Should I use email marketing for my small business?

That’s might what’s on your mind right now.

I believe it is.

According to Forbes, 64% of small businesses use email marketing to reach their customers.

Yes, that’s true. Email marketing for small businesses is like having a direct line to your customers’ inboxes. You can easily share updates, promotions, new products, or anything happening in your business.

Doesn’t that sound like a great thing?

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the basics of email marketing and show you how to make them work for your small business.

Let’s get started!

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Email Marketing Fundamentals

Let’s talk about why email marketing is such a big deal for your small business. Don’t worry, I’ll make things easy to understand for you so you can make a well-informed decision.

Benefits of Email Marketing

Email marketing has a real value for what you spend.

Why?

It’s way cheaper than other types of digital marketing, like paid ads or social media campaigns.

Yes, you read it right, and that’s what the numbers say. The average return on investment (ROI) through email marketing is $36 to $40 for every dollar spent.

Plus, you don’t have to keep spending money again and again to reach the same potential customers.

But that’s not all.

Email marketing lets you build some personal connection with your audience. You can adjust your content to what they want, which makes them more likely to engage with your brand.

It’s all about building relationships, right?

And the best thing?

60% of consumers say they’ve bought something because of a marketing email they received. That’s something you may need to take note of!

It shows that email marketing can make you more sales.

Another cool thing?

Email marketing helps you build trust with your customers. When you send helpful, informative content, people start to see you as an expert in your field.

And we all know that people love to do business with businesses they trust.

Legal Considerations

Now, before you start firing off emails left and right, there are some rules you need to know about.

Different countries have different laws about email marketing, but they mostly all aim few main things:

Protect people’s privacy, prevent spam emails, and make sure that businesses use email marketing legally.

I’m not a person who can give legal advice, but, some widely-known laws such as the CAN-SPAM Act, GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA set the rules for email marketing.

The law also says you need to include your real business address in your emails and give people an easy way to unsubscribe if they want to.

So it’s always a good idea to take a look at what they say to avoid any legal issues.

Email Marketing Platforms

Well, so now you’re probably wondering how to actually do all this email marketing stuff.

That’s where email marketing platforms come in.

These platforms make it super easy to manage subscribers, and create and send out your email campaigns.

They come with features like email form builders, templates, automation, and ways to personalize your emails.

When you’re picking a platform, look for ones that offer things like:

• Email list management
• Signup forms for your website
• Customer segmentation (so you can send different emails to different groups)
• Automation (to send emails at just the right time)
• Good deliverability (so your emails actually make it to inboxes, not spam folders)

Some popular platforms include Constant Contact, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and ConvertKit.

They all have different features and pricing, so shop around to find the one that fits your needs best.

If you ask me, Constant Contact is ideal for beginners because of its user-friendly, interface, features, pricing, and customer support.

HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing solution that integrates email marketing with CRM, analytics, automation tools, and more.

Mailchimp is also a popular choice for its free plan and features, while ConvertKit is great for creators and bloggers, offering simple automation and landing page tools that help grow email lists and engage audiences effectively, and that’s the one I use.

Creating an Email Marketing Strategy

Let’s talk about creating an email marketing strategy that really works for your small business.

It’s not just about sending emails; it’s about building relationships with your customers.

So let’s break it down into some easy steps.

Setting Goals and Objectives

First things first, you need to know what you want to achieve with your emails.

Are you looking to get more sales, get more people to visit your website, or maybe just keep your customers in the loop?

Whatever it is, having clear goals helps you get better results.

When setting your goals, you can try using the S.M.A.R.T approach.

This means making your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.

Here’s a simple example:

• Specific: Increase the open rate of our monthly newsletter.
• Measurable: Achieve an open rate of 25% (currently we’re at 20%).
• Achievable: Implement A/B testing for subject lines and segment the email list based on user interests to improve engagement.
• Relevant: Improving the open rate aligns with our overall marketing goal of increasing customer engagement and driving traffic to our website.
• Time-bound: Achieve this goal within the next three months.

So what’s the goal here?

Increase the open rate of your monthly newsletter to 25% within three months by implementing A/B testing for subject lines and segmenting the email list.

You get the idea!

Identifying Target Audience

Now, let’s talk about who you’re sending these emails to.

Understanding your audience is super important.

It’s not just about knowing their age or where they live, but also what they like, what they need, and how they behave online.

Start by looking at your recent customers.

What do they have in common?

You can also check out who your competitors are targeting. This can give you some great insights.

Here are some things to consider when creating your target audience profile:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Hobbies
• Income
• Education level
• Profession
• Marital status

You’re not just collecting data. You’re trying to understand real people, your audience. The better you know your audience, the more your emails will connect with them.

Planning Email Campaigns

Alright, now that you know your goals and who you’re talking to (your target audience), it’s time to plan your campaigns.

This is where the fun begins!

First up, segmentation is key.

This means dividing your email list into groups based on things like interests or behavior.

When you do this, you can send more targeted, personalized emails.

Believe it or not, personalization is a big deal. Studies show that when you send emails with personalized subject lines, they are 26% more likely to be opened.

