What is email marketing?

Email marketing is a permanent fixture in digital marketing strategies–and for good reason. It represents the most effective way to connect with leads and customers directly and efficiently.

It is essentially one of the best channels to convert prospects into customers. Put simply: email marketing is the branch of your digital marketing strategy that uses email to promote your brand, products, and services.

Using email marketing you’re engaging with leads that have expressed a direct interest in your brand by subscribing to your mailing list. You can keep customers on your mailing lists aware of new products, discounts, services, and more. It also acts as a strong engagement tool, where you can educate your audience on the value of your brand and keep them connected between purchases.

Email marketing has been part of marketing strategies for over twenty years and remains the most popular communication channel among the public. 73% of consumers prefer brands to connect with them via email.

Despite rumors of its decline, email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective tools for marketers and businesses. With an average return on investment (ROI) of $42 for every $1 spent, email marketing is a cost-effective approach for marketers. And to budget-restricted, time-poor marketers that’s a benefit that cannot be underestimated.

Types of email marketing campaigns

There are several different types of email marketing campaigns you can use to reach your audience and achieve your goals. Here are some of the most common types:

Newsletter

Newsletters are a versatile tool for building relationships with your audience and keeping them informed. They can be used to share company news, industry updates, blog posts, case studies, and other valuable content. Effective newsletters are informative, engaging, and visually appealing.

Promotional email

Promotional emails are a great way to drive sales and generate revenue. They can be used to promote sales, discounts, new products or services, limited-time offers, and other promotions. When crafting promotional emails, it’s important to create a sense of urgency and make it clear what the reader will benefit from by taking action.

Re-engagement email

Re-engagement emails are an effective tactic for reactivating subscribers who have become inactive or unresponsive to your previous messages. These campaigns are designed to reconnect with disengaged customers, reignite their interest in your brand, and encourage them to take action.

Transactional email

Transactional emails are triggered by specific actions, such as making a purchase, creating an account, or resetting a password. These emails should be automated to ensure timely delivery and provide essential information to the customer. Examples of transactional emails include purchase confirmations, shipping notifications, password reset instructions, and order cancellation confirmations.

Abandoned cart email

Abandoned cart emails are a powerful tool for recovering lost sales. These emails are sent to customers who have added items to their shopping cart but didn’t complete the purchase. By reminding customers of the items they left behind and providing a link to return to their cart, you can encourage them to complete their purchase.

Welcome email

Welcome emails are the first impression your new subscribers have of your brand. They should be personalized, informative, and inviting. Welcome emails can introduce your brand, highlight key benefits, provide a link to your website or social media channels, and offer exclusive discounts or promotions.

Survey email

Survey emails are a valuable tool for gathering customer feedback. By asking customers for their opinions on your products, services, or customer experience, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions. Survey emails should be concise, easy to complete, and offer incentives for participation.

Event Invitation email

Event invitation emails can be used to promote webinars, conferences, workshops, and other events. These emails should provide clear information about the event, including the date, time, location, and topic. They should also highlight the benefits of attending and include a clear call to action, such as registering for the event.

Customer appreciation email

Customer appreciation emails are a great way to show your customers that you value their business. These emails can be used to thank customers for their loyalty, provide exclusive offers or discounts, or simply express your gratitude. By showing appreciation for your customers, you can strengthen your relationships and encourage repeat business.

Birthday email

Sending birthday emails presents a great opportunity to connect with your customers personally by celebrating their special day with exclusive offers, discounts, or personalized messages. This type of email campaign can help enhance customer loyalty and increase engagement with your brand. 

How can email marketing help your business grow?

As the number of marketing channels expands, it’s easy for brands to focus on new strategies and let their email marketing languish on the sidelines. After all, we’ve been doing it for so long, email campaigns basically run themselves at this point, right?

Wrong.

Today’s marketers are under constant pressure to do more with less. At the same time, customers demand personalized and unique experiences at every touchpoint. As technology advances, more tools than ever make this goal achievable for marketers. But, it’s important not to forget about the channel you already have that makes this possible too.

Email marketing should be the first channel you optimize to deliver these experiences. Unlike any other channel at your fingertips, email can do all this and more. And all without breaking the bank.

Email marketing should be a top priority for marketers looking to grow their brand quickly and efficiently, and here’s why:

• Direct communication: Emails enable you to directly communicate with your audience, ensuring that your messages reach the intended recipients without the distractions of social media.
• Personalization: By utilizing customer data, you can create personalized messages that resonate with individual preferences and behaviors, resulting in higher engagement rates. Personalized emails have been shown to deliver six times higher transaction rates than generic messages.
• Cost-effectiveness: Compared to traditional advertising methods, email marketing is relatively inexpensive. It allows you to reach large audiences at a fraction of the cost.
• Measurable results: Email marketing platforms like Dotdigital provide detailed analytics that allow you to track open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
• Customer retention: Regular communication through email helps keep your brand top-of-mind for customers, fostering loyalty and encouraging repeat purchases.
• Unbeatable ROI: Email marketing generates an average return on investment of $42 for every $1 spent. Automation features allow successful campaigns to run in the background, freeing up time for other business growth activities.
• Cross-channel integration: Email can integrate various marketing channels, as most social media platforms require an email address for signup. This allows you to find and engage customers across multiple platforms.
• Versatility: Email is an effective communication tool for various business types (B2B, B2C, institutions, non-profits), making it adaptable to different industries and marketing needs.

