Recently, we’ve been conducting audits for clients around optimizing their marketing funnels – in which we take a holistic look at the different marketing activities, how they work together, and what channels need additional optimization to be most effective. Almost invariably, for whatever reason, we find small businesses often have the greatest need to improve in one particular area: email and marketing automation. This is true regardless of the industry the company is in and applies to both B2B and B2C companies, where email is a critical aspect of marketing success, yet often the most underutilized tool.    

Why Is Email So Important?

• • First, the costs are limited and finite. Depending on the number of subscribers you have most email marketing plans are affordable (less than $50 per month if your subscriber base is less than 1,500 individuals or so). And there’s no limit on the outreach you can do to your list. But many companies don’t take advantage of this (more on this later).
  • Second, you’re marketing to individuals who have already engaged with you (or you have acquired through building a relationship with them). From a conversion standpoint, what this translates into is that your email subscribers are often your best prospects because they come pre-equipped with knowing who you are and the value you provide.
  • Third, unlike social media or other forms of digital marketing, emails are not dependent on algorithms or other external factors. Once an email has been sent, it will land in the inbox of the intended recipient, making it more reliable and effective.
  • Fourth, as mentioned, it works across industries and in B2B and B2C marketing. For B2B, email marketing allows businesses to reach decision-makers or those who have influence in the decision-making process directly. A business that offers cloud computing solutions, for example, might send an email to the IT managers of a particular company. On the other hand, for B2C, email marketing is an effective tool for building and nurturing relationships with customers who might buy from an email directly or get alerted to promotions, offers, or other useful information they can use online or offline.

How Small Businesses Don’t Realize the Potential of Email

Yet, despite its importance, many small businesses don’t realize the full potential of email and marketing automation. Some of the common mistakes they make include:

• • Not emailing potential customers enough. One of the most common mistakes small businesses make is not emailing their potential customers enough. Indeed, we interact with many clients who believe that you shouldn’t email more than once per month or once every other month. And we get it – many businesses fear that they will come across as spammy or bothersome. However, research has shown that customers prefer to receive emails from businesses they have opted into. In fact, according to Hubspot, the ideal frequency for sending emails to customers is 1-2 times per week.

• • Not setting up the right automation. Another common mistake small businesses make is not setting up the right automation. Automation can help businesses save time and effort by triggering emails based on specific actions or events. Here are some quick examples in both B2B and B2C. First, let’s look at B2B:

• • • Trigger an email series when a customer downloads an e-book, whitepaper, or other lead magnet.
    • Trigger a thank-you-for-your-inquiry email to individuals who fill in a contact form. This lets people know quickly that you have acknowledged their submission and allows you to inform them about the next steps for someone reaching out to them.

And now B2C:

• • • Set up an abandoned cart email automation that triggers an email to customers who have left items in their cart without making a purchase. This email could remind them of the items in their cart, offer a discount or free shipping, and provide a clear call-to-action to complete the purchase.
    • Send a personalized recommendation email to a customer based on their purchase history. This email could suggest products that the customer may be interested in, offer a discount or promotion, and provide a clear call-to-action to purchase.

One last thing: For both B2B and B2C emails, we’ve seen some companies set up the right automation but then they don’t check to make sure the actions triggering those emails actually fire. And that great series goes to waste because no one ever sees it. Often, these are just small QA checks that companies need to make (testing forms and automation) that shouldn’t be skipped over!

• • Not paying attention to little things such as subject lines or sender names can impact open rates. The subject line and sender name are two of the most important elements of an email, yet many small businesses overlook these elements, impacting open rates. For instance, a subject line that’s too generic or spammy may cause the recipient to delete the email without opening it. A sender name that’s not recognizable may also result in the email being deleted. Small businesses should take the time to craft subject lines that are specific and compelling and use a recognizable sender name.

• • Not paying attention to the time of day they are sending emails. Similarly, the time of day that emails are sent can impact open rates as well. Sending an email during the day when the recipient is busy may result in the email being overlooked – the one exception here might be lunchtime. On the other hand, sending an email during the night when the recipient is asleep may result in the email being buried by other emails by the time they wake up. Each audience is often unique. So, small businesses should take the time to understand their customers’ habits and preferences to determine the best time to send emails.

• • Not personalizing emails. Personalization is key in email marketing. It allows businesses to tailor their emails to the specific needs and preferences of their customers, making them more relevant and effective. However, many small businesses do not take advantage of the full range of personalization options available to them. They may use the recipient’s name in the subject line or the opening of the email, but there are many other ways to personalize an email. For example, businesses can segment their email lists based on demographics, location, past purchases, or other factors and create different versions of an email for each segment. They can also use dynamic content to change the body of an email based on the recipient’s preferences or behavior. This is especially true when you do a good job connecting your CRM or ecommerce platform with your email marketing platform.

Conclusion

Make sure that you’re maximizing the potential with any email and marketing automation system. At Marketing Nice Guys, we can help. Contact us today or learn more about our email services by scheduling a free consultation with us. Our mission is to help you excel at digital marketing.