Email Marketing: the practical guide

What is meant by email marketing? What are the best strategies to adopt? What results can be achieved? How do integrate email marketing into other digital marketing activities? Infomail's Email Marketing Guide answers all of these questions, providing you with examples, tips, and strategies for implementing your next email campaign.

PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EMAIL MARKETING - Index of contents

• 1. What is email marketing

• Benefits of Email Marketing

• Is Email Marketing Still Relevant?

• 2. Come fare email marketing

• Create a winning email marketing strategy

• Step 1: Define your audience

• Step 2: Set Goals

• Step 3: Create a simple and intuitive way for the target to register.

• Step 4: Choose one type of email marketing campaign over another

• Step 5: Make a mailing schedule

• Step 6: Measure the results

• 3. The regulation of e-mail marketing - GDPR

• 4. Properly build a mailing list

• Create a registration form

• Evaluate the type of registration form

• Static registration form

• Form pop-up

• Notification bar

• Form slide-in

• Clarify to users the expectations of the communications they will receive

• Develop an effective call to action

• Evaluate where to place the registration form

• Studying the most effective design

• Give incentives

• 5. Segment the mailing list

• Where do you start to make a segmentation?

• The typical buyer

• The history of purchases

• The interactions

• The interests

• The needs

• After segmentation, it is time to monitor the results

• 6. Write emails that convert: rethink the tone of voice

• 7. Email Marketing Email Types

• 8. Design in email marketing

• 9. When is it best to send emails?

• 10. Analyze data and improve email marketing strategy through A / B testing.

• 11. Choose an email marketing platform

• 12. Automation in email marketing: what does it consist of?

• 13. Conclusions

1. What is email marketing?

Email marketing is one of the main channels of digital marketing, now essential for any business that wants to communicate its services or products to its target audience.

When a company is to implement an email marketing activity, it must first carefully set up a real strategy, starting from the collection and constant increase of subscribers to its mailing list, proceeding with accurate segmentation of the reference audience, to which communications will be sent as personalized as possible and - finally - analyzing the results obtained to cyclically improve the strategy itself thanks to very useful tests.

Benefits of Email Marketing

As we mentioned at the beginning, email marketing is essential for most businesses. Let's see now the reason, that is: what advantage can ensure this channel to a company, compared to other types of strategy?

It is complex to reduce this issue to a minimum but, without a doubt, having to highlight the fundamental pluses of email marketing, it is inevitable to indicate at least two fundamental ones: the limited budget and the simplicity of implementation.

Economic leverage is an essential factor, as it allows even small companies in the launch phase to realize with a small expense and the right strategies of email marketing campaigns that are truly profitable for their business.

The ease of management of this operation completes a really interesting panorama: just think of email marketing services such as Info email, able to make every operation extremely simple, starting from the management of the mailing list, to get to the creation of the actual campaign, with the development of an essential and always precious reporting to pull the strings of the implemented email marketing strategy.

Is Email Marketing Still Relevant?

Of course! For some, the advice to focus on email marketing may seem anachronistic, especially in an era in which social media has registered a global spread. Yet - data in hand - the panorama that is emerging within digital marketing is clear: email marketing is not only relevant, but it is truly indispensable, for any type of business.

 

Let's see why, through the eloquent data that we propose in the next lines.

 

As many as 94% of users who use internet services every day use e-mail. On the contrary, only 61% of them spend their time on social networks.

75% of users clearly prefer email marketing within the panorama of promotional and service communications.

Email marketing includes the permission marketing function, technically called opt-in. This option allows the user to consent to the inclusion of their data in a commercial mailing list and to receive messages related to it.

Thanks to this feature, visitors to a website are asked to provide a personal email address and confirm their subscription to the newsletter service offered.

 

Furthermore, the collection of further information at the time of subscription by a target user is a valid opportunity to segment one's mailing list and trigger personalized and more effective communication strategies through emails.

 

Email messages have a much greater and more interesting range of customizations than campaigns via social networks. This allows you to better calibrate the overall visual impact of your communications, for greater clarity and effectiveness.

 

Even at the level of analysis and reporting, email marketing strategy offers significant opportunities, returning precise data on open rates, bounces, and conversions, for example.

 

Basically, if used correctly, email marketing offers many features and opportunities, aimed and ideal for the substantial increase of a business.

