Automated Email Campaigns That Keep Customers Coming Back
Quite a few businesses these days tend to view emails or EDMs (electronic direct mail) as an antiquated form of marketing; rife with tacky HTML icons and spam. Given how powerful social media marketing has become, many companies have opted to scrap email altogether, instead focusing their efforts solely on Facebook and Instagram.
But email marketing is just as powerful as ever. In fact, automated email campaigns support marketing strategies in a way that social media and other avenues cannot. Still don’t think it’s necessary for your business? Allow us to convince you otherwise. Get ready for us to absolutely rock… your… world…
What is Automated Email Marketing?
Well, you know how an email newsletter is a one-off, specially created email sent out to your mailing list? An automated email campaign is pretty much the same thing, but it’s scheduled to send out a collection of emails at specific intervals.
Automation isn’t a one-night stand, it’s a long-term romance.
You can automate emails to be sent out at particular times and dates or in light of particular triggers like website visits or completed actions online. The possibilities are endless!
Why Use Email Automation?
As we mentioned, the uses of automated emails are endless. There’s plenty of flexibility and any good marketing campaign will have automated emails built into their overall strategy.
The emails can be personalised, and if scheduled at the right intervals, they can be timely prompts that will guide readers toward a desired action. Here are a couple of uses that’ll help you see where your marketing strategy could use a little automated EDM love.
1. Nurtures customers through your sales funnel
By having a series of emails prepared to respond to the specific actions of prospects, you’ll be able to guide them towards completing the exact purpose of your campaign, whether that be a sale or filling out a subscription form.
You may have already seen this in play when online shopping. Have you ever received an abandoned cart email, encouraging you to go back and complete your purchase?
2. Shows better responsiveness to customer complaints or prospect needs
Our inhouse email marketing expert Don Sulejmani states that great automated email marketing isn’t just about turning a profit.
“Having automated emails sent out once feedback is submitted (whether positive or negative) is a great way of showing your customers you care. By meeting them along the customer journey through email, you’ll maintain a better relationship with customers and retain them for longer.”
By having an automated response sent out to diffuse a situation you’ll also be setting the tone for your second action of calling prospects directly; helping mitigate any tensions that may have arisen and avoiding this feeling when you finally call them…
3. Ensures better brand recognition and recall
By having emails sent out in response to certain prospects (or client) actions, your brand will be more easily recognised and/or recalled when they think about an issue that they know you can provide a solution to.
Better brand recall ensures that you’re the brand they call once a relevant issue or question comes up.
4. Improves relationships with your email list
By delivering emails that are personalised and timely, you’ll be showing your email list that you’ve taken their issue into consideration, creating an email that speaks directly to their needs, or at least reminds them that you’re thinking of them (aww😍).
These are just a few reasons as to why automated emails are more than just a good idea. But where should one start?
How to Get The Party Started
You’ll need to kick things off with a plan in place. Good email automation campaigns are always supported by a strong foundation that is carefully thought out.
1. Ensure you have all relevant data at your disposal before building out your emails.
By understanding the results in hand, you’ll be able to tailor your emails to better suit the behaviours of your recipients. The more information you have the more data driven your campaign will be. No point taking a shot in the dark when you can start with the cold hard facts.
2. Create a plan based on your findings.
After assessing all the information you have you’ll be able to map out where your email should go, to whom and when.
3. Organise your emails by triggers.
After planning your campaign, determine when and where you want your emails to be sent out. These will be your triggers. For example, you may want to automate confirmation messages after someone signs up or registers their details, much like a welcome email. You may even have an email that’s sent out to remind someone of a subscription renewal or have messages sent out at intervals that just show people you’re thinking about them 😊 (i.e. re-engagement after periods of non-activity).
4. Find an automation system that’s right for you.
Most systems offer different packages according to the amount of people on your email list or the depth of insights you’re after. Free options are usually available on all systems and that’s a great option if your main objective is just getting an email out there and hoping for the best.
You may however, end up feeling like this…
Mid-band and enterprise options allow you more insight into the performance of each email, giving you more confidence and access to valuable demographic analytics. If you’re investing in a long-term game plan, consider a middle to upper tier automation system.
Measuring the Success of Your Email Automation Campaign
It doesn’t end there! The next step to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your email automation campaign is to make sure you’re measuring the results. By studying your results you’ll be able to refine your efforts moving forwards, creating better emails that get better results.
While most automation systems offer different levels of analytics to help you gain insights, having a system that integrates with Google Analytics will get you better access to fundamental numbers that could make all the difference to your campaign. Having these available to you and your team will help you plan for the future and go from strength to strength as time goes on.
Automation Exultation!
There are plenty of ways email marketing can be used to help power-up your marketing campaign, whether that’s through direct sales or through providing valuable customer service assistance to your email list. No matter the aim, make sure email automation is in your arsenal.
Get in touch with the team at Impressive Digital to speak with specialists and see where email marketing could fit perfectly into your overall strategy. We’ll help you find opportunities where your firm can benefit from EDMs, improving your existing plans and getting you even better results.