One of the most over looked aspects when it comes to marketing a business is the focus on building an email database and launching a beautifully branded, consistent newsletter. So many brands prioritize their content for their social platforms, largely because they don’t understand the power behind a carefully constructed email strategy. In this post, I am sharing the importance of a consistent newsletter, my favorite newsletter platform, how to create an eye-catching subject line, scheduling your newsletter, and how to set up landing pages that convert. Let’s dive in!
Be ready for an information overload, because I am sitting here with a few hours on my hands, email marketing strategies on my mind, and the motivation to blog my heart out!
Why is an Email Newsletter Important?
Email newsletters are a valuable tool in modern marketing and communication for several reasons:
Direct and Personalized Communication
Email newsletters allow you to directly reach your audience’s inbox, which is a highly personal and frequently checked space for most people. This direct line of communication can help build a more personal connection with your subscribers. While you can reach your subscribers on social media, unlike your subscriber list, you own your email list. If Instagram decided to shut down your profile today, your audience disappears in an instant. If you have an email list, you always have direct access to your audience, so long as they stay subscribed.
Audience Engagement
Subscribers to your email newsletter have voluntarily opted in, indicating an interest in your brand, products, or content. This means they are more likely to engage with your messages, making email a powerful channel for building and nurturing relationships with your audience.
Cost-Effective
Compared to traditional advertising channels, email marketing is often more cost-effective. Email service providers offer various pricing plans to suit different budgets. I have used several newsletter service platforms in the past and I love Flodesk, as it is very affordable and user-friendly. I will share more info on this provider below.
Segmentation and Targeting
Email marketing platforms allow you to segment your audience based on various criteria like location, behavior, or purchase history. This enables you to send personalized content that is more relevant to each group, increasing the chances of engagement and conversions.
Drive Traffic and Conversions
Email newsletters can be used to direct traffic to your website or specific landing pages. By including compelling calls to action (CTAs) and links to your site, you can encourage subscribers to take desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for an event. I will share some landing page strategies below.
Drive Traffic and Conversions
Email newsletters can be used to direct traffic to your website or specific landing pages. By including compelling calls to action (CTAs) and links to your site, you can encourage subscribers to take desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for an event. I will share some landing page strategies below.
Build Brand Loyalty
Consistent communication through email newsletters keeps your brand top-of-mind for subscribers. Regular updates, valuable content, and exclusive offers can help foster a sense of loyalty among your audience.
Measurable Results
Email marketing platforms provide detailed analytics that allow you to track the performance of your campaigns. You can see open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and other key metrics, enabling you to measure the effectiveness of your efforts and make data-driven decisions.
Automation and Scalability
Email marketing can be automated to send out scheduled newsletters, drip campaigns, and triggered emails based on user actions. This automation allows you to scale your efforts efficiently and maintain consistent communication with subscribers.
Compliance and Consent
When handled correctly, email newsletters comply with legal regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM. This ensures that your communication is permission-based and respects the privacy of your subscribers.
Long-Lasting Impact
Unlike social media posts that may quickly disappear from users’ feeds, email newsletters stay in subscribers’ inboxes until they choose to delete or engage with them. This longevity gives your content a better chance of being seen and remembered.
Best Email Newsletter Platform
I have tried several newsletter platforms, originally starting with Mailchimp. For years I enjoyed the Mailchimp service, that is, until my newsletter grew to the extreme and Mailchimp began charging by the email. That is when I began shopping around and discovered Flodesk. I really like Flodesk because:
- Stylish Templates: Flodesk offers a range of aesthetically pleasing and modern email templates which are fully customizable. I really like how easy it is to create visually appealing and professional-looking emails without needing any design skills.
- Pricing: Flodesk has very transparent and affordable pricing, offering a flat monthly fee, regardless of the size of your email list. If you are interested in Flodesk, you can click here to get 50% off your first year!
- Support and Resources: Flodesk provides a lot of support resources, including tutorials, webinars, and a community of users. I have had to reach out to their support team via email a few times for questions. They were very quick to reply and through in their responses.
Flodesk also offers some very useful features that their competitors provide, such as:
- Segmentation and Targeting: Flodesk provides segmentation options, allowing you to send highly targeted emails to specific subscriber groups based on criteria like behavior and demographics. This feature can help improve engagement and conversion rates.
- Automation: Flodesk offers automation capabilities, enabling you to set up email sequences, drip campaigns, and workflows. You can use automation to nurture leads, welcome new subscribers, or send personalized content based on subscriber actions.
- Integrations: While it may not have as extensive an integration library as Mailchimp, Flodesk integrates with popular tools like Shopify, WordPress, Zapier, and more. This allows you to connect your email marketing efforts with other parts of your business.
How to Create the Best Subject Line
Crafting an effective email subject line is crucial for getting your emails opened and read by recipients. The subject line is the first thing recipients see, and it can significantly influence their decision to open or ignore your email. Here are some tips to help you create the best email subject lines:
- Keep it Concise: Subject lines should be concise and to the point. Aim for around 40-60 characters to ensure it’s fully visible on most devices and doesn’t get cut off.
- Personalization: Personalize the subject line with the recipient’s name or other relevant information. Many email marketing platforms allow you to insert merge tags for personalization.
- Create Curiosity: Pique the recipient’s curiosity by teasing the content of the email without giving everything away. Make them want to open the email to find out more.