 

2. Come fare email marketing

Create a winning email marketing strategy

As we have seen above, email is a current tool and very present in the daily lives of users who populate the web or who check their email account several times a day mainly from mobile: just think that the potential target of a company receives an average of over 100 emails every day.

It is easy to understand how essential it is to devise and develop a very precise marketing strategy to avoid ending up in the indiscriminate cauldron of anonymous newsletters.

If therefore, on the one hand, e-mail is a highly potential pool, on the other the numbers it reaches make one run the risk of falling into anonymity in the eyes of one's target audience or, worse still, of ending up in the SPAM folder.

But, how can you devise a truly functional email marketing strategy capable of triggering a virtuous circle for your business?

Here are the 6 essential steps, a real scheme to be implemented carefully:

Step 1: Define your audience

For an email to be effective, it must be primarily relevant. This is an essential condition for the success of an e-mail communication activity. Moreover, other areas of marketing cannot ignore communications and contacts that possess this quality: understanding what the buyer wants, identifying his interests, and setting up an email marketing campaign that is personalized and targeted to the needs of the target is the starting point of a winning strategy.

Step 2: Set Goals

Studying and highlighting the characteristics of the context in which the email marketing campaign is located is essential and must be a priority over identifying the objectives of the activity itself. Searching for statistics belonging to the sector in terms of email marketing is a very valid way to identify reference parameters on which to set the final objectives.

Step 3: Create a simple and intuitive way for the target to register.

As we said earlier, it all starts with building a mailing list that is as relevant, targeted, and carefully segmented as possible. To do this, it is essential to structure an evident and extremely clear registration form, both in terms of the registration procedure and in terms of expectations regarding the contents and information that will be shared from that moment on setting up a transparent and clear relationship will help the creation of a relationship of trust between the user and the company.

We must not be discouraged if initially, the number of subscriptions to the mailing list is small, the target audience must be studied, cultivated, and - above all - once the registration objective has been reached, the contacts acquired will be treated with the utmost respect. By implementing these strategic behaviors, the mailing list will certainly growvalidly and exponentially.

Step 4: Choose one type of email marketing campaign over another

There are different types of email marketing campaigns and one of the essential objectives of a marketing strategy is precisely to identify the most correct type for your objectives.

Sure, as obvious as it sounds like a suggestion, this step plagues most markets.

To find the first point of reference, it is advisable to monitor the campaigns that already exist within your business segment, trying to guess which could be the closest choice to your audience.

However, it is good to specify that a correct email marketing strategy cannot foresee a single campaign valid for the entire audience of subscribers: on the contrary, the right choice is to categorize different groups within the mailing list and dedicate it to each of the specific communication, targeted and specialized. Even better, the ideal is to set the possibility for interested users to subscribe to different lists based on their needs and preferences.

Step 5: Make a mailing schedule

Deciding how often you intend to contact your list is essential and even more informing users during registration on what they should expect from the service: this transparency and clarity will be an important lever for building a relationship of trust.

Step 6: Measure the results

The analysis of the results of each campaign is a decisive step, which cannot surprise those involved in marketing: being precise on the different metrics greatly helps to make improvements and changes to the initial strategy, making it increasingly refined and profitable.

3. The regulation of e-mail marketing - GDPR

The entry, in the context of email marketing, of the General Data Protection Regulation - the so-called GDPR - has displeased many marketers, who initially judged it burdensome and quite complex to implement.

However, after some time it is evident that what has been arranged lays concrete foundations for building solid and lasting relationships with the target audience, based on trust.

Adhering to the GDPR, in fact, essentially means giving one's audience the possibility to choose, and this, beyond representing an initial obstacle, gives marketers essential information: users consciously choose content and products, therefore - if they give their consent to the processing of personal data - they are to be considered actively interested.

To better grasp the essence of this careful legislation, it is good to consider that it applies only to companies operating in the European Union and to companies that market products or services directly to EU citizens.

Beyond its intrinsic value, what was clear right from the start were the risks that you run into if you do not comply meticulously. Here is a brief overview of the fundamental points to be respected to be considered in order:

• Use explicit and clear language when requesting consent to store personal information.

• Collect only the contact details that are necessary and relevant to the business.

• Store contact details securely and use them only for the agreed purpose.

• Keep data only for justifiable business purposes.

• Delete the contact data at the active request of the user himself.

• Make it easier for contacts to unsubscribe from your list or update preferences.

