If you are not careful, email marketing can be more trouble than it’s worth. You could make many of these common mistakes and not even realize them! Here are seven mistakes to watch out for in your email marketing campaigns.
Mistake #1: Not Building a List From Day One.
An email list is a list of email addresses you can use to send marketing messages. Some people use it to keep in touch with friends and family, but you can also use an email list to send updates about your business or marketing messages.
You are making a huge mistake if you’re not already building an email list from the first day you launched your website. Here’s why:
The earlier you build your list, the more time you have to grow it. And the bigger your list is, the more potential customers you have.
Some ways to build an email list include offering something for free in exchange for an email address (like a PDF guide or e-book), holding contests and giveaways, and simply asking people to sign up for your newsletter.
Read also: How To Get a Custom And Personalized Email Address.
Mistake #2: Not Sending Out Regular Emails.
One of the most common email marketing mistakes is not sending regular emails. This can be a huge mistake, leading to customers forgetting about your brand or becoming uninterested in your products.
There are a few simple ways to avoid this mistake.
First, set up a schedule for your email campaigns and stick to it.
Second, create compelling content that will keep customers engaged.
Most importantly, please use automation tools to help you manage your email list and send out regular emails without having to do it manually.
Tools like Aweber, MailChimp, and Constant Contact will help you manage your subscriber list and send out regular emails.
Mistake #3: Not Creating Engaging Content.
If you’re not creating content relevant to your audience, you will not see the engagement you’re hoping for.
Make sure that the content you are putting out there is something your target market will be interested in and speaks to them directly. Use email personalization techniques to make sure that your content is tailored to each reader.
Telling a story is one of the best ways to engage your readers and get them invested in what you have to say. Whether a personal anecdote or a case study, stories resonate with people and help them connect with your message on a deeper level.
If you can find a way to incorporate storytelling into your email marketing, you’ll be well on your way to engaging your readers.
Mistake #4: Not Offering Incentives to Join Your List.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when trying to build a list is not offering incentives to join.
A lead magnet is a great way to entice people to sign up for your list, and there are a number of different types of lead magnets you can use.
For example, you could offer a free e-book or white paper on a topic related to your business. Or, you could offer a discount on your products or services.
Whatever type of lead magnet you use, make sure it is something that will appeal to your target audience and that will help you build a strong list.
Mistake #5: Not Segmenting Your List.
One of the most important aspects of email marketing is segmentation. By not segmenting your list, you are missing out on a lot of potential benefits.
In simple terms, segmentation allows you to target your messages to specific groups of people, which can lead to higher open and click-through rates.
It can also help you build relationships with your subscribers by tailoring your messages to their specific needs and interests.
To segment your list correctly, you must first understand your target audience.
Once you know who you are trying to reach, you can create segments based on demographics, location, or even purchase history. Once you have completed your segments, it is crucial to test and monitor them so that you can make adjustments as needed.
Not segmenting your list is a common mistake that many email marketers make.
Mistake #6: Buying Email Lists.
There are a few reasons why buying an email list is a bad idea.
First, you have no way of knowing if the people on the list actually want to receive emails from you. They may have signed up for a freebie or contest and never wanted to hear from you again.
Second, when you buy an email list, you are essentially stealing someone else’s hard work. These people have spent time and money building their list, and you’re taking it without permission.
Above all, buying an email list can get you into hot water with the law. The CAN-SPAM Act prohibits sending unsolicited emails, and if you buy a list and start sending emails to people who didn’t sign up to receive them, you could be violating the law.
Only send emails to people who’ve permitted you to do so.
Mistake# 7: Not Tracking and Analyzing Results.
Email marketing can be a tough nut to crack. There are many moving parts, and if even one thing is off, it can make or break your campaign.
That’s why it’s essential to track and analyze your results so you can learn from your mistakes and make improvements for future campaigns.
There are a number of metrics you can track to gauge the performance of your email marketing campaigns. Opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and bounces are just a few of the things you should be monitoring. There are also a number of tools available to help you monitor these metrics in real time so you can make adjustments on the fly.
In fact, the tools we mentioned earlier comes with in-built analytics tools.
Once you’ve collected all this data, it’s time to analyze it. Look for patterns and trends to identify what’s working and what’s not.
For example, if you see a sharp increase in unsubscribes, that’s an indication that something is wrong with your campaign.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different tactics and strategies. Email marketing is constantly evolving, so what works today might not work tomorrow.
The only way to find out is to test and track your results so you can adapt as needed.
Mistake #8: Penning Poor Subject Lines.
If you’re not carefully crafting your email subject lines, you could make a huge mistake. Your subject line is key to getting recipients to open your email, and if it’s not effective, your email will likely be ignored.
Here are some tips for writing better subject lines:
- Keep it short and sweet. Long subject lines tend to get cut off in recipients’ inboxes, so keep yours to 50 characters or less.
