Email marketing is a fantastic way to reach prospective customers. However, just like any other means of advertising, it has its own nuanced challenges. Below we take a look at some of the most common email marketing obstacles and explain what can be done to overcome them.
One of the keys to successful marketing is accumulating massive amounts of information through numerous channels. Tracking email conversion rates is key to understanding the effectiveness of marketing tactics. There is a relationship between email marketing, social media, landing page conversions and other channels. Companies have all sorts of data systems, ranging from activities on the website to form submissions. When these systems are fully integrated with email data, a business can better understand its customer base. This connection is made possible with tools like specialized marketing software. When you access such a system, it is imperative that you keep your customers' viewpoints in mind in an effort to deliver an effective message.
The phrase "deliverability rate" refers to the percentage of emails sent to prospects compared to the aggregate number of emails sent. This statistic shows the number of messages that bounce back. When this figure is extraordinarily high, it is an indication of inactivity. Soft bounces aren't permanent; they occur when a server spits back an email. Hard bounces represent a permanent error in the transmission of a message. When a deliverability rate is low, it can result in ISPs blocking messages. Equally important is the fact that a low deliverability rate represents a waste of money. The solution is to delete email addresses that are no longer active. Use various metrics like "opens" and "clicks" to identify accounts with a lack of engagement. Another option is to tighten your opt-in requirements so that incorrect email addresses are not added to the mailing list.
If you can boost the size of your email list and keep those already on the list actively engaged with your messages, you'll be on the path to success. Growth is achieved through the purchase of lists, yet such a purchase will also add disinterested parties to your database. Some choose to send fewer messages to enhance engagement.
A better solution is to actually earn each and every subscriber. If you clearly explain what prospects will obtain when they subscribe to emails, they'll be motivated to sign up and actually read the messages. Perhaps your emails contain special offers, helpful tips, or product updates. Sell the merits of your messages and you'll build a loyal subscriber base.
Aim to achieve a ROI that can be measured. While you may amass a huge database of potential customers, determining whether your email messages result in actual paying customers is challenging. Part of the solution is to link your emails to other information systems. Stress communication between marketing channels to pinpoint how each impacts conversion rates. Also, closed-loop marketing will empower you to track initial contacts to points of engagement all the way to actual payments. This style of marketing allows you to study your marketing channels and rank each one according to effectiveness.
Email won't recruit enough paying customers in and of itself. Customer engagement occurs through a multipronged marketing approach. Still, increasing sales and marketing funnel through email is quite the challenge. The solution is to carefully nurture leads with an automated sequence of emails to pre-qualify them before passing them on to the salespeople. Keep prospects constantly engaged with this nurturing approach and you'll reap the benefits across posterity.