• Promptly comply with a contact's request for access to your data.

• Maintain business records to demonstrate GDPR compliance.

By following all these indications to the letter, you are sure to be perfectly compliant with the new legislation.

4. Properly build a mailing list

A targeted and well-structured mailing list is the key to the success of email marketing, we can say that it is not quantity but the quality that gives value to the set of contacts in a company: having people in the subscriber list right, interested in their business and proposed content is the real deciding factor.

Of course, every marketer's goal is to grow their mailing list and attract quality subscribers. To do this, it is necessary to follow some basic steps, the first of which is to create the registration form or form.

Create a registration form

A registration form is a form that allows visitors to a website to send their data and become part of a mailing list, thanks to which they will receive all dedicated communications.

This step is fundamental, not only because it represents the moment in which a new user is added to the list, declaring his interest in the business in question and therefore creating a positive contact, but also because in this step you have the opportunity to acquire information. decisive on the target: the name, which will allow you to send personalized messages, but also the geographical position and certain interests, for example.

These data represent an enormous asset as they make possible a truly accurate analysis and segmentation of the audience and therefore allow the development of a timely and targeted email marketing strategy.

The creation of a registration form is therefore the first step to creating a mailing list since it is the interface through which visitors to the site must be convinced that the proposed business is of great interest to them.

Evaluate the type of registration form

Sign-up forms are typically located in the header or sidebar of a website. A fairly common alternative is to program a pop-up window that appears after a few minutes of browsing.

Let's see what are the most used types of web forms.

Static registration form

This is a common subscription form and is the most classic way to attract visitors to a website and invite them to join the mailing list. It consists of static blocks that can be freely placed on the home page, alternatively in the sidebar, in the center, or at the end of a blog post. Often this type of form is inserted on a page dedicated to the subscription.

Form pop-up

It is a high-converting option, thanks to the ability to attract the user's attention while browsing a website. The pop-up forms can be set by deciding after when they should appear and at what point on the page, the advice tends to be to wait at least 45 seconds and to propose it centrally so that it fully attracts the attention of visitors.

Notification bar

This alternative consists of a notification bar located at the top of the web page, which invites you to subscribe to the mailing list. It is undoubtedly a good solution, more visible than a static form - which risks getting lost in some types of very stimulating sites - and more discreet than the pop-up form perceived as intrusive and disturbing by some particular types of target.

Form slide-in

It is a type of dynamic form but very elegant and more discreet than the pop-up solution. It is recommended for those who have a very stimulating site because it perfectly attracts the user's attention. Its functionality provides that, as a user moves to the bottom of the page, the form scrolls across the screen, usually starting from the side or the bottom. This movement hits users' attention and gets good feedback. The positive effects of this choice increase if the appearance occurs after allowing visitors time to appreciate the content of the site they are visiting, therefore at least after 45 seconds of browsing.

Clarify to users the expectations of the communications they will receive

The mailing list subscription form has the function of indicating to readers exactly what they will get thanks to their membership.

Clarity and transparency in intent are the basis of the relationship of trust that must be established and cultivated over time with readers, therefore it is good from the outset to clarify how many and what content they will receive, or if more weekly emails will be sent, if they will contain useful information or special promotions, for example.

Setting clear expectations is the alluring point, both to attract your target and to convey the added value of the promoted activity. In this way, the campaigns will always be read and do not risk ending up in the SPAM folder.

Concretely, it is sufficient to make this information explicit through the registration form.

Develop an effective call to action

The call to action consists of an exhortation to action and is one of the most important elements of the registration form.

Many marketers simplify everything with a simple "sign up" yet, in some cases, this choice represents an important wasted opportunity.

The call to action is such an important element that it is worth using strategy and creativity to be more engaging in the eyes of the reader.

Two basic rules to develop the call to action are to be exhortative and use the first person, for example, "Send me my free ebook" or "I want to try the service!". These tricks will arouse greater involvement and empathy from users who will already feel like members of a community from the start.

Evaluate where to place the registration form

One of the first considerations to make in choosing the position of the registration form is the evaluation of the busiest areas of the site on which you work or in any case the most visible areas since the goal is to invite as many users as possible to join the mailing. list.

This choice must be made in conjunction with the choice of the type of form that best suits your audience: pop-up, static, notification bar, and slide-in form.

