Sales and Marketing - Jen Jordan

Sales and Marketing - Jen Jordan
Jen Jordan brings a wealth of life and leadership experiences to her writing. After 10 years creating a variety of content for a nonprofit, Jen decided to establish her own writing business. She specializes in creating high quality blog and website content for small businesses. When she's not writing, Jen is a competitive triathlete with a goal of completing a triathlon in all 50 states.

11 Email Marketing Ideas and How They Benefit Your Small Business

11 Email Marketing Ideas and How They Benefit Your Small Business

Email marketing allows small businesses to connect with existing and potential customers. Reaching a broad audience and building connections enables you to cultivate lasting relationships, connect with the community, develop customer loyalty, and increase revenue.

With an average clickthrough rate of 2 - 3%, investing in email marketing might not seem worthwhile. However, almost 40% of emails sent are opened. Delivering emails with quality content can help you develop a captive audience.

Let’s look at some statistics on email marketing:

  • With 4 billion users, email offers a broad audience.
  • 64% of small businesses use email marketing, making it critical to stay competitive (Forbes).
  • Emails with an image increase open rates by 10% (GetResponse).
  • Segmented emails see a 50% higher clickthrough rate (HubSpot).
  • Personalized emails increase open rates by 26% (Forbes).

With an average ROI of $42 for each dollar spent on email marketing, most small businesses can’t afford to ignore it.

11 Email Marketing Ideas and How They Benefit Your Business:

The goal of emails is to generate sales. The sales funnel is not a straight slide. Emails for new and existing customers can serve as touch points that lead them through a sales funnel while holding their interest.

If you are unsure what to include in your email marketing campaign, here are some ideas. Think about your ideal customer and the emails they would most value.

  1. Introduce Your Business: If you are new or rebranding, consider sending a welcome email to reacquaint your readers and introduce your fresh look. These emails build relationships and brand awareness.
  2. Business News / Updates: Keep customers aware of any new or noteworthy topics related to your business and industry. This might include anything from new business hours and policy changes to new products or services.
  3. Community News: This can include news from your local community and your business. Consider highlighting upcoming community events, service opportunities, or nonprofits you support. You might also include employee spotlights or "behind-the-scenes" details about your company. Newsletters build customer relationships and loyalty as patrons feel like part of your organization.
  4. Event Invitations: Sending personalized email invitations to upcoming events can generate excitement about the event and cultivate stronger customer relationships. Consider sending invitations to community and in-house events your business participates in or hosts.
  5. Top Sellers and Seasonal - Making customers aware of seasonal items and promotions helps generate a sense of relevance in marketing-anticipate what your clients will need in the next few weeks and remind them of your products and services. Spotlighting top-selling items can boost sales. Seasonal businesses can benefit from off-season check-ins and polls to stay in touch.
  6. Sneak Previews and Back In Stock: Sneak previews can make your customers feel valued and generate excitement. Including items that are back in stock can also generate sales.
  7. Sales and Coupons: Boost revenue by keeping your customers informed of current sales and discounts. People value saving money, and limited sales or discounts create a sense of urgency. Consider including a "gift with purchase" promotion to deliver value and generate sales.
  8. Contests and Giveaways: Some businesses hold contests, raffles, and giveaways in their emails or linked to their social media. Check your state/local laws regarding giveaways, and remember to provide direct links in your email.
  9. Video and Social Media Content: Emails that highlight your social media and video content can help customers who don’t use social media to connect with your creative content and boost your social media following. It’s considered good practice to include a link to all social media platforms in each email.
  10. Special Days: Anniversaries and holidays are excellent email opportunities. Holiday emails can be specific to your business and don’t have to be limited to well-known holidays. For example, National Donut Day and your business anniversary are worth celebrating.
  11. Customer Outreach: Make customers feel valued with thank-you emails, polls, or invitations to leave valuable feedback. These emails continue building customer relationships and loyalty.

For customers who haven’t returned in a while, a simple re-engagement email can make them feel valued. Using a follow-up email after customer visits can continue relationship building.

Statistically, email marketing is worth the effort. Marketing is only as good as your strategy and content, so consider what your customers value most. Delivering regular, quality content will help increase customer engagement, relationship building, and revenue.