How successful is your business’s email marketing list? Perhaps you collect names but aren’t 100% certain how to turn them into buyers. You’ll find plenty of tips on how to create an amazing email marketing campaign, but what about the things you shouldn’t do? What email marketing mistakes should you avoid?
In a recent e-commerce report, experts found 32% of email marketing messages were automated. Anything you can do to make your messages stand out and be personalized will put you ahead of the game.
Once you have your target audience demographics and have created your buyer personas, you are probably anxious to send out an email or two. Before hitting that “Schedule” button, make sure you aren’t making any of these deadly email marketing mistakes.
Mistake #1: Not Segmenting Your Audience
Remember how many automated marketing emails get sent every day? You want to stand out from the cookie-cutter approach. One way to further personalize your messages is by segmenting your audience.
For example, you might have one segment of buyers who regularly purchase every new item you list. Another might be only interested in one product line. You could also have a list of those who have expressed interest but need more information.
Mistake #2: Sending at the Wrong Time
Send your emails on the best day and time for engagement if you want optimum open rates. You’ll have to watch your analytics for a bit to figure out what these periods are for your particular audience.
Start by going with a standard consideration of the best days and times and then tweak to match what works best for you. You may even find that different types of messages work better at various times.
Mistake #3: Making a Bad First Impression
You should send a welcome message as soon as someone subscribes to your mailing list. It lets them know they successfully added their name, and it’s the period they are most likely to be receptive to your messages.
Mistake #4: Forgetting to Introduce Yourself
Don’t immediately jump into selling to your new subscribers. Give them a chance to get to know your brand personality. Share the story behind why you started the company, big challenges you’ve overcome and your vision for the future. People want to feel invested in your brand.
Mistake #5: Misunderstanding Reader Expectations
IT professionals and project managers understand projects have a high failure rate. The No. 1 reason users are dissatisfied is that the product does not meet their expectations.
Think through why someone subscribes to your list. What do they hope to gain from the experience? Does your content match those expectations?
Mistake #6: Posting Infrequently
If you had a friend you didn’t hear from for a year, and then they popped into your home wanting you to buy something, would you respond positively? Probably not. Don’t be the company that never sends a word until a new product is launched. Instead, share valuable information consistently, so your newsletter offers value to your customers.
Mistake #7: Ditching the Spell Check
Your newsletter should have proper grammar and spelling. You don’t have to be an English major to send out a valuable newsletter, but invest in tools such as Grammarly or Hemmingway to ensure you appear as professional as possible.
Your everyday language might be peppered with curse words, but you should probably steer clear of them as a few of your readers could be offended. Similarly, avoid political and controversial topics.
Mistake #8: Forgetting a Call to Action (CTA)
In an analysis by marketing experts, researchers found CTAs perform better than Google Ads with an average 4.23% clickthrough rate. However, many email marketers forget to include a CTA at the end of their email.
Even if you’re sending out a how-to video, include a CTA in your email. Never miss an opportunity to potentially convert a browser into a buyer.
Mistake #9: Using Heavy-Handed Sales Tactics
Consumers are onto all the tricks used by marketers. Don’t tell them something is selling out if it isn’t. It’s OK to share a limited-time offer, but don’t turn around and offer it again two days later. Be upfront and honest. Would you want someone bullying you to buy something? Treat your customers the way you wish to be treated.
Mistake #10: Worrying About How Many Subscribers You Have
Don’t wait until you hit a certain number of subscribers before offering your best content. Ideally, those who follow you will share your newsletters with their family and friends. The better your information and the more useful it is, the more they’ll share it.
Mistake #11: Ignoring Mobile Users
The number of smartphone owners worldwide is projected to hit 7.5 billion by 2025. The percentage of time people use their mobile phones to access the internet increases every year. You must assume that a portion of your reading audience views your messages on a smaller screen.
Mistake #12: Not Checking Links and Images
Always send a test copy to your own email and check it thoroughly before scheduling it for release. Click on every link to ensure it goes where you intended. Look for missing images or text running off the page.
Take the time to check the message on both desktop and mobile.
Start Improving Your Emails Now
Email marketing is one of the most direct forms of communication you can have with your customers. Don’t wait to start sending emails. Jump into the process now. You’ll make mistakes along the way, but at least you won’t make the 12 listed above. Learn as you go and watch your subscriber numbers soar.