- Use Action Words: Include action-oriented words or verbs that encourage recipients to take action. For example, “Unlock,” “Discover,” “Get Started,” or “Save.”
- Highlight Benefits: Clearly convey the benefits or value of opening the email. How will the recipient benefit from reading it? For example, “Boost Your Productivity with These Tips.”
- Urgency and Scarcity: Create a sense of urgency or scarcity if it’s appropriate for your message. Phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Last Chance” can encourage immediate action.
- Ask Questions: Asking a question in the subject line can engage recipients and prompt them to open the email to find the answer. For example, “Ready to Boost Your Sales?”
- Use Emojis Sparingly: Emojis can add visual interest to subject lines, but use them sparingly and make sure they’re relevant to your message and audience.
- Avoid All Caps and Excessive Punctuation: Avoid using all capital letters or excessive punctuation (e.g., multiple exclamation marks) as this can make your email look spammy.
- Segment and A/B Test: Segment your email list and conduct A/B testing to determine which subject lines resonate best with specific segments of your audience. Test different elements like wording, length, and personalization to see what works best.
- Avoid Spam Triggers: Steer clear of words and phrases that trigger spam filters, such as “free,” “guarantee,” or “earn money fast.” These can send your emails straight to the spam folder.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure your subject lines are mobile-friendly. Many people check emails on mobile devices, so test how your subject line appears on both desktop and mobile screens.
- Alignment with Content: Make sure the subject line aligns with the content of the email. Misleading subject lines can lead to dissatisfaction and unsubscribes.
- Test with Previews: Flodesk offers a preview of the email content alongside the subject line. Ensure the subject line and preview text work together to entice the recipient.
- Monitor Analytics: Continuously monitor the open rates of your emails and analyze which subject lines perform best. Use this data to refine your future email subject lines.
Remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to creating the perfect email subject line. It’s essential to consider your audience, the nature of your email, and your brand’s tone and style. Regularly testing and optimizing your subject lines based on data and feedback is key to ongoing success in email marketing.
Landing Pages that Convert
But first, what is a landing page? A landing page is a specific web page designed with a single, focused purpose in mind: to convert visitors into leads or customers. Unlike typical web pages, which often have a variety of information and navigation options, landing pages are streamlined and tailored to encourage a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, downloading an e-book, or requesting a quote. Flodesk offers premium landing page design and hosting for using a landing page strategy.
The ultimate goal of a landing page is to maximize the conversion rate, which is the percentage of visitors who complete the desired action. In the case of an email newsletter strategy, the desired action is for the landing page visitor to leave their email so that you can build your email subscriber list. Check out an example of one of my landing pages in the image below.
I used this landing page in a Facebook advertising strategy, offering the audience a free, printable, capsule wardrobe shopping list if they clicked the link and left their email. After running this ad for only one day, I had collected 50 new emails! (Of course, the strategy behind the Facebook ad will segment the landing page to the desired audience, which is very helpful for successful conversions.)
Here are some important things to note when creating a landing page for your brand:
- Maintain Message Consistency: Ensure that the messaging and visuals on the landing page align with the email content that you plan to send to them after they sign up.
- Match Design and Branding: Use consistent branding elements like logos, color schemes, and fonts between the email and landing page. This provides a seamless transition and reinforces your brand identity.
- Single, Clear Call to Action (CTA): Have a single, prominent CTA that mirrors the action you want recipients to take from the email. Make the CTA button or link stand out and use persuasive language.
- Responsive Design: Ensure your landing page is responsive and mobile-friendly. Many email opens happen on mobile devices, and a poor mobile experience can lead to high bounce rates.
- Fast Loading Times: Optimize your landing page for speed. Slow-loading pages can lead to frustration and abandonment. Compress images, minimize scripts, and use efficient hosting.
- Compelling Headlines and Copy: Craft persuasive headlines and concise, benefit-driven copy that explains why visitors should take the desired action. Address pain points and offer solutions.
- Social Proof and Trust Signals: Include trust-building elements like customer testimonials, reviews, trust badges, and security certifications to reassure visitors.
- Offer Value: Clearly communicate the value of taking the action. Explain what visitors will gain or achieve by doing so.
- Use Multimedia: Incorporate videos, images, or infographics to enhance engagement and explain complex concepts more effectively.
- Thank You Pages: After a conversion, direct users to a thank you page that confirms their action and provides additional information or next steps. Thank you pages can be opportunities for upselling or nurturing.
Email Newsletter Scheduling
Scheduling your newsletter effectively is crucial for ensuring that it reaches your audience at the right time, increasing the chances of it being opened and read. However, the best scheduling time and frequency can vary depending on your audience, industry, and content.
Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are considered the best days for sending newsletters. Mondays are often busy with catching up on emails, and Fridays might be less effective as people prepare for the weekend. However, the ideal time to send newsletters can vary widely. Test different times, such as early morning, mid-morning, or early afternoon, to see when your audience is most engaged. If you have a global audience, prioritize sending newsletters at times that align with the majority of your subscribers.
Remember that the “best” schedule can evolve over time as your audience changes and your content strategy develops. Regularly review and adjust your email newsletter schedule based on data and feedback to maximize engagement and conversions.
In summary, email newsletters are a powerful marketing and communication tool that can help you engage, nurture, and convert your audience. When executed effectively, they can drive traffic, boost sales, and build lasting relationships with your subscribers.