Why?

People are more likely to open and engage with emails that feel like they’re just for them.

Next, think about the content of your emails.

Remember, it’s not just about selling. It’s about building relationships. Share helpful information, tell stories, and offer value to your subscribers.

When your content is interesting and relevant, people are more likely to take action.

Also, don’t forget about the technical stuff.

Make sure your emails look good on mobile devices, use catching subject lines, and always include an easy way for people to unsubscribe if they want to.

And most importantly, be consistent.

Let your email subscribers know how often they can expect to get an email from you or stick to that schedule, like sending every Tuesday or Thursday, whatever works best for you.

This helps build trust and keeps your business top of mind.

Designing Effective Email Campaigns

Let’s talk about making your email campaigns worth every dollar.

It’s all about catching your readers’ eye and keeping them hooked.

So, how do we do that? Let’s break it down.

Email Templates and Layouts

They’re like your email outfit. You want it to look good!

Think about it like this: if you’re into minimalism, keep all your emails clean and simple.

Or if you’re all about bold and bright, go for it!

The key is to stick to your style.

For example, some brands use both single-column and two-column layouts in their emails.

However, with the increasing popularity of mobile email usage, single-column layouts are likely more effective, while two-column layouts can be great for desktop users.

And don’t forget about the little details. Your header should always have your logo, and your footer should have that unsubscribe link and also a valid physical postal address.

It’s not just good manners, it’s the law!

Mobile Optimization

There are 4 billion people use email daily, and more than half of all emails are opened on mobile devices. That’s almost half!

So if your emails don’t look good on phones, you might miss out big time.

Here are some tips to make your emails mobile-friendly:

• Keep it short and sweet. Nobody wants to scroll forever on their phone.
• Make your buttons big enough to tap easily.
• Use a single-column layout. It looks better on small screens.
• Don’t go crazy with images. They can slow things down on mobile.

Branding Consistency

It’s like your email’s personality – you want it to give a good impression every time. This means using the same colors, fonts, and tone in all your emails.

But it’s not just about looks.

Your brand’s voice matters too.

Are you funny? Professional? Casual? Whatever it is, keep it consistent. It helps your readers feel like they know you.

Here’s a pro tip: create a brand identity guide. It’s like a rulebook for your brand. It helps everyone on your team stay on the same page.

Growing and Maintaining Your Email List

Now you may have an email list for your small business, and the next big thing is growing and keeping your email list in tip-top shape.

It’s kind of like taking care of a garden. You need to plant those seeds, give them some water, and make sure those weeds stay away.

First things first, let’s get more people on your list.

Here are some cool things to try:

• Pop-ups with a twist: No, I’m not talking about those annoying old-school pop-ups. Instead, use timed ones that show up after a visitor has spent some time on your website.
• Personalized CTAs: It’s like offering a slice of pizza to someone who just said they’re hungry, they’re more likely to take it! When you tailor your call-to-action to match what your audience has already shown interest in, it feels natural and more relevant to them.
• Humor in your CTAs: Yes you can make people laugh, and they might just stick around. Try something like “No thanks, I don’t want to get richer” under your sign-up button. It’s hard to say no to that!
• Offer freebies: Everyone loves free stuff. Try giving away a discount, free shipping, or a nice freebie (like an eBook) to get people to sign up.
• Use social media: Don’t forget to tell your followers about your email list. They already like you, so why not invite them to the list?

Now, let’s keep that list clean and healthy:

• Say no to buying lists: It’s tempting, but don’t do it. It’s like inviting strangers to a family dinner. Quite uncomfortable, don’t you think?
• Use double opt-in: When someone signs up, send them a confirmation email to make sure they really want in.
• Regular clean-up: Remove inactive subscribers and bounced emails.
• Segment your list: Group your subscribers based on their interests or behavior. It’s like organizing your friends for different activities. You wouldn’t invite your vegan friend to a BBQ, right?

Sometimes, subscribers go quiet. But you can win them back:

• Send a “We miss you” email: It’s like reaching out to an old friend. Remind them why they signed up in the first place.
• Offer something special: Maybe a discount or exclusive content to grab their attention.
• Ask for feedback: Sometimes, people just want to be heard. Ask them what they want to see in your emails or business.
• Set a time limit: If they don’t respond after a few attempts, it might be time to let them go.

The most important thing to remember is that growing and maintaining your email list is an ongoing process. Keep at it, and you’ll see your list (and your business) grow.

Final Thoughts

Alright, let’s wrap this up!

Email marketing is definitely something that you should never overlook for your small business.

I know it can be tough to get things started, but the rewards are well worth it once you reach at least 1000 subscribers.

The first thing you want to do is choose the right email marketing platform and create a well-planned strategy.

And don’t stop learning about email marketing just here, there are many YouTube videos from experts in the field, and one of my favorites is Noah Kagan’s YouTube playlist.

It was uploaded a few years ago but is still relevant.

And if you want to learn more, Skillshare also has some popular email marketing classes you can try under one affordable subscription.

This might be the right time to try email marketing for your small business.

Your small business will thank you!