Are You Using Email Marketing?

Unlike many other types of marketing, email campaigns are a bit less about generating brand new customers and a bit more about keeping old and current ones excited and coming back. That's why they're such a vital tool for startups – they allow companies to reach out to customers and remind them what they can gain from returning. Are you using email marketing for your startup? If not, here are a few tips to keep in mind when you begin:

Focus on Content First
Effective email marketing campaigns rely almost completely on the type of content you're sending out. So, make sure you have a content strategy before you start sending regular newsletters. Content can be anything from industry news and educational information to lists and how tos, but it must be as customer-driven as possible. What are your customers interested in? What do they need help with? Keep in mind that promotional emails are OK every so often (emails are a great supplement to a direct mail campaign with business flyers or custom postcards, for instance), but the majority of the content should be informative and educational.

Remember that even news and industry trends newsletters should be written in a conversational tone. This is your chance to speak to your customers one on one, so the email should be casual and friendly.

Craft Your Subject Line Carefully
The subject line is the first thing your customers will see, which means you should make sure it's engaging and attention-grabbing. Consider crafting your subject line the same way you might write a social post or blog headline. The most important and interesting information must be at the beginning. If your content is already based on what you believe your customers care about, your subject line should reflect that.

Make it Mobile-Friendly
According to Forbes, if your email campaign can't be accessed on your customers' smartphones, it won't be nearly as effective. Think about it: How often do you check your email on your phone? If you're like most people, it's several times a day or more. If your email isn't easy to read on mobile devices, your customers may just delete it and move on to the next one.

Simple is Better
Don't try to take on too much when drafting your email campaign content. People are bombarded with dozens of newsletters a day, and they don't have time to sift through long or complex ones. Focus on one article at a time, and make your content easily scannable by using engaging subheads and bullet points, and organizing the text in other ways. The general rule of thumb is that the more often you send emails to your customers, the shorter they should be.

Use a Permission-Based Subscriber List
Your email newsletters should be sent to people who have given you their email addresses personally. While you can purchase a list of email addresses, you'll find it much easier and more effective to reach out to people you already know and have a relationship with. Start building a subscription list by putting a form on your website.