Email marketing is a powerful, yet easy to overlook weapon in the marketing arsenal. The concept of email marketing has been in practice for 40 odd years. By online marketing standards, it’s a dinosaur; hence it’s often undervalued. While many have been busy adopting a plethora of other — newer and sexier — marketing practices, email has only been improving in capabilities and benefits. Not to mention, it still boats the best ROI against other marketing methods, with $1 investment returning an average of $38.
According to 2018 statistics from Smart Insights, the average open rate of property and real-estate emails was 27.16 percent. More than a quarter of your email list.
As a high conversion, low-cost marketing tactic, it’s worth spending some time to get it right.
Here’s the iCreate guide to effective email marketing:
1. Build your list
Email marketing ties in perfectly with your advertising efforts in that the majority of your new email leads will come from advertising campaigns which are then captured on your landing page.
Here at iCreate, we use Campaign Monitor to ensure all leads captured from your landing page are automatically added to your email list.
2. Automate for insights
Setting up automated email campaigns is a crucial part of an effective email marketing strategy. Not only is it much easier for you to manage but automated systems allow you to monitor and track the efficacy of your emails, as well as gather insights into your audience; what they are responding to and what they are not.
Gathering this insight allows you to optimise your campaigns. You will learn which titles capture attention, which topics get the most click through, which call-to-actions (CTAs) motivate people to act.
3. Targeted, tailored emails
Your email marketing efforts must be targeted. Sending an electronic direct mail (EDM) which has no relevance to your reader is the equivalent of sending an introduction that says “Dear sir/madam”. It is impersonal, and it does not make your reader feel valued.
Use your customer data to improve and tailor the message to your audience continually. Break down your email lists into segments so that you can speak one way to new prospects and another to customers who may have previously purchased property through you.
4. Consistency is key
Not only do you want to have consistency in your tone but you also want to be consistent with the frequency of your emails. If you set an expectation that you will email your list fortnightly, email your list fortnightly.
Abiding by a schedule shows that you are organised and deliver on the commitments you make to your customers. Email them too frequently, and they will opt out, email them too infrequently and they will forget you exist.
5. Encourage conversation
Encourage your audience to reply. Ask them questions and show them that these emails aren’t just a one-way conversation. This openness to dialogue not only makes them trust you more but it also encourages them to ask you questions or give you feedback which could lead to sales or could lead to ideas on what they want in your email campaigns.
Never send marketing emails from a donotreply email address. Nothing says “we don’t want to talk to you” like “DO NOT REPLY.”
6. Write for your audience
Your emails shouldn’t all be about you. Email marketing is not about trying to hard-sell your customers. You want to build your brand credibility and build a relationship with your audience.
Have personality. Include CTAs but don’t be pushy and expectant. Add value. Ensure there is information in your EDMs that they will find valuable, whether they are ready to buy from you or not.
Want to know more about the email marketing essentials you need to enhance your advertising? Contact iCreate today.