How to Start Email Marketing: 9 Simple Steps

How to Start Email Marketing: 9 Simple Steps

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How to Start Email Marketing

Just starting out in the world of email? You will hear a lot of conflicting advice, but you need to know what the best strategy is for your business. We're going to go over how to start email marketing, step by step.

1. Create a strategy. You can't just start blasting away without having a clear plan of what you're doing. Which products or services do you want to promote? What promotions and sales are you going to offer? How frequently are you going to send out emails? Create a clear communication flow, and be willing to adjust it as necessary based on customer feedback and response.

2. Learn about the rules surrounding email marketing before you send out a single email. You can't just send to anyone. Each email contact must have given you their opt-in permission before you send. If you're in Canada, you must be compliant with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. Learn more about CASL here.

3. Start building an email list. Ensure that you have signup forms in prominent places such as on your website and social media pages. Prominently advertise the benefits of signing up, and provide a signup incentive to attract new subscribers.

4. Focus on subject line and sender name. These are the first things your email subscribers will see, so you need to create a subject line that is captivating and a sender name that is trustworthy. Keep your subject line direct and truthful, and give subscribers a good idea of what is in the email. DON'T USE ALL CAPS and review our list of spam trigger words to learn what to avoid. Your sender name should be your company or a well-known staff member.

5. Focus on the design of your email. Use simple fonts, brand-consistent colors, a few captivating images, an effective call to action. Optimize your email for mobile users since the majority of your subscribers will be viewing your email on their mobile device. Keep your layout clean, simple and easy to navigate.

6. Research the little tips and tricks that set you apart. For example, did you know you should always include a short text description of your images in case the contact receiving the email does not allow images to be shown? Do your research and make sure your email is in good technical order before you send.

7. Personalize! Personally targeted emails have a much higher open rate and conversion rate than non-targeted emails. By using marketing automation, you can easily personalize mass emails to each of your subscribers without having to do the work yourself.

8. Test your email before it goes out. If there are any mistakes or issues, you will notice them first rather than passing them on to your subscribers. Also, A/B split test it: send out an email campaign in two parts with two different subject lines to see which one performs better.

9. Review your email report data in detail. This is the only way to truly know how your email campaigns are performing. By analyzing your report data you can see how to optimize your content, send time, subject line and more.

Sign up for a free SimplyCast 360 trial to see what marketing automation can do for you. We also offer free SimplyCast 360 demos, hosted by our knowledgeable experts. Request a demo by clicking the button below!

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