What is an email marketing strategy?

An email marketing strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how a business will leverage email communications to achieve its marketing goals and drive growth. It’s an important component of any digital marketing effort, designed to increase customer engagement, maximize ROI, improve retention, and foster customer loyalty.

To create a robust and effective email marketing strategy, consider the following key elements:

1. Set measurable marketing goals

What are you hoping to achieve? It could be anything from improved open rates, to boosting ROI. Whatever it is, be sure to set measurable targets in your strategy.

2. Select appropriate email marketing tools

Select an email marketing platform that aligns with your business needs and goals. Consider factors such as automation capabilities, analytics, integration with other tools, and scalability.

3. Identify your target audience

Knowing who you’re targeting – their likes, dislikes, age, gender, and demographics – will help you get a clear understanding of what they want and which tactics you need to use.

4. Choose email list building tactics

Implement ethical and effective list-building tactics that comply with local regulations (such as GDPR or CAN-SPAM). This may include opt-in forms on your website, lead magnets, or in-person sign-ups at events.

5. Segment your audience

Divide your email list into smaller targeted groups based on criteria such as demographics, purchase history, or engagement levels. This allows for more personalized and relevant communications.

6. Develop content strategy

Plan the types of emails you’ll send (e.g., newsletters, promotional offers, transactional emails) and their frequency. Ensure your content provides value to your subscribers and aligns with their interests and needs.

7. Implement personalization

Use subscriber data to create personalized email experiences, from addressing recipients by name to tailoring content based on their preferences and behaviors.

8. Schedule your email marketing campaigns

After you’ve decided on the types of emails you’ll be sending, it’s time to think about how frequently you’ll be running these campaigns. But don’t bombard your audience with multiple emails a day.

9. Design for mobile

With over 50% of emails opened on mobile devices, ensure your emails are mobile-responsive and easy to read on smaller screens.

10. Optimize for deliverability

Implement best practices to improve email deliverability, such as maintaining a clean list, using authentication protocols, and monitoring your sender reputation.

11. A/B test regularly

Continuously test different elements of your emails (subject lines, content, design, send times) to optimize performance and engagement.

12. Monitor and analyze results

Track key email marketing metrics and performance indicators (KPIs) such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI. Use these insights to refine your strategy and improve future campaigns.

13. Review and adapt

Regularly review your email marketing strategy (at least annually) to ensure it remains aligned with your business goals and adapts to changing market conditions and customer preferences.

By implementing a well-thought-out email marketing strategy that incorporates these elements, businesses can effectively harness the power of email to drive engagement, conversions, and long-term customer relationships.

5 examples of successful email marketing campaigns

Several companies have executed exemplary email marketing campaigns that you can use as inspiration:

1. Reebok

Reebok’s birthday email marketing campaign is highly effective for increasing customer engagement and driving sales. By using attention-grabbing email graphics and personalized offers that celebrate the customer’s special day, Reebok fosters a sense of loyalty and exclusivity.

2. Klean Kanteen

Klean Kanteen’s Easter collection email emphasizes an exclusive, limited-edition product line to generate excitement and demand. By leveraging the festive season, the company creates a sense of urgency and encourages customers to act quickly.

3. Nautica

Nautica’s countdown email creates urgency by offering additional discounts for a limited time, motivating customers to purchase immediately and not miss out on the best deals available.

4. Estée Lauder

The Estée Lauder refer-a-friend email campaign rewards existing customers for promoting the brand to their friends. This tactic simultaneously grows its customer base and encourages brand loyalty, as familiar faces introduce new potential buyers to Estée Lauder products.

5. Office

Office’s welcome email establishes a connection with new subscribers, providing a friendly introduction that promotes a positive customer experience. This initial contact sets the tone for future interactions and encourages new customers to explore the brand and its offerings.

Is Dotdigital an email marketing platform?

Yes, Dotdigital is a comprehensive email marketing platform. It offers a wide range of features designed to help you create, send, and analyze effective email campaigns. With Dotdigital, you can:

• Build and manage email lists: Segment your audience based on various criteria to deliver targeted messages.
• Design emails: Create visually appealing email campaigns.
• Automate email workflows: Create personalized campaigns based on customer behavior and triggers.
• Track and analyze performance: Measure open rates, click-through rates, and other key metrics.
• Integrate with other marketing tools: Connect Dotdigital to your CRM, social media, and other platforms.

If you’re looking for a powerful and versatile email marketing solution, Dotdigital is worth considering.

Get started with email marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool that you can use to reach your target audience, build relationships, and drive sales. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this blog post, you can create effective email campaigns that deliver results.