With more people staying indoors because of the COVID-19 pandemic, marketing practices have made some slight changes. Continuing to live normally during this time has been a learning experience for everyone, with a lot of trial and error taking place in order to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Businesses have struggled during this pandemic, and many of us don’t have the time or money to do this trial and error work. The majority of consumer consumption is now done online, making it logical for marketers to focus their efforts there.
Because so many businesses are operating online right now, online marketing is essential, and promotional emails are one approach that businesses continue to use. According to HubSpot, 99 percent of people check their email every day.
The first challenge with promotional emails is getting people to subscribe to your email list, and the only reason anyone would go as far as to type their lengthy—or even embarrassing—email address is if they are getting something out of it. You would have to be selling more than just the latest news or the latest trendy item, which can probably be found elsewhere. To offer something free or exclusive may be the way to go, because who doesn’t love free and exclusive content?
Email marketing is not dead, but the way it has been traditionally approached might be. The design and personalization of emails matter, and people will know the difference because inauthenticity is easy to pick up on. Many people get hundreds of emails in their inboxes every day, and this is the exact reason why personalization matters so much. This can be hard to do with long email lists. Some sites have included a more personal and in-depth way for people to be included in their email lists by asking the kind of content they prefer and what they like seeing.
The subject line of an email is a person’s first impression of the content they are supposed to be viewing, with 33 percent of people deciding whether or not to open an email based on that first line alone. The more relatable, compelling, and eye-catching the subject line is, the better. Emojis are one way to make an email stand out while also making it feel like a little more time was spent on creating it. Another thing to keep in mind when creating email marketing material is compatibility with mobile devices. Most of us check our emails on our phones, so it should be easy to scroll through and shareable.
While sending promotional emails might seem outdated, they continue to prove that they work. They are cost-effective, measurable, increase brand recognition, and are far more targeted compared to other produced advertisements. In fact, the Direct Marketing Association estimates that email marketing brings in $40 for every $1 spent. Email marketing has more benefits than faults, making it one to continue to stick around.