Studying the most effective design

After having determined the best type of form, it's positioning, and having chosen the most effective call to action accompanied by explanatory texts, it is necessary to identify the most effective design, able to offer an experience consistent with its offer and global communication.

Ensuring clarity and continuity with one's institutional communication ensures that the impact is of great authority and generates trust in the activity in question on the part of the reader.

It is therefore essential that, visually, the form reflects the guidelines of the brand, both from the point of view of design and of the traits and colors chosen.

Give incentives

Generally, users love to receive exclusive gifts or discounts: therefore adding this possibility, together with the completion of the registration form, can be a truly virtuous operation and can concretely encourage the public to join the mailing list.

Focus on the release of data - which is what is most interesting for the email marketing operations that you intend to develop - in the face of incentives, whether they are valuable content, a discount, or a contingent gift upon registration, is undoubtedly the most appropriate and profitable strategy for your business. In effect, it is a question of setting up a profitable exchange on both sides.

5. Segment the mailing list

What is meant when we talk about the segmentation of a mailing list? We start from the assumption that it is an essential and extremely useful activity if the intent is - as is desirable - to obtain the best possible results from the campaigns.

By segmentation, therefore, we mean the subdivision of the global mailing list into subgroups, united by certain characteristics sensitive to the proposed offer. These groups are delineated through different profiles, identifiable within the reference audience.

Where do you start to make a segmentation?

The answer is simple: from the data collected during registration. The segmentation can take place on a geographical basis or thanks to very specific demographic characteristics, for example. If more specific questions about the interests of the subscribers have been set in the registration form, this information will also help in targeting.

The goal of a truly effective email marketing strategy is to operate a very accurate and functional segmentation of the proposed business, this allows you to create campaigns that are as personalized as possible.

To understand even better the effectiveness of such an operation it is possible to use identification, we think we are receiving a communication that refers to our profession, it will certainly attract our attention to a greater extent, compared to a generic email, we will think in fact that whoever writes to us knows something about us and therefore has something useful to tell us.

As important as they are, the demographics and information gathered at signup are just the starting point for the full potential of an effective targeting business. The operations of subdivision of the mailing list provide infinite possibilities, here are some ideas to start implementing it.

The typical buyer

The ideal is to categorize some different types of ideal buyers and to customize the campaigns based on the characteristics identified.

The history of purchases

Information related to the purchasing habits of the target audience can prove to be important: how often do customers generally buy? When do they do it? The answers to these questions will enable you to communicate with them at the most appropriate time, increasing the chances of sales.

The interactions

Dividing the acquired mailing list into specific segments based on who clicks or who opens the emails received is very useful because it allows you to identify users who have never interacted or haven't interacted for some time and intercept them with targeted communication and promotional, to reactivate them.

The interests

Analyzing the interests of subscribers allows you to use the information collected, creating an important opportunity, that is to send only relevant communications and therefore more effective in terms of achieving your marketing objectives.

The needs

Each marketing operation consists in identifying the needs of customers and in developing one or more solutions to propose to them. Segmenting the mailing list based on the needs of one's audience undoubtedly guarantees virtuous results.

Basically, in addition to the demographic data and preliminary information that can be collected when subscribing to the mailing list registration form, observing the behavior of one's contacts allows an accurate segmentation of the reference audience and therefore allows the development of strategies and targeted communications, capable of achieving a largely positive result in terms of conversions.

After segmentation, it is time to monitor the results

Once the segmentation has been developed, thanks to the monitoring of the results, it will be possible to measure the performance of the devised strategy. This analysis is an essential part of the process and sets the stage for developing even better-performing campaigns.

Measurements should include the following metrics:

• Open rate: that is the number of customers who have opened the received email.

• Click-through rate: Rate of customers who opened the email and clicked on one of the internal links.

• Conversions: number of customers who, after opening the email and clicking on an internal link, performed the action required by the call to action.

• Percentage of bounce: this data refers to all rejected emails, that is, emails that did not reach the recipient. When this percentage is high, you risk being identified as SPAM by Internet Service Providers.

• ROI: this data refers to the earnings obtained on sales compared to the money spent to create the email marketing campaign.

To conclude, we can say that the segmentation operations are undoubtedly complex and require method and time, however, the results can fully repay every effort.

The global marketing landscape is moving more and more towards personalization. As evidenced by numerous market researches the personalization of emails based on targeting greatly increases the rate of openings and clicks and reduces cancellations from the mailing list.

