The key to running a successful business is getting customers and customers to do business with you. Whether you're looking to lure customers back during a global pandemic or expand your markets during "normal" business hours, the question is, how do you do it? What are the best ways to get customers to come to your store, website, restaurant, office, etc.? [19454004]
We all know the answer: It's marketing. Marketing is not an easy process, however. There are various practices, tactics, and strategies that are part of a general marketing plan – and that are constantly evolving. It can make formulating a marketing plan for your small business overwhelming.
To make the process easier, there is a method of marketing that has kept its claim to fame. Email marketing still promises to deliver the highest ROI of any marketing channel – $ 42 back for every dollar you spend.
That's not to say that email as an industry and your approach to it is not evolving – it is or should be. Tom Kulzer, CEO and founder of AWeber, a leading e-mail marketing solution for small businesses, says, "The most effective [email] marketing strategies adapt, grow, and innovate."
AWeber recently released its 2020 Small Business Marketing Email Marketing Statistics Report, which includes insights from small business owners and industry experts. These are the techniques that work for other small business owners. See if they work for you too.
Email marketing, while boasting an effective ROI, is not used by all small businesses. According to the report, 66% of companies surveyed say they use email marketing to “promote their business or to communicate with leads and / or customers”.
If you are not among that percentage, it is time (in the past indeed) to include email in your marketing strategy. If the ROI isn't enough to convince you, remember that email is the marketing channel most consumers say they want companies to communicate with.
Still, you probably have questions about whether email marketing is working for you. Take a look at some of the frequently asked questions covered in the survey.
Very much. 79% of the respondents state that this is "important" or "very important" for their company. While business owners generally recognize the importance of email marketing, only 60% consider their own email marketing strategies "effective" or "very effective," while 26% say they are either "ineffective" or " are very ineffective ”.
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Effective e-mail strategies are “personal, targeted and taking into account the goals and objections of the customers”.
You can't know how effective your email marketing is without defining the parameters you want to measure. The two most common metrics for small businesses are open rates and click rates:
Other items from AllBusiness.com:
Almost 40% of those questioned state that they send e-mails “at least once a week, but less than daily”. More than 30% send emails "at least once a month but less than weekly". And about 12% send emails either daily or less than once a month.
Not sure what to do yet? Mark Asquith, Co-Founder and CEO of Rebel Base Media, advises those who are just starting out in email marketing to send an email once a week. “Instead of broadcasting more, test what you are already doing. Then test the frequency, ”he says.
Its main point is that you shouldn't be sending more email that isn't working and less email that is working – and the best way to know is is "test, test, test!"
But, warns Ramit Sethi, the author and founder of "I'll Teach You To Be Rich," don't worry about how often you email you. Sethi doesn't believe that frequency is the most important factor in email success. he believes that there is content. "Writing amazing emails that deliver value is [most important]," he says. "If your email is incredibly fun, informative, and engaging, then you can send as many as you want." To measure their effectiveness, Sethi says: "Watch your opening and unsubscribing rates closely."
Most (43%) of the participating small business owners have email lists between 0 and 500 subscribers. Just over 30% have between 1,001 and 9,999 email subscribers, and less than 7% of small businesses have more than 50,000 subscribers.
Does the size of your list affect its effectiveness? Yes, but don't let this discourage you. It seems that at least 500 subscribers make a difference. Of the small businesses surveyed, 42% with more than 500 subscribers say their email marketing strategies are effective or very effective, while only 20% of companies with 500 or fewer subscribers say the same.
Of course, adding to your list is important. "The bigger your list, the more conversions you can get," said Kath Pay, CEO and founder of Holistic Email Marketing. She advises small business owners to “make sure your registration form is in a prominent, easily accessible location on your website. Have this form ready on every page of your website. "
Think of email marketing as one of the most powerful tools you can use to boost your small business and take it to the next level. It's effective, affordable, and works.
RELATED: 4 little email marketing no-nos that could get you in big trouble
