should be geared towards expectant parents or parents of newborns, specifically the mothers. 

Not setting the right goal and audience for an email marketing campaign will lead to vague content that will confuse the recipient. The brand’s message ultimately does not come across as intended and will affect any conversion that the brand is aiming for. 

Ignore Metrics 

Brands should not just mindlessly launch one email marketing campaign after the other. Instead, brands should pay close attention to certain metrics in order to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular campaign. 

Among the metrics that brands should assess are the following: 

• Bounce rate – the number of emails that did not end up in the recipients’ inboxes
• Clickthrough rate – the number of people who clicked on links appearing in the email, particularly the CTA
• Conversion rate – the number of people who completed the brand’s desired action
• Open rate – the number of people who opened the email
• Unsubscriptions – the number of people who have opted out of receiving marketing emails 

These metrics should guide the brand in planning future email marketing campaigns, particularly what works and what doesn’t work. A brand can experiment in order to determine which strategies yield the best numbers. 

Key Takeaways 

Given its high ROI and conversion, email marketing remains to be one of the most efficient and effective marketing strategies for brands. However, in order to reach the brand’s objectives, an email marketing campaign should be properly planned and executed. 

Each element should be carefully studied and thought of, guided by key performance indicators (KPIs), the goals of the campaign, and the target market. Failing to do so will lead to the message of the campaign getting lost and the campaign unable to convert and meet the objectives.