Emails are an often-neglected part of small companies' digital marketing strategy. Maybe because it is free and in plain sight, many have chosen to opt for more complex and expensive digital selling tools. However, emailing can be a formidable marketing weapon if crafted well, as it could boost your return on your scarce marketing dollars.
One of the worst things is to view writing marketing emails as needing little investment in time. Writing is a skill that many do not have. However, if you have a structure or template to do your marketing emails, it would greatly assist in running a successful email campaign.
I always start with my objective before I start crafting an email. Your goal could be to increase sales (sell more of an existing product), build your brand awareness, launch a new product, support customer relationships, educate your audience (your product can solve their problem), increase traffic to your website or landing page, or getting feedback and insights. These objectives will shape your emails; however, do not forget the needs of your target audience.
Start your email by thinking through these steps:
1. Write a compelling subject line: Consider this as if you are writing a headline for tomorrow's newspaper. Your audience gets hundreds of emails per day, and emails have become the new' junk mail' that busy business people just delete. Just keep it short so it can be visible on mobile devices. Your subject should be convincing so they get the point in 5 seconds, but avoid fluff. Example: '8 things to know to get a business loan'
2. Personalise your greeting: People know that companies collect emails and send bulk messages out. One of the most powerful words in the language is to address someone by their name. You can insert their names but use the same email. However, you can add more personalisation to the body, so make it a real one-to-one conversation. Also, do not forget to include your name, job title, qualifications or any special citations to boost your brand image in your signature email.
3. Make your point quickly: Take a lesson from the person selling corn on the side of the road. You have a few seconds to get someone's attention, stop everything they are doing, and be more open to you. Writing a short, effective email can be time-consuming.
4. Focus on benefits: Avoid selling features—bells and whistles may only commoditise your product as everyone has the same. Benefits are what you can gain from a solution. If you are selling organic, local herbs that are freshly picked, you have an ample selling opportunity. The herbal wave is significant, and so is the organic trend, so say what they can do for the customer. Avoid unscientific claims, as it could backfire on you.
5. Create a sense of urgency: Psychological research suggests that humans move quickly when they perceive an essential item is in limited supply. Your email body should, as car companies, use this strategy with limited editions or bonuses that will soon disappear.
6. Use action verbs: Words can be powerful—You can get this offer NOW! One of the most attention-getting words is YOU; even though the word 'you' is not a verb, it can be a powerful ploy. Remember the memorable ad during WWII that said: I want YOU for the U.S. Army. Be careful not to use spammy words, as you might get filtered out.
7. Use social proof: Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, demonstrates how humans look for shortcuts when dealing with choices. If they see significant others buying a product, and you can get testimonials to show satisfaction, you will have made your case.
8. Numbers and lists: People seek shortcuts and fast implementation methods. Just like how this article is written, it may have convinced you (that word again!) that these are quick and easy steps to get the job done. Use as much data and statistics as possible to support your point.
9. Professional design: Images are like mind maps to the mind. Finally, you should have a flyer or graphic summarising your pitch. You can use colours and different fonts to make the email an easy-to-follow read and more persuasive.
10. Call to action: A common mistake is to assume that you are done by making your convincing case in the body of the email. You need more than a conclusion so your target is readied to take action. You want to achieve your objectives now. Use links or push buttons to your website or landing page. Example: Click this link, and I will send you my mini ebook to get you started.
Finally, I would like to declare that I used AI to assist me in writing the above steps. Yes, you should use AI, as it is a great tool, but consider editing it to suit your needs. No machine can know your requirements. It is also used to correct grammatical errors, as I did for this piece.
While highly underrated, emails can be one of the many digital tools you can use as an entrepreneur. If you have limited resources, collect email addresses from your promotions and mine your database to improve your market position.
SME & Family Business Advisor & Fellow of the Family Firm Institute.
Sajjad Hamid is an Entrepreneurship Educator who supports entrepreneurs in scaling their ventures. In his spare time in Trinidad and Tobago, he tries to produce organic tropical fruits and vegetables and practise sustainable farming in his home garden.
SME & Family Business Advisor & Fellow of the Family Firm Institute.
His book, Build Your Legacy Business: Solopreneur To Family Business Hero, combines entrepreneurship and family enterprise.
Join our SME Entrepreneurs Community for lively and practical tips to grow your business.
You can contact him at [email protected] or www.entrepreneurtnt.com
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