Whether you’re starting from scratch or just looking to refresh, we’ve gathered the info you need to begin building an email marketing campaign.
Step 1 – Foundation
Before you start any digital marketing, make sure that your whole “ecosystem” is operational. It’s a lot harder to go back, tear down and rebuild than build it right the first time. It’s easy to silo the different elements of your marketing campaign and forget that by connecting pieces like your website, content, email and advertising, you can create more sustainable success.
>> Review the 5 Pillars of your Digital Ecosystem
KPIs may sound like just another marketing acronym, but key performance indicators can be a crucial way to track your campaign’s progress and know when things are going well or when you need to pause and rethink your strategy. KPIs can also help you pinpoint which elements of the campaign are the weakest link. If you have a high click-through rate and a high bounce rate, chances are you should start testing different ways to improve your landing page.
>> Make sure you know what success looks like – establish your KPIs
A finely tuned, segmented email list of relevant contacts is one of the best tools you can develop for your company. If you’re starting from scratch, good news, it will be much easier to start from the ground up. Think about your long-term goals as well as what you need immediately and try to build those parameters in from the beginning. If you’re working to segment an existing behemoth of an email list, that can be a little more daunting, but we believe you can do it. It’s a great opportunity for some sales/marketing teamwork.
>> Set your CRM up and segment your list
Step 2 – Build Your Email Campaign
Start out on the right foot and work on removing the word “eblast” from the conversation. It’s a subtle thing, but setting your intention from the beginning can make all the difference. When you develop emails to educate or share information and updates, your audience will be more receptive (especially if they’re targeted and relevant thanks to your segmented list). If you “blast” them with a message meant for everyone generally, you may still hit the mark with some, but typically your message will be lost on the majority.
>> Check out our Do’s and Don’ts blogs for quick tips as you start construction.
Step 3 – Test and Measure
Pay attention to your performance data. Try talking to your audience if possible and get direct feedback. Experiment with different CTAs, email layouts and deployment times. Find what works for you.
One last tip is to make your campaign manageable from the start. Go too big too fast and you will likely not be able to keep it going. Start small and build on your success over time.
