The Core Value Of Email Marketing That Most People Overlook
Are you struggling to make subscribers open your emails? It turns out there’s no need for that.
Cover photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
Over the past ten years, I have been regularly exposed to all kinds of content about Email Marketing. From books to blog posts, from conferences to panels and discussions, everybody seems concerned about a critical part of every newsletter effort: making people read our content.
I’m not arguing about the open rate’s importance nor taking a stand against any opinion. Instead, my intention here is to simplify Email Marketing concepts and practices to make them more accessible to an audience with no access to professional services.
With this in mind, if I focus on the core value of Email Marketing, I see one simple element: staying top-of-mind for our audience.
Yes, there are several goals that we can achieve through a well-designed and well-executed Email Marketing strategy. And, of course, every business is unique. Still, when it comes to most projects and businesses, it’s impossible to make every subscriber place an order (or convert in any way) for every Email Marketing campaign they receive — even if they open all of them!
For example, if I sell shoes and send out a monthly campaign, most of my customers (however loyal) will not buy a pair of my shoes every month. If I’m lucky, most of them will buy my shoes occasionally — and that’s ok.
So, what is my real goal here as a seller? From my perspective, I aim to stay top-of-mind, making people remember that my brand exists. When I send out an Email Marketing campaign, my actual goal is to build a relationship with my customer and be part of their life over the long haul. This way, they will remember my brand and spontaneously consider my offering when they feel ready to buy.
Do we really understand how people use emails?
Most people receive too many emails and feel completely overwhelmed. Opening every email is just impossible for most of us. As many of us experience, sometimes it can take over a year to get a person from the moment they first discover (or consider) a product to the moment they buy it. Cleaning your email list regularly to remove people who usually don’t open your emails and don’t engage with your campaigns may make sense for the sake of deliverability, metrics, and price plans. However, it also limits your reach and your potential growth considerably. If you unsubscribe people too soon, you risk missing the opportunity to stay present and relevant for someone who might consider a purchase in the future.
When I need a new pair of shoes, what if I search my personal email account for “shoes”? Not surprisingly, I end up with an exciting list of options from my favorite brands. (Actually, one of the subject lines I spotted in my mailbox when searching for “shoes” says: “Looking for new shoes?”). An email inbox can be the best wishlist we can get.
Do we understand why our diverse customers sign up for our newsletter?
Do we know how they expect to benefit from the subscription? Are we sure that every subscriber behaves the same way and that if they don’t open an email immediately, they will never “use” it somehow?
Actionable tip
When managing your email list, please don’t rush to remove people too soon because they seem uninterested in your campaigns. You don’t know how they use (or will use) your emails. Even if people don’t open and click, your email subject lines can be a powerful tool for brand awareness.
Try to be strategic with your subject lines and don’t focus only on making people open your emails.
Instead, leverage your subject lines and communicate who you are and what you do in a sentence, even to people who will not open your email.
Sometimes, a few words can go a long way if you commit to being strategic, consistent, and authentic. If you are experiencing a disappointing open rate, try to adjust your messaging to improve it, but by all means, don’t quit!
Continue sending your Email Marketing campaigns and keep people in, even if nobody is opening.
Francesca – Armonica Studio
Francesca is the creator of Armonica Studio, a marketing consultancy focusing on strategy and communication. She is a Brand Strategist, a Communication Consultant, and the creator of The Armonica Blog: Marketing Insights And Actionable Tips For Creators And Makers. She currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
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