In numerical terms, a company is estimated to be able to increase its revenue from email marketing campaigns by 760% using segmentation. A truly sensational and overwhelming fact that requires any marketer not to neglect this essential procedure.

6. Write emails that convert: rethink the tone of voice

Once the correct segmentation has been developed, based on the most useful information for your business, you are ready to work on the content to be sent to users.

This content should aim to be as personalized as possible. Many marketers think that by personalization we only mean entering the recipient's name, instead, this is a practice now so widespread that it is no longer able to make a difference.

In reality, an effective personalized email can speak directly to the recipient, leveraging - through the contents and the tone of voice - their habits and interests.

The relevance and engagement that emails will arouse in the audience will be the key to the success of the email marketing campaign implemented. If therefore the contents are a very important part, the other part - equally decisive - is the tone of voice.

In the past, it was common for marketers to use an extremely formal tone in emails, to be authoritative and trustworthy. This may still be valid for institutional service companies or large-scale professional organizations, in all other cases the risk of appearing boring and devoid of personality is very real.

So, to get attention and stand out among the dozens of emails that populate the mailboxes of the target audience every day, it is good to think of something much more original and empathetic.

Of course, setting a more confidential tone is not a way to take this communication channel superficially, far from it. Rather, it is a question of making one's authenticity prevail and establishing a positive, valuable, and highly engaging relationship.

All these considerations on the tone of voice are even more valid when you find yourself having to write the title, or rather the subject, of the email campaign, since - together with the first preview lines that the user can read - are the words which will have to convince the reader to open the message and which will therefore greatly influence the final statistics, being analyzed.

Therefore, it is advisable to take the right time to identify the correct tone of voice, the subject that will title the emails, and the preview text: the results will benefit greatly!

7. Email Marketing Email Types

In the previous chapter, we saw together the importance of personalization in developing e-mail communications. In the wake of these indications, different types of emails are easily identifiable.

Email marketing campaigns can vary both in content and in their graphic and visual aspect, trying to meet the different needs of the identified segments and allowing to test the functioning of alternative elements at the same time.

Here are some types of emails that can be sent depending on the objectives set and the specific audience.

Promotional emails

This type of email has the function of promoting products or services directly, or of inviting to join the offers through discounts or ad hoc advertising initiatives.

Newsletter

The subject of an email marketing campaign does not necessarily have to be promotional. To engage users, high added value newsletters are very useful, with suggestions and practical guides for solving problems.

Courtesy email

This category includes the classic thank you emails and order confirmations that are sent when customers make purchases or join a group. In general, the text of these communications tends to confirm the action by summarizing it and offers the possibility of anticipating an interesting offer, taking advantage of the moment of maximum attention on the part of the interlocutor, to leverage the trust just established.

Transaction updates

They are service emails that are sent to provide tracking information, for example in the case of shipments. This type of communication can also be excellent for conveying offers and special occasions.

Communications to those who have abandoned the full cart

They are perfect communications to solicit those who have put products or services in their cart, without completing the purchase procedure. In these cases, it is good practice to encourage the conclusion of the transaction by sending additional incentives and promotions.

Event announcements and confirmations

This type of email is ideal when organizing events, such as webinars, seminars, trade shows, or conferences; e-mail is a very effective tool to increase participation. These communications are also ideal for promoting podcasts, videos, blogs, and institutional channels on social media networks.

Interactive email messages

These are emails aimed at obtaining a return in terms of interaction, an example in this sense is communications containing surveys, always accompanied by an incentive: for example, the possibility of winning a prize for participation. This trick is excellent for obtaining important information on the reference audience, thanks to which to make improvements in the segmentation of the list.

Referral email

By this type we mean the offer of incentives for registered users, aimed at promoting the activity with friends and acquaintances. For example, the proposal of a special discount or gift for each new customer suggested.

Email reply to contact forms or tickets

Generally, this type of communication is automated and is sent as confirmation of the receipt of a request sent by the user himself. Also, in this case, there is a very virtuous opportunity to propose, in the footer or marginally, a promotion or any case an incentive to purchase. The ideal is to insert this type of content in the final closing email of the ticket, therefore after the problem raised has been solved.

