Email marketing best practices include analyzing data about customer behavior rather than making assumptions.
In this video we’ll examine some of the common assumptions that drive email marketing decisions.
Common Assumptions
When creating content to share with your list of email subscribers, it’s easy to get caught up in assumptions. Here are some of the most common:
- “No one wants another email in their inbox.”
- “They already know about this. (So why email again?)”
- “They’re not interested.”
- “If they cared, they’d be clicking.”
These are just a few of the things we tell ourselves when we pretend we know what our clients are thinking. And often, these are not in the least bit true.
What Does the Data Say?
We have access to data that tells a more accurate story about email marketing behavior.
Email platforms typically have data in the reports for each email. At a minimum, statistics on what percentage of subscribers opened the email and what percentage clicked on particular links are common. Even if you were to have excellent open rates at around 30%, this means the other 70% never even opened the email. Which (of course!) also means that same 70% certainly didn’t even see the links or consume the content.
So, an assumption that “They already know about this” doesn’t really hold true at all!
And yet, many small business owners won’t send out a second email about the same offer because they buy into this assumption instead of the reality. Don’t let this be you!
Not only is a second email in order, but there needs to be a series of emails to give subscribers ample opportunity to consume enough valuable content to help them make a decision to act on the offer.
Another Costly Assumption
Let’s take a look at click rates and behavior. Yes, actual data. Click rates tell even more of the story.
- What links were clicked?
- Where were they in the email?
- What information was shared before the link?
The data informs on whether people made it over to a sales page or a shopping cart or your blog. Once again, if we assume they don’t care about our content or “already know,” that is impossible if they never even saw the information to begin with.
Take Action
When a subscriber gives us an email address in exchange for our opt in or lead generator, we are responsible to deliver. And as part of that delivery, we need to show up consistently with content and action steps to help them with the challenge we solve. This is a relationship and we need to be active to nurture it.
Look at the data from your email marketing. Analyze it and make decisions based on what you learn … not on what you assume.
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