If you are thinking of doing email marketing, or have been doing so for the past few years now, you should know that a lot of the tactics being used then can actually still be used now. Yes, email marketing in 2016 will still follow trends that have been effective for the past few years. What are these tactics, you ask? Here are some of the ones that you will still benefit from in the coming year:
Incentivized emails – giving someone a little token or reward for doing something is still a great way to get them to do something for you. For example, if you offer them a free trial membership or a discount for specific items if they allow you to continue mailing them, or if they refer a few more friends to add to your mailing list, they might be inclined to do so. A free gift is something that not only makes the person receiving the email feel good about the surprise, but is also something that creates loyal and converting customers too.
The basics still work – when it comes to email marketing, the phrase “tried and tested” is still pretty much something you can rely on. These include strong headlines and email headers, knowing what time it is best to send emails to your mailing list, being concise, and taking care to not be vague about your message. All of these have worked in the past, and are still going to work in the present and the future. All you need to do is to tweak here and there to make these more in-tune with what people want and need these days.
Exclusivity is still a draw – ever wonder why limited edition items and one-of-a-kind offers are still being sought after by many? This is because of the draw that exclusivity has. When you say that you have one of an item that is in limited production, or are a member of a club that only a few get a chance to join, you make it seem very special. People love special, and love the feeling that they are part of a chosen and limited circle that can avail of such an offer. Making your email offerings seem more exclusive will make these more valuable to whoever is getting this and will entice them to opt-in.
Personalization still encourages people to click through – generalization has always been a big no-no when it comes to email marketing, and this is still true to this day. If you want people to respond positively to your emails, making these more personal and less general is the way to go. Since email marketing involves sending out hundreds of emails to numerous individuals and personalization at its basest level can take a lot of time, you need to be smart about this. In order for your messages to be truly personalized even though you don’t actually write individual emails for each person, you need to go beyond the first name basis header and opener, and to address the person according to their demographic. This can be done by categorizing your email recipients from the get-go, and sending out your emails according to demographics.
