Ditch the Guesswork - What Exactly Is An Email Marketing Strategy?

Okay, let's be honest: If you ask ten different digital marketers, "What's an email marketing strategy?" you'll probably get ten different answers. Some might talk about platforms like Mailchimp or Klaviyo (and they're not wrong – you need the right tools!), while others might simplify it as a guide to sending effective email campaigns (the keyword here is effective).

They all have a point. But for me, email marketing strategy is about so much more. It's a passion, a puzzle, a constantly evolving way to connect with your audience and grow your business. Allow me to geek out here today and share my highlights on this!

Now, you might be thinking, "Cheryl, I send emails all the time. What's the big deal about a strategy?"

It's absolutely okay to send out emails. And if your emails are helping to generate 20-30% more revenue for your business - then you are on the right track. For those who are not seeing such results, I want to help you get more out of it and you really need a Strategy - a roadmap that gives direction and purpose to sending those emails.

BASICS 101

Are you considering some of these essentials? Your email strategy will fit and align with these business fundamentals.

• Business Goals: What are you trying to achieve? More sales? Increased brand awareness? Client bookings?
  

• Target Audience: Who are you talking to? What are their pain points, desires, and interests?
  

• Customer Journey: How do people interact with your brand? What steps do they take from first awareness to becoming a loyal customer?

GROW YOUR EMAIL LIST

Of course we will help you to start a list to collect subscribers and most importantly to grow the email list over time. The success of your email strategy relies on the quality of your list. Having a big database is useless if they are not your target audience or potential customer profile. The logic is that they will not engage with your emails because they are not interested = wrong target market!

Creating a variety of opt-in forms strategically placed across your website, or in Ads and social media platforms will encourage those who are interested in what you have to offer - to sign up to your email list. This process is powerful as they are giving you permission to send interesting and valuable content to their Inbox. And it's the key to having a successful engaged customer audience.

HOW OFTEN WILL YOU SEND AN EMAIL

Email frequency is an important part of your strategy. Decide on how often you want to commit to sending valuable content to your list and stick to it, to create a regular routine. This is often the building block to email success!

Most business owners are worried about annoying their customers with too many emails whilst the reality is that they are not sending enough email campaigns to remain top of mind. If your list is on the larger side (think 5,000+ lovely souls), a good starting point might be four emails a month.

YOUR EMAIL CONTENT CALENDAR

"But Cheryl, I've run out of ideas on what to send in my emails and it's just too hard to keep coming up with more content!"

Yes this is where the magic happens! Our expertise will guide you in planning your content and it must be strategic. What are your business long term goals? What stories are you going to tell in your business journey? How are you going to weave your brand's unique personality into every email? With a mix of engaging topics, promotions that actually excite, and valuable insights, you can have a well crafted email marketing strategy that keep your subscribers coming back for more.

SEGMENTATION IS KEY

If you are blasting the same email to your entire database.... please don't! It's time to get personal. Your subscribers are unique individuals with different tastes and preferences. Segmentation is a critical process that helps you tailor your messages to specific groups of customers or potential leads. And this means more relevant content, higher engagement, and ultimately, more happy customers.

WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY

Here's where we get a little nerdy (and I wouldn't have it any other way): I obsess over aligning your email strategy with your overall business objectives.  This means:

• No Random Emails: Every campaign has a purpose, a clear connection to your bigger goals.

• Monthly Clarity: You'll have a strategic roadmap to follow, so you never feel lost or overwhelmed.

• Win-Win: Your customers receive emails they actually want to read, and your business revenue begins to grow.

Did you notice that there are a lot of questions in this blog post? That's where the power really lies.... finding answers to these important questions will lead you to a strong email marketing strategy.

If you're tired of aimlessly hitting "send" or you don't even know where to begin, we're here to help. A friendly chat may be all you need to kick things off, so don't be shy to reach out to us.