Email marketing has been a consistently used communication medium for many years. It’s simple, quick and inexpensive, yet there remain some who don’t use it as well as they could.
Too Much “Noise”?
We all receive countless emails these days, with many garnering little or no interest from a scan of the heading. However, is that the fault of the medium, or the message? The simple fact is that no matter the channel, you’re fighting for the attention of your audience. You have to get your audience’s attention, quickly, then keep it.
I recently received an email from “SGT DAVID” with the heading “DEAR FRIEND HERE IS MY PROPOSED TO YOU”. Do you think I opened it? A less “fishy” example is an offer I once received for a new, state of the art combine harvester. I still don’t know what I was expected to do with that in my 6m x 4m garden!
People Prefer Emails
If anyone needs convincing about the worth of email marketing, let the facts speak for themselves. A recent DMA report showed that 46% of consumers preferred to receive most types of communications via email. That includes discounts, offers, sales, updates, customer service and order confirmations, amongst other things. Only 26% preferred post, 24% text / face-to-face and even fewer telephone! The only area where email didn’t top the polls was for advice, information or tutorials. Email came second to face-to-face, 7% behind the winner. Based on the research, email remains a viable and important channel of communication.
So What Matters Most?
The report detailed what influenced consumers to open an email. Brand awareness came top with 55%, and the subject line second, with 48%. Brand awareness aligns with the “7 touches of marketing” theory. This states that people buy, on average, after coming into contact with a company 7 times. Each time is classed as a “touch”, and could be an email, advertisement, mailshot, telephone call etc. Each touch builds brand awareness, with which comes trust. For the more well-known brands that spend millions on marketing, brand awareness is already “in the bag”. For the rest of us though, we need to build that, and email is a great way of doing so.
The importance of a good subject line can’t be over-stated. It’s your one chance to get your audience’s attention, quickly. Get that wrong and you’re in Deleted Items … but get it right and you’re well on the way to email success.
Still Not Sure about Email Marketing, or Unsure Where to Start?
Email marketing can seem daunting, but don’t panic – we’ve got your back. Below are some links to other blogs we’ve written, all giving you great advice on what to consider.
If you’re still flummoxed, or simply struggling for time, get in touch and ask about our email marketing service. “Let us take the strain out of your campaign” call us on 01274 965411 or email us info@databubble.co.uk
