121. That is the number of emails the average person receives a day. Surely, you can’t expect them to read them all!
We are all guilty of ignoring emails and deleting those that don’t pique our interest.
Despite this, email marketing remains one of the more incredibly effective marketing channels. Bear in mind that there are over 4 billion email users in the world, more than any social media platform, and 91% of consumers check their email at least once a day.
If used correctly, email marketing can bridge the gap between an engaging, growing relationship with prospects and customers and an increase in profit that surpasses any other type of marketing. And as an added bonus, it is one of the most cost-effective forms of direct marketing, with an ROI of £35.41 for every £1 spent.
The key is delivering the right email to the right person at the right time.
Here are some of the best practices for making sure you are sending the RIGHT email to the RIGHT person at the RIGHT time.
Determine who your audience is.
Before starting an email campaign, it is worth thinking, who exactly are you trying to reach?
Having a clear definition of your audience will allow you to create impact messages that resonate with them. This content should answer their questions and address their problems.
Depending on what you sell or your service, your target audience might be relatively niche or much broader. Regardless, it is essential to define your target audience to determine the creative messaging that will resonate most with them.
Segment your contacts database.
Not all of your emails will apply to everyone.
Many people may be interested in your products and services, but their reasons and motivations may vary. This means that your target audience can be divided into several segments according to the various characteristics they have in common.
This tactic will help you create and deliver your message in a manner that will appeal to your audience. The point is in offering each member of your target audience tailored content they will find relevant and interesting. This will, in turn, make them more likely to open your emails, click on the link, and hopefully convert to loyal customers.
By maintaining and segmenting your contact base, you will know precisely WHO your message is going to, WHAT they receive, WHEN they receive it, and HOW they engage with the content.
Focus on sending the email at the right time.
Various studies have been done to determine the best time to send emails, finding varying results. Late-morning send times tend to be the most popular in general; several studies concluded that the best time to send emails is at 10 A.M.
According to the surveys, the three best days to send out emails are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Your subscribers have settled into their work routine by the middle of the week and are consistently checking their inboxes.
While research has been done, determining the best time for your particular audience requires frequent testing. With some simple A/B testing, you will be able to identify when the best time is to send your email.
There is no “best practice” across the board answer for the best time to send an email, so test out a few times throughout the day or on different days of the week.
Nurture your contacts into customers.
Without any nurturing process, your contacts will simply move on and forget about you. With no attempt to maintain your relationship over time, most potential customers who have engaged with you will drift away.
Consistency is key. Make sure that you follow up with your contacts on an ongoing, consistent basis. The more they hear from you about services or products valuable to them, the more likely they are to remember your brand when it comes time to make a buying decision.
The final takeaway.
Following the practices above will allow you to avoid ending up in someone’s bin.
If all of the information above is difficult to follow, marketers have coined a popular acronym to help: CATS.
The right Content, Audience, and Timing equal Success.
This is all you need to remember in order to be successful at email marketing and send the right email to the right person at the right time.
