With such a long list of new marketing tools at our disposal, older practices like email marketing might end up at the bottom of your to-do list. My advice; push your email strategy back up. With a few tips and tricks, you can develop personalized, valuable content for your customers that builds loyalty unlike any digital tool today.

How to Stay out of the Spam Folder

1. Use the subject line to your advantage. Your email subject line can be a great tool when used correctly, so think strategically when writing. It’s all too easy to get lazy and leave the subject line as your last step in completing your email template. However, just like an eye-catching news headline or the title of a book, your subject line has to be powerful enough to draw readers  to click that “open” button. When writing your subject, appeal to customers with warm, emotional language. The line should draw people, without giving too much away. Using a question, or link the subject to your customer’s interest. The more you customize your subject line, the better.
2. Develop an effective email list. Regardless of how great your template is or how dramatic your subject line might be, none of your efforts matter unless you are speaking to the right audience. Developing an email list can be a daunting task, but well worth the effort. A few powerful strategies include: implementing targeted call-to-actions (CTAs) on different landing pages, using pop-up subscription prompts, and encouraging subscriptions to social media. Additionally, to create multiple, focused lists, add checkboxes to relevant website pages to allow readers to choose topic of interest. By using an array of different methods, you will create multiple, personalized lists able to stay out of the junk folder.
3. If you don’t want to end up in the junk folder, don’t send crap. Powerful email marketing begins when marketers create valuable content for customers, building a loyalty to your brand. With email marketing, businesses have the opportunity to build loyalty through more than just their quality goods or services. The key is to get to know your customer. By implementing personalized CTAs, you are able to better target the needs and interests of you customer. Personalized CTAs perform 202% better than generic CTAs, according to a Hubspot study, increasing your view-to-submission rate. So what does this mean for your emails? It means that it is essential to develop a wide catalog of content that can be tailored to spark the interest of the sub-groups of your customer base tied to your different CTAs. For example, the emails I receive from REI give me valuable information about nearby hikes I might be interested in. However, my brother, an avid climber, may receive an update when Alex Honnold is giving a speech at his local REI.
4. Keep your lists updated. Customers change and so does your company, which is why regular maintenance of your email lists and templates is key. Keep an eye on how your customers’ preferences change to make the most of your current fans. After all, gaining new customers is as retaining current ones. As long as your business continues to provide valuable content for customers, you’re likely to sustain a healthy network of lists.

Remember, just like your other digital strategies, email marketing is an evolving process. It will take time to figure out just what exactly your customers are looking for when it comes to useful information. However, investing time into worthwhile content, targeted lists and well-written articles will benefit both you and your customer.

See how to market your company with Snapchat.