Welcome email or subscription confirmation email

This is often an underrated email by marketers, mistakenly. The welcome email is a unique opportunity to communicate with the target, as it is sent at a time when the attention towards the proposed contents is at its maximum and the user has just declared that he wants to become part of the community of members. The ideal is to exploit it to start establishing a relationship of trust, both through interesting content and through graphic choices in line with the brand, to convey authority.

Unsubscribe email:

Regardless of how well each marketer does their job, it will always happen to have some unsubscribe from the mailing list, and even, in this case, it will be good to study the right communication. It is correct to respect the decision of the user who wants to leave the list, however making sure to thank him for having initially joined, invite him to re-register at any time, and point out the possibility of possibly changing the frequency of receiving communications or the possibility of modifying his interests indicated at the start, to receive more relevant and online emails with its needs.

8. Design in email marketing

After analyzing all the aspects of analysis and structuring of the mailing list, having focused on the importance of the contents and email marketing strategies on which to base your campaigns, it is good to address an equally important topic, namely the visual aspect.

In fact, e-mail is an excellent means of communication for your brand in all its identifying aspects, made up of lines, formats, and institutional colors.

For the proposed campaigns to be effective and attractive, it is necessary to know some basic indications: the first step, undoubtedly, is to choose the template that best suits your needs and the characteristics of the target considered.

Platforms such as email marketing platforms such as Info email offer a selection of ready-to-use email templates that can avoid a complete design. Just choose the template that best suits your needs and customizes it with the brand's institutional fonts, so that there is visual coherence.

Alternatively, you can create an ad hoc template: in this regard, Infomail - through a drag-and-drop editor, facilitates the autonomous design of your template. Just choose and add the various blocks, to create a customized model, adding styles and elements in line with your needs and preferences.

Of course, during development, we must not lose sight of the need to be clear, so that the proposed communication is simple and easily decoded. Using blank spaces between different messages will improve readability and help your content stand out properly.

Another factor to consider is undoubtedly the compatibility of the email or newsletter with mobile devices, through which most users now view and constantly check their email.

For this, we will need to take care to insert the titles in an optimal size - that is between 22 px and 30 px. The text in the body of the message must be at least 14 px. These precautions, together with the indication to choose a maximum of two different fonts, will allow users to be guaranteed good readability.

The choice of colors is also essential, as it is undoubtedly able to influence the perception of the message. Contrasting colors, to bring out essential elements such as the call to action, and clear backgrounds will be useful to give an order to the reading and to focus attention on the most important messages of the communication sent.

9. When is it best to send emails?

Once all the valuable steps observed so far have been completed, the email marketing campaign is ready to be forwarded to the most suitable segments of the mailing list. However, the strategy and evaluation work are by no means finished because it is necessary to determine what is the most suitable time for sending.

The importance of the "time" factor is soon explained if we think that the more hours pass from the moment of receipt, the less likely it is that the selected contacts will read the communication via e-mail.

Taking a look at the promotional emails we receive daily, it is clear that the time is not random at all: most of them are concentrated between 9 and 10 in the morning, and then continue between 17 and 18.

Of course, a great variable, in choosing the most appropriate time or day, is precisely the target to which it is addressed: professionals employed in the office will have the opportunity to read e-mails at different times, compared to a doctor or other a technician who works on machines dedicated to the production of materials.

At the same time, the opportunity to be connected in real-time to one's mobile e-mail greatly expands the possibilities of viewing at even singular times: some statistics made on this subject testify that many users check their inbox as soon as they wake up, for example.

The choice of the best time for sending emails can undoubtedly derive, as we have just said, from the analysis of the target and the daily habits that reflect it most, trying to deduce how everyday life is delineated and what are the moments in which - more likely - subscribers will have free time to freely consult the emails received.

In addition to these considerations, even the data and statistics collected gradually from the email marketing campaigns implemented previously will be able to give invaluable information.

In addition to analyzing the reference audience, to establish the best time to send emails, it is good to consider the nature of the communications themselves: for example, if you are about to send a promotional message aimed at purchasing, The most profitable moment of the day is certainly lunchtime, in which workers need to escape from work issues and have time to relax and think about something else. Emails of this type are also perfectly suited to evening hours, while messages related - for example - to leisure are more welcome in the morning, for greater predisposition and even physical proactivity.

Once these considerations have been made, you can set up campaign forwarding and observe the results. To optimize the email marketing strategy developed, it is essential to carry out tests, able to detect - gradually - the preferences of the audience and refine the timing of definitive sending.

