Sumeet Anand December 10, 2020 When it comes to B2B marketing, email is one of the most effective mediums to reach out to your target audience.
In fact, B2B marketers say that email newsletters are the most effective type of content for nurturing leads. Furthermore, 78% of businesses consider email marketing vital for their success.
While it can help you generate more leads and sales, you need to invest some time in planning and strategizing. A random approach won’t bring you results alone.
If you want to make the most out of your B2B email marketing campaigns, here are some useful tips for you to follow:
1. Use the Right Software Program For Email Marketing
Specialized solutions for email marketing can make your life easier by making it possible to run your campaigns on autopilot. By using these programs, you can save a lot of time and effort. They enable you to run drip campaigns, segment email lists, send follow-up emails, and even track email analytics.
Shapeways, a 3D printing company, wanted to boost their email marketing efforts. After using a specialized software solution, they achieved a 238% increase in open rate and a 525% increase in click-through rate.
There are multiple email marketing solutions out there. Depending on the size and requirements of your business, you can opt for free or premium plans.
Some well-known email marketing software programs include Litmus, MailChimp, HubSpot, Constant Contact, and Campaign Monitor.
2. Segment Your Email Lists
When you send an email that is related to a user’s interests, they are more likely to open it. Segmentation works based on this concept.
You can segment your email lists based on age, location, interest, purchase history, or any other similar criteria. This way, you can send more relevant emails that are tailored to a subscriber’s needs and interests.
According to a survey, the most popular parameter that companies used for segmentation is email engagement behavior.
Source: ClearBit
Segmenting your email can go a long way in boosting your engagement and increasing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
3. Don’t Sell, But Educate
Overly promotional emails can be off-putting for your email subscribers. If you want to engage with them without annoying them, focus on educating them. Don’t tell them why your product or service is great. Instead, show them how it can solve their pain points.
Your aim should be to provide value to your email subscribers. Of course, you should also add effective call-to-action buttons in your emails. But that shouldn’t be your main focus.
Also, try to avoid lengthy explanations. It can be difficult to hold a reader’s attention if your email is very text-heavy. To make your email more engaging, use infographics, memes, GIFs, photos, and videos.
Want some inspiration?
Here’s an example from HelpScout. In this email, they have concisely mentioned what they offer and given multiple options for users to take the next step.
Source: HelpScout
4. Map Out Your Email Sequence
To nurture your leads, it is necessary to send emails to your subscribers consistently. Throughout different stages of the sales funnel, you should be in touch with them.
Plus, your email content should be such that it addresses their concerns. It should move them further along the funnel.
For effective communication, you should plan your email sequences beforehand. There is no specific rule of the number of emails that should be a part of an effective sequence. You should decide the length of your sequence and the gap between consecutive emails based on your niche and target audience.
Typically, sending 1-2 educational emails every week is a great way to stay in touch with your subscribers. Keep in mind that drip marketing is all about maintaining communication over an extended period of time. This way, you can gently persuade users to take action.
If you are looking for inspiration, here is a sample email sequence by Automizy.
Source: Automizy
When you have a special offer or a discount going on, you can increase the frequency of your emails. However, it is important to differentiate between spamming with emails and sending emails that provide value to the prospect.
You should analyze click rates, open rates, click-through rates to figure out what works in your favor.
5. Personalize Your Emails
Sending mass emails doesn’t work anymore. Users want emails that are tailored to them.
GetResponse conducted a study where personalized content influences three specific metrics that hold importance: the click-through, click-to-open, and open rates.
Source: GetResponse
One of the best ways to add a personal touch is to address each subscriber by their name. Don’t go for generic greetings like “Sir/Madam.” For an added dose of personalization, you can also include their names in the subject lines.
In addition to this, you should also send the email at a time when the prospect is most likely to be checking their inbox. To find the optimal time for sending emails, you may have to analyze response and open rates over a few months.
Relevance is also a key component in ensuring that your emails get more engagement. It’s a good idea to send emails based on user behavior. For instance, Airbnb sends localized guides to users who have booked a stay at a certain location.
Source: Reallygoodemails
6. Optimize Your Emails For Mobile Devices
With smartphones taking over our lives, it is common for people to check their emails while traveling. So, it is important to ensure that your emails can be easily viewed on mobile devices.
If you don’t optimize your emails for mobile devices, there is a good chance that the images may appear distorted. Alternatively, the text size can also vary, making it hard to read the email on smaller screens.
That’s why you should always opt for mobile-responsive templates. For those who want to design their own templates, mobile optimization should be a priority.
7. Add Strong CTAs
Do you want users to subscribe to your newsletter? Or do you want them to visit your website? Whatever action it is that you want them to take, make sure you mention it. Adding a clear CTA makes sure that there is no scope for ambiguity.
Place your CTAs in such a way that they are hard to miss. To make them more prominent, you can use bright colors for your CTA options. To get more leads and conversions, it is recommended that you link your CTAs to engaging landing pages.
8. Focus on A/B Testing
When it comes to email marketing, you can’t get everything right in the first go. It’s more about trial-and-error till you figure out what works for you. That’s why it is important to analyze the response that you are getting on your email marketing campaigns.
To measure the effectiveness of your email campaign, you need to focus on these metrics:
- Click-through rate
- Open rate
- Delivery rate
These analytical metrics will help you in identifying the responses that get a more positive outcome. If you don’t seem to be getting good results, tweak your strategy. Making consistent, small changes can go a long way in boosting the effectiveness of your email marketing campaign.
Conclusion
To optimize your email marketing efforts, you should segment your email lists and send more educational, personalized email content.
This can help you boost your open rate and get more email engagement. It is also recommended that you map out your email sequences based on your audience behavior and niche. To automate tedious tasks, you can use email marketing software solutions. Not only will they help you save on time but also ensure that your campaigns are streamlined.
Lastly, remember to A/B test your campaigns to figure out which strategies are working well and which aren’t. If something isn’t driving desired results, you can analyze user response and change your tactics accordingly.
Utilize these tips to boost your email marketing ROI. The sooner you start implementing these tactics, the sooner you’ll see better results.
Do you have any questions related to optimizing your email marketing efforts? Please feel free to mention it in the comments section below.
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