Communicate the value of your small business through effective content and a strategic email marketing strategy.

No one likes a flooded inbox of marketing emails — we get it. If you’ve ever hesitated to implement an email campaign, you’re not alone. When we recommend email marketing campaigns to our small business clients, we’re often met with feedback such as:

· I don’t want to spam my contact list
· I don’t have anything worthwhile to promote
· I don’t have the time to work on a project like this

Creating a thorough email marketing campaign may seem like a difficult task for small business owners — especially those who have a long list of other, seemingly more important, tasks to handle. However, if done right, email marketing is one of the most effective ways to gain brand recognition and generate leads — an essential part of gaining trust and loyalty with your customer base.

Above all, one thing is certain when creating an effective email marketing campaign: it’s all about content. Here are some clear guidelines and tips to follow to help craft email messages that target the needs of your clients and communicate the value of your business effectively.

1. Focus on benefiting your customer.

Always begin your organic marketing strategy with a road map. What is your goal? Do you hope to generate leads for your business? Increase brand awareness? Increase followers? This list can go on, but it is crucial to narrow down the unique necessities for your business. Target your customer’s pain point and offer the solution. The goal of email blasts is to communicate the value your small business can offer customers. There is a distinct difference between the benefit and the feature. A common mistake made in email marketing is explaining the feature, the tangible “thing” you are offering your client while forgetting about the benefit. How will that “thing” make the recipient’s life better, easier and more fun? Nailing down this idea is key to turning the contact into a customer.

2. Your contact list is about quality, not quantity.

You may have the idea that, because you are a small business, you do not have enough contacts to make email blasts worth the time and effort. However, this is a common, yet fatal, misconception. Email marketing for small businesses is beneficial no matter the size of your contact list. Even though your list may be small, it is highly doubtful you will be able to reach contacts on the phone or in-person to communicate your message. For busy clients, email is more convenient and resonates better than other forms of communication.

With this in mind, always remember that the quality of your list is far more important than the quantity. Comprise your email list with contacts whom you have a strong relationship with or those who have opted in to receive emails. These customers are already interested in what you have to say. Use the email blasts to foster those relationships rather than trying to broaden your topic in order to achieve a longer list. Your emails will then generate a greater return for your business.

3. Have a balance of text and pictures.

Your email blasts should be appealing and inviting to your recipients. The key to achieving this is having a balance of images and text. Having all text is simply boring for readers while image overload can result in your email being picked up by spam filters. In both instances, the result is a lack of attention to your message.

Strike a key balance where there are enough images to attract the eye of your contact, yet not distract from the important information. Clearly enter text and then sprinkle in images where appropriate and you’ll find the response rate increase.

4. Keep it simple.

When you skim through your busy inbox, do you read the lengthy, long emails or do you skip over them? A key component of email marketing strategies is to be brief. Summarize your points in a compelling way where they can easily understand the message of your email while also enticing them to learn more. The key to writing a brief email copy is to get to the point quickly. From then on, keep your message on point, always focusing on the end goal. Finally, always end with a call-to-action. If you have a lot to say, simply link to a page from your website or blog for the contact to continue reading.

5. Be lovable

This is an important feature many email marketing strategies overlook. While the main reason for your email blasts is to inform, don’t be afraid to have fun with it and delight your contacts! This can be a great way to highlight your personality and position yourself as a relatable, likable brand. Humanizing your brand in such a way cultivates meaningful relationships with your customers. So have fun with your emails. Sprinkle some love in them and leave your contacts smiling. The results will go a long way!

Final Thoughts

Successful email marketing campaigns can be forgotten about, yet hugely beneficial for your small business. With the right tools and guidelines, they can effectively communicate the value you can offer customers while building lasting relationships with the recipients. For strong email marketing strategies, do not stress about having a lengthy contact list, but ensure the list you have contains quality customers and leads. Capture the audience’s attention with a mixture of images and text, while also keeping your message informative and brief. Focus on the benefit you can offer your contacts and position your brand in a fun, lovable way.

At Simply Clear Marketing, we have the experience and knowledge to utilize these tools to effectively market your business. If you believe creating an email marketing campaign can benefit your business, set up a free consultation with Simply Clear Marketing today by contacting us at (805) 543-6397 or admin@simplyclearmarketing.com .