- Get to the point. Be clear about what your email contains so that recipients know what they’ll get when they open it.
- Use keywords wisely. Choose keywords that will grab attention and accurately reflect the content of your email.
- Personalize whenever possible. Addressing recipients by name or using other personalization techniques can make your emails stand out in a crowded inbox.
- Phrase your subject line as a question. Questions tend to be more eye-catching than statements, which can be an excellent way to increase opens.
Mistake #9: Failing to Utilize Message Previews.
One mistake that many marketers make over and over again is failing to utilize message previews.
What is a message preview in an email? A message preview is a short summary of the email content that appears in the inbox alongside the subject line.
This gives recipients a quick idea of what the email is about and whether or not it’s worth their time to open it.
The role of message previews can’t be underestimated – they can be the difference between an email being opened or being ignored. That’s why it’s essential to take the time to craft a compelling message preview that accurately reflects the content of your email.
Here are a few tips for creating an effective message preview:
- Keep it short and sweet – Message previews should be no longer than 50 characters.
- Include a call to action – Use the message preview as an opportunity to include a call to action that encourages recipients to open the email.
- Make it relevant – The message preview should be relevant to the subject line and content of the email.
- Avoid using “clickbait” tactics – Don’t use misleading or sensationalized language in your message previews just for the sake of getting clicks. This will only lead to frustration and could damage your reputation in the long run.
Mistake #10: Failing to Prune Your List.
One of the most common email marketing mistakes is failing to prune your list. Over time, your email list will inevitably accumulate inactive users and bouncing emails. This can affect your open rates and deliverability.
To keep your list clean, periodically remove inactive users and bounced emails. You can also segment your list to send more targeted content to engaged subscribers. This will help ensure that your emails are reaching the right people and improve your open rates.
Mistake #11: Forgetting a Call to Action.
If you’re not including a call to action (CTA) in your email marketing campaigns, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to drive conversions.
A CTA is a brief statement that encourages recipients to take a specific action, such as visiting your website or making a purchase.
Often, a CTA’s role is to persuade someone who’s already interested in your product or service to take the next step and buy it.
For example, if you’re selling shoes online, your CTA might be something like, “Click here to buy now.”
Including a CTA in your email can be an effective way to boost conversions and sales. However, it’s important to make sure that your CTA is clear and concise; otherwise, recipients may not understand what you want them to do.
Mistake #12: Using Cliche and Sales-Heavy Language.
When it comes to email marketing, one mistake you don’t want to make is using sales-heavy language. This can come across as pushy and turn people off from reading your emails.
Instead, focus on creating content that is interesting and informative. This will help you build a better relationship with your subscribers and eventually lead to more sales.
Mistake #13: Neglecting Your Mobile Users.
Mobile usage has increased dramatically in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down. More and more people are using their phones and tablets to do everything from checking email to browsing the web. You’re missing out on a huge opportunity if you’re not considering your mobile users.
Making your emails mobile-responsive is one of the best ways to ensure as many people are seeing them as possible. By making small changes like using larger font sizes and buttons, you can vastly improve the user experience for your mobile readers.
Not only will this help you reach more people, but it’ll also lead to higher engagement rates.
Mobile users are more likely to delete an email that’s difficult to read on their device, so making sure your emails are optimized for mobile is crucial.
Read also: How To Configure Emails On Phone Or Tablet.
Mistake #14: Neglecting GDPR considerations
You’ve probably heard of the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, but you may not be aware of the dangers of neglecting it.
Non-compliance with GDPR can result in heavy fines,and even jail time in some cases. Here’s what you need to know about GDPR and how to stay compliant.
What is GDPR?
GDPR is a set of regulations that member states of the European Union must implementtoo protect the privacy of digital data.
The regulation applies to any company that processes or intends to process the data of individuals in the EU, regardless of whether the company is based inside or outside the EU.
How can I stay compliant?
You can take a few simple steps to ensure compliance with GDPR.
First, ensure that you have a clear and concise privacy policy explaining how you collect, use, and store data. It would be best if you also allowed individuals to opt-out of having their data collected or used for marketing purposes. Finally, be sure to destroy any data that is no longer needed securely
For more information on GDPR compliance, check out this article from Business News Daily.
Final thoughts
As you can see, several avoidable email marketing mistakes can easily be remedied. By ensuring your email list is clean and up-to-date, segmenting your subscribers, and crafting quality content, you’ll be well on your way to achieving email marketing success.
And while we’re on the topic of success, it’s important to note that email marketing has no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one business may not work for another, so it’s essential to experiment and find what works best for you and your audience.
So there you have it—fourteen common email marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. With these tips in mind, you should be able to take your email campaigns to new heights.
Read also: How To Create A Winning Email Campaign in Kenya.