We recently discussed the top seven resolutions you should make this year to create a powerful online marketing program. One of those resolutions was to stay connected with your target audience through email. We included it on the list for two reasons – first, it is often overlooked as a marketing tool and second, it is highly effective:

  • As we noted in our Resolutions post, email is 40 times more effective at acquiring customers than Facebook and Twitter combined.
  • According to the Direct Marketing Association, 66 percent of consumers have made a purchase based on an email they’ve received.
  • And, perhaps, most surprisingly, according to MarketingSherpa, 91 percent of adults in the US like to receive emails from the companies they do business with.

Many marketers avoid email because they get too many emails and personally don’t like a crowded inbox. But you can’t argue with results – email marketing works! Even if your recipient doesn’t open your email, they will see your name and your subject line, and put the two together. Even if they never open a single email, you’ve kept your name in front of your prospect and connected it with your product or service. That alone is a powerful thing. By being visible on a regular basis, you may eventually reach that prospect when the need for your service arises.

Here are some tips to make your email program even more effective:

Don’t be overtly promotional
Your content should be information your audience will find useful. For senior care providers, information on how to age well, the challenges of caregivers and breakthroughs in medical research is likely to grab their attention. If they see that you’re providing information they can use, as opposed to simply trying to sell something, they’ll be more receptive to your message.

Create a strong mailing list
Make sure you’re asking for emails whenever you talk to a prospect. Tell them you won’t abuse the privilege, but will occasionally send information they may find valuable. Invite visitors to your website to sign up for a regular newsletter or information guide by providing their email address.

Personalize your email
This may seem silly, but research shows that personalized emails (“Dear Jonathan”) improve click-through rates by 14 percent and conversion rates by 10 percent.

Make it mobile-friendly
The main activity for people using their mobile phones is to check email. That’s why having an email that looks good on smartphones is essential. Eighty percent of mobile users will simply delete an email if it doesn’t look good.

IlluminAge has over 20 years of experience in developing strong email programs for our clients. Our EngAge program combines all the elements of successful email marketing – blog posts, social media and email – into one turnkey program. If you’d like to tap into the power of email marketing, contact us today!