Email marketing strategies are a key part of the digital marketing scope. From strengthening the bond with your database, to increasing your reach, they have the potential to drive growth to your non profit.
To help you be intentional with this important aspect of your digital marketing activities, we have compiled a list of key actions you can take to develop successful email marketing strategies.
1 – Apply user analysis and data to identify audiences and deliver accurate messages
Being able to segment your audience based on the data you have collected will help you split the type of message you want to deliver to each.
It is very important to find out which type of information is relevant for you and segment your audience based on it. It can be related to your audience’s specific needs, the stage of their journey or even the nature of the relationship between you both. Each organisation is different, and so is the relationship with audiences. Spend some time doing a thorough research and analysis to find out yours.
Once you have split your audiences and you understand the needs of each one of them, you can start creating specific messaging. By delivering the right message you are ensuring successful communication.
2 -Section your type of content.
When it comes to email marketing, one of the most amazing things is that you can dissect your communication by types and assign it to different audiences.
Sometimes your communication type may include one or various audiences, and this may lead to sending an overwhelming amount of emails that will not help your cause. As you may be perceived as intrusive and your emails will most likely end up in the spam folder.
To avoid this, provide options to select what type of information they are happy to receive and let them choose the type and frequency. For example, new Fundraising campaigns, Content ideas, Regions or areas interest, Newsletters. It will depend on your sectioning.
3 – Strive to grow your database
Create strategies with the sole objective of growing your database, and as said before, make sure your strategies are based on your audience sectioning.
By creating strategic ways to grow your database you can be intentional on the type of audience you are aiming to grow and focus on quality not quantity, creating a consistent database. For instance, if you are a charity based in Australia, operating locally, there is no point having a bulk list of people from all around the world that have no interaction with you whatsoever. All your interactions with this audience will be a loss of time.
Use strategies that are not intrusive and that are an invitation for people to sign up. Incentivize them to sign up by offering something they may be interested in. Use non intrusive techniques, like small pop-ups at the bottom of your website, invitations when you are communicating with them, or use your social media.
Keep your sign up forms as short as possible, to avoid losing people’s interest in the process.
4 – Use design to deliver successful messages
Attractive designs will help you convey your message. Remember, good design will never be a substitute for good communication, it is just a visual aid that enhances and adds power to your messages.
To make sure your designs are powerful and supportive, you need to help people recognize your brand between the ocean of emails people receive daily.
Use creative design to drive attention to specific messages, and increase their impact. High resolution images that are impactful and draw attention are the type of images you should be looking for. They MUST be aligned with what you are trying to transmit, do not use an animal picture as beautiful and impactful as it may be, when you are trying to bring awareness to epilepsy research.
5 – Steer clear of the spam folder
One of the big cons of email marketing is that, although very convenient, sometimes your emails may end in the wrong folder.
There are different ways to avoid ending up in the spam/promotions folder:
- Set up an automated welcome email. It is more likely for people to look for your emails when they sign up, and open them. You can include a comment to remind them to keep you in the primary inbox. Remember that gmail and outlook do not work the same, so try to make the message useful for both types of users.
- Using subjects and content that sound natural will help you not to end in the spam folder. Be aware of best practises to avoid being banned for phishing, spam or unprotected email. This will vary depending on the software that you use, but regardless of it, always double check and test your bulk mails.
- Don’t overwhelm your audiences with too many emails or they will drag you to the spam folder themselves.
6 – Analyse and understand your information
Once you have a clear and active strategy, set your key performance indicators, and make sure you are monitoring it. Understanding what type of emails are being opened more, what are the most clicked links, or when they are usually being opened are some of the indicators that will help you see what is working and what needs to be changed.
Test the type of content, your subjects, the way you present ideas and links, until you find the strategy that works best for you. There is never a perfect formula, and it is all a matter of trial and error.
Remember there are many different platforms that can help you automate your emails and that integrate with your current tools. Do you want to know more about how to create email marketing strategies, let us know how we can help.
