Irrespective of age, occupation, or digital inclinations, individuals continue to find it necessary to monitor their emails. Surprisingly, 77% of marketers have observed a rise in email engagement within the past year. However, managing email lists requires careful attention. Bombarding subscribers with excessive emails leads to annoyance and eventual unsubscriptions. Instead of being perceived as an annoyance, aim to establish yourself as a consistent presence in people’s inboxes—a source they anticipate with eagerness. Whether it’s a monthly update, newsletter, or other content forms, email presents significant opportunities.
To harness the full potential of email marketing, it’s crucial to be mindful of these 17 common mistakes still prevalent today:
1. Excessive Frequency:
When you obtain your subscribers’ email addresses, consider it a valuable asset. While appearing in their inbox keeps you top of mind, flooding them with excessive emails is counterproductive. Rather than overwhelming subscribers with frequent messages, focus on providing condensed, valuable content and offerings. Sending emails too frequently can result in a higher unsubscribe rate, potentially harming your organization’s reputation.
2. Poor Timing:
Timing is critical in email marketing. Understand your target audience and their routines. For instance, avoid sending emails to parents during school drop-off times. Sending emails at inappropriate times, such as Friday afternoons, may lead to your messages getting buried under weekend updates. Make the most of your one chance by choosing the optimal time to catch your audience’s attention, such as a Tuesday around lunchtime.
3. Lack of Personalization:
Starting a conversation with a generic “Hi there” is ineffective. Take advantage of sophisticated marketing automation tools like HubSpot, which offer customizable personalization tokens. Utilize the data you’ve collected to segment your audiences and personalize content based on factors such as industry, spending habits, and their position in the buyer’s journey.
4. Ignoring Mobile Optimization:
People check emails not only on laptops or computers but also on mobile devices. Make certain that your emails are tailored for optimal viewing on mobile devices. Even the most strategically crafted email loses its impact if the font is too small and challenging to read on a mobile device. Frustrating users with unreadable content diminishes the effectiveness of your carefully crafted messages.
5. Missing or Confusing Call-To-Action:
A lack of a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) can leave the reader confused. Attempts to be creative with CTA language often result in readers struggling to grasp the intended message. Opt for straightforward phrases like “request more information” or “learn more” to capture prospects interested in your offering. Consider the placement of the CTA in the email using UI/UX best practices. Without a clear CTA, your target audience may hesitate to take action, passively awaiting a prompt that may never materialize.
6. Sending Without Testing:
Testing is a crucial aspect of the email process. Test emails help identify overlooked errors in the original copy, ensuring a polished final product. Involve a few individuals to receive test emails, as our constant exposure to numerous messages can desensitize us to errors. Neglecting testing, particularly for spelling, links, and load time, can convey an unprofessional and thoughtless image. Given the abundance of email tools and testing capabilities, presenting anything less than a clean email is avoidable.
7. Neglecting Metrics:
Metrics exist for a reason—they provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t. Email platforms offer metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates, and heat maps, serving as indispensable tools for email marketers. Despite their potential overwhelming nature, these metrics offer continuous opportunities for improvement. Regularly monitor and analyze these metrics to identify trends, make informed adjustments, and witness overall improvement over time.
8. Buying Email Lists:
Purchasing email lists is an ill-advised practice, leading to low engagement and potential damage to your brand’s reputation. Email should function as a targeted sales and marketing tool. Marketing to an audience uninterested in your services is akin to shouting into the void. Moreover, privacy protection concerns, such as GDPR, can result in legal troubles if marketing to non-consenting lists. It’s more prudent to cultivate a small list of high-quality prospects and customers rather than a large, uninterested audience that may report emails as spam, harming your reputation.
9. Forgetting About GDPR and Other Regulations:
Non-compliance with email regulations can have legal consequences, especially in the context of growing privacy concerns. Respecting individuals’ preferences regarding their communication is crucial.
10. No Unsubscribe Option:
Providing an easy way for people to unsubscribe from your email list is essential. Ideally located at the top or bottom of a standard email, the unsubscribe button or link signals transparency and trust. Buyers appreciate the option to opt out, and failing to include an unsubscribe link can result in negative brand sentiment and potential spam reports.
11. Neglecting A/B Testing:
A/B testing is a crucial feature that should be actively utilized to optimize your email strategy. Crafting A/B versions of campaigns provides control over metrics aligned with your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and contributes to achieving your desired business outcomes. Through A/B testing, you can gauge your subscribers’ experience and continuously refine your approach.
12. Generic Subject Lines:
Compelling subject lines are pivotal for capturing your readers’ attention. Showcase your brand’s personality and convey a concise message in the subject line. Leveraging tools like ChatGPT for subject line testing and generation enables the creation of intriguing subject lines. Even in cold emails, injecting humor into a subject line can be effective. Experimentation is encouraged, but sensitivity to potential offense is crucial.
13. Neglecting Email List Maintenance:
Consistently maintain the health of your email list by eliminating addresses that are inactive or have experienced bounces. Maintaining a high delivery and open rate requires eliminating dead email addresses. Implement a monthly routine for parsing your email list. While this process used to be manual, marketing automation and AI tools now streamline the detection and removal of unnecessary elements from your list.
14. Sending Without Purpose:
As John Mayer suggests, “Say what you need to say.” Sending an email without a clear purpose or value to your audience is unnecessary. If the email does not inform, educate, or add value to your buyers, reconsider sending it. Before hitting send, ask yourself and your team, “Does this matter to our buyers?”
15. Using Heavy Images and Media:
Incorporate media that complements your written message, but be cautious of large files that increase load time. Slow-loading emails may lead to deletion before readers engage with the content. Ensure that graphics, graphs, and memes align with your message and resonate with your audience, without overwhelming the email and rendering your message ineffective.
16. Ignoring Feedback:
Value subscriber feedback and view it as a precious resource. Actively engage with feedback, demonstrating your commitment to your audience. Adapting your content based on how subscribers perceive your messages is essential. Failing to provide a channel for feedback can lead to frustration, and a “no-reply” email address hinders genuine communication.
17. Avoiding Automation:
Embrace automation, especially with a growing list and multiple concurrent campaigns. Utilize personalization tokens and scheduling tools for automating messages related to customer anniversaries, check-ins, or birthdays. Automation showcases a high level of personalization and sophistication, enhancing your brand’s professionalism and making customers feel acknowledged.
In the realm of digital marketing, a blend of art and science, staying attuned to trends, attitudes, and preferences is crucial for adhering to best practices. Rather than being perceived as an annoying sender, aim to be something recipients eagerly anticipate in their inbox.