10. Analyze data and improve email marketing strategy through A / B testing.

Making an accurate analysis of the target and the market context in which you are inserted and setting the best email marketing strategy in line with your objectives is, without a doubt, the right way to obtain great results from communication campaigns.

However, it is not certain that these will immediately turn out to be winning, or at least it is not certain that they will reach their potential result at 100%.

An essential factor in this area is the constant analysis of the results and the carrying out of the so-called A / B tests which make it possible to gradually improve the performance of the strategic work carried out.

Testing the visual structure of an email, a particularly original title, preview, innovative content, or new promotions is essential to get to know the target audience and the preferences they have better and better.

As we mentioned above, the analysis of the data returned by a campaign can undoubtedly provide a useful overview to refine your strategy, however, the implementation of the A / B test is even more effective in this area.

But, how is a verification of this type implemented?

In a very simple and intuitive way: by developing two different email models in which to submit different alternatives to observe the satisfaction of the public. By analyzing the open or click rates of Model A and Model B, the option with the best results will immediately become apparent. The latter can be stably implemented in subsequent campaigns, thanks to empirical and reliable evidence.

 

11. Choose an email marketing platform

Choosing the right email marketing platform is an important step, able to determining the effectiveness of communication campaigns and therefore the achievement or not of the objectives useful for your business.

First of all, it is correct to ask why to choose a platform to send newsletters and not appeal to the classic do-it-yourself. It is easy to say if a company intends to promote itself, it is necessary to be able to transmit authority through its strategy, and what can ensure this feature is a specialized and feature-rich system, ideal for achieving the marketing objectives in charge.

Furthermore, it must be considered that the manual management of subscribers, lists, and specific segments is not simple and fast and often risks running into careless errors or unfamiliarity on the part of those who deal with it in an amateur way.

Furthermore, manual management excludes any possibility of e-mail automation and prevents complete monitoring.

Email marketing platforms are also able to support a company through timely and secure service, in which the templates - for example - are always responsible for the correct display on mobile devices, and accurate and timely analysis of statistics.

Finally, it is essential to consider that contacting a professional service does not incur the danger of ending up in the dreaded SPAM folder.

It is highly recommended to use an email marketing tool that can simplify and optimize the whole process.

Of course, in addition to the highly discouraged do-it-yourself, an alternative to choosing a platform of this type is entrusting the management to experts able to do programming, analysis, and strategy and, finally, to take care of all the expected deliveries. However, this option can be pursued in the face of the provision of large economic resources to invest, therefore it is not recommended for activities in the startup phase or that need to optimize budgets.

Email marketing software, on the other hand, is undoubtedly cheaper and decidedly easier to use, in the face of equally virtuous and promising results.

However, deciding which platform to rely on is not easy: the offer on the market is vast and each service has specific characteristics that are not necessarily congenial to every business.

Informal, for example, can simplify the whole process and guarantee excellent performance: through the creation of effective registration forms, it allows the timely and accurate management of segmented lists, as well as allowing the creation of professional performing, responsive and reusable models. in many different circumstances.

Informal also offers a complete suite of tools aimed at tracking and analyzing emails, including the invaluable possibility of comparing metrics across multiple email lists.

12. Automation in email marketing: what does it consist of?

Often when we talk about email marketing we tend to generalize to assimilating email service providers to marketing automation platforms. This generates confusion due to a basic error: the classic e-mail service providers are companies specialized in communication and are responsible for following, tracking, and analyzing the interactions between users registered on a mailing list and the different campaigns sent.

On the other hand, automated marketing software platforms are more complex and also technologically more sophisticated, as they can monitor all phases of communication, based on specific events called “triggers” in technical jargon.

This software deals with analyzing the entire flow of messages, collecting targeted information on the behavior and habits of each user to develop a dedicated communication path, with automated autoresponders based - precisely - on the behaviors manifested.

Certainly, the advice is to go step by step, passing first of all from do-it-yourself to a professional email marketing service, and then evaluate the access to a certain more complex software such as the one aimed at automation, which requires a very accurate pre-setting.

 

13. Conclusions

As we have seen through each chapter, email marketing is a complex and strategic process, based on a truly privileged channel, which allows you to establish an effective relationship with your target audience.

It is therefore an immediate and completely flexible channel, able to achieve important results at low costs and a considerable time saving: a truly essential opportunity for any type of business.