I’d like to share with you a few tips and techniques that make e-mail marketing a successful part of the LecoursDesign promo mix.
1. Have a Strategy
It’s wise to have a goal for the overall campaign and for each individual e-mail blast. For example, my overall intent is to position myself as a marketing thought leader in the A/E/C industry. I do this by consistently sharing actionable knowledge and success stories. My goal with this particular entry is to share specific expertise so that you will consider hiring us to create your next e-mail marketing campaign.
2. Building Your Mailing List
Dedicate time to building a mailing list of readers within your target market. It’s best to ask people to opt-in before you show up unannounced in their in-box. I do this by having a link in my e-mail signature to our website that has a sign-up form. Also, when I meet potential clients, I’ll ask either in person, or via e-mail, “may I send you free marketing advice on a monthly basis as an e-mail?”
3. Getting People to Open Up
In an in-box full of messages, a compelling Subject line entices the reader to open your e-mail. Six to ten words and 35-55 characters is best. For continuity I always include “LecoursDesign:” as the first part of our Subject lines and the topic of the e-mail as the second part. Using “David Lecours” for the From field lets readers know this e-mail is coming from an actual person. A good e-mail service provider will provide you with metrics to measure how many people open your e-mail. According to MarketingSherpa, good open rates are 20% and higher. I’ve found that sending e-mails on Tues. or Wed at mid-day improves our open rates. I always send a test to myself and my Office Manager to check spelling, formatting and links before sending to our entire mailing list.
4. Juicy Content Creates a Connection
The first 4 vertical inches of an e-mail often gets shown in a Preview Pane which can determine the fate of your message. I include a branded The Marketing Voice masthead for credibility and a headshot to let the reader know this is written by a real person. If readers only view a sea of lengthy text, then it feels like work and thus decreases open rates. My goal is that our e-mail content offers something of value. The more actionable the content, the more value we are providing. I want to continually be making deposits in our relationships with past, present and future clients. I make the content personal and I’m not afraid to let people know what I believe. I try to keep our messages brief but if more than 800 words, I’ll include a bridge link like “read more on our blog.”
I hope you’ll consider e-mail marketing as another tool to connect with your audience. Let me know if you need assistance in creating a custom, branded e-mail campaign for your firm.
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Recommended E-mail Marketing Providers: Emma, Constant Contact. We use:Vertical Response
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