With an ROI of 4300% (Direct Marketing Association), it’s unsurprising that email remains a firm favourite Content Marketing lead generation channel. It appears that consumers seem to be quite partial too, with 77% citing they prefer to receive commercial communications via email. (Exact Target)
So how do marketers achieve such a great return on investment with email marketing? Successful marketers understand that emails need to have 3 key elements to elicit action and thus positive return.
Let’s have a look at those now.
3 Key Characteristics of Super Successful Marketing Emails
Relevance
Without relevance, your email is sure to sit either unread or, worse, marked for file 13. A relevant email speaks to the right person, delivering the right message at the right time. How do we ensure our emails are relevant? We can use behavioural data that signals intent to segment our contacts and send messages that are pertinent to the issues, challenges or questions the receiver is experiencing at that time.
Let’s consider a contact visits a blog post on ‘Reducing Paperwork in the Accounting Department’. They then go on to download your eBook entitled ‘Losing the Shredder. Accounting Software that’s Good for the Environment.’ These actions tell you that this person is working in an accounting department and is looking for a solution to paper based activities. A relevant email to him would be an offer to download a case study of a company that integrated your accounting software and has seen a 460% reduction in paper costs.
Marketing automation is highly beneficial when it comes to sending relevant emails. This enables you to segment by behaviour and automate emails to go out in a timely manner based on certain actions. Behaviour is not the only segmentation option though. By linking behaviours to demographics or location you are able to deliver highly targeted emails, relevant to your segments and increasing the chances of success.
Opportunity (Limited)
Ever heard of FOMO? Fear of missing out? Yes, it’s a thing! Marketers are able to take advantage of this phenomenon by creating content offers that are time sensitive, as consumers hate to feel like they’ve missed out on an opportunity.
Strictly speaking this point should be titled urgency but that didn’t fit in with my acronym - and I was vehemently sticking to it - so I had to go with something else. By relaying the message that your reader has a limited window to take up your offer you encourage them to take immediate action.
There are numerous strategies you can embrace to impart a sense of urgency – but take care to maintain authenticity. Readers will quickly pick up if the urgency is genuine or a marketing ploy. I quite like the sentiments of one Michel Fortin: “Never pressure people to PUSH them into purchasing. Instead use pressure to PREVENT them from procrastinating.” If people are interested in your product or offer, they don’t need further pushing – that may even change their mind – they require motivation to move past procrastination to action.
Here are a few ideas for imparting the importance of taking immediate action:
- Words or phrases – Last chance, final day, never to be repeated, 24 hours left. All this somewhat trite expressions work to create a sense of urgency and let readers know that they need to take action swiftly if they are to benefit.
- Design – Words aren’t the only way to imply limited opportunity. Design elements can play a role too. Warmer colours – red, orange, yellow – all have attributes that convey various levels of urgency. The more obvious design elements could include imagery that literally express the need to act. Imagine a banner image with products sporting wings and ‘flying’ off a shelf. This image explicitly indicates that if you don’t order promptly there may not be stock available for you.
- Grandfathering or price increases – An offer to take an opportunity to get on board before a higher price is set is another great way to move prospects to action. Saving money has always – and will continue to be – a prime motivator.
- Limited stock or supply – Indicating scarcity is another tactic that works well. If people are aware that there are only a limited number of items available they are motivated to act swiftly and avoid disappointment. This goes for a time-based offer too. Limiting the offer to a specific time period ensures buyers know if they don’t act within the period they are going to lose out on the deal.
- Added benefits – Everyone loves a freebie, right? Direct mail companies are notorious for deploying the ‘but wait … there’s more’ tactic. Encourage orders to be placed within a restricted time frame offering something extra or additional value. Buy one get one free, xyz to the value of x when ordering or free shipping are all popular additional benefit tactics.
Below is an email I received from Will Critchlow at Distilled 2 days ago. This is a great example of an email that is using multiple tactics to ensure I know that there is a limited opportunity and I best act quickly if I am to benefit.
The subject line, preview text and body copy make use of many of the phrases I mentioned that indicate I have a limited time to take up the offer. Using the word ‘now’ in the call to action encourages me to act immediately to not lose. The offer itself is an example of a grandfathering offer as prices are soon to increase and I will miss out on a $200 saving. The banner includes a highly contrasting red flag that highlights the early bird rate. I anticipate that tomorrow I will receive a similar email reminding me that these tickets will not be available at this rate again.
Importance
My inbox sees a fair share of relevant emails per day. Some more urgent than others but what moves me to action more than anything is if I consider them important. For me, that is based on the impact or contribution to my overall objectives.
You want me to look at a SlideShare presentation of 50 inspiring marketing quotation? Yeah, okay, I might come back to that when I’m not trying to get my reports out on time, thanks.
Shut the front door! You have a Content Marketing Plan template? Heck yes. Where’s that download now button?
I think you get the idea.
As a wrap up: By following the inbound marketing philosophy of putting your buyer persona's needs, aspirations and objectives into consideration when crafting content will ensure that you are inherently covering these vital points in your email marketing.
