When was the last time you opened a commercial advertisement through email? Do you even know what email marketing is?Â
Relax!
Aside from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc, Email marketing is a powerful tool for online marketing because it is designed to reach a specific target group depending on business needs.
For example, 90% of local companies in Kenya use emails to communicate officially with customers.
You’ve probably heard that email marketing is driven by good content. Well, this might be true, but not always true. Email can alert your customers regarding a new product or service depending on your end goal or send a season’s greetings. Does that need a lot of work? Really, No?Â
Email marketing does not necessarily involve a lot of content production, but it should be brief and catchy at the same time while conveying the intended message.
Q1: So, what exactly is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is a direct form of communication that involves sending a commercial message or transactional email, usually to customers or typically to a group of people.Â
Every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing.
In this article, Email Marketing has been classified into two main categories (transactional and newsletter), but in other articles, you might find different classifications of email marketing.
Transactional email:
These are emails that customers are prompted with after making a purchase or a transaction. The primary purpose of a transactional email is to convey information regarding the action triggered based on a customer’s interaction with a company.Â
Triggered transactional messages include dropped basket messages, password reset emails, purchase or order confirmation emails, order status emails, reorder emails, and email receipts.Â
Mostly, these transactional emails are automatic system-generated emails.
Email newsletters:
These emails are sent to a list of subscribers who have agreed to receive weekly, daily, or quarterly messaging regarding a product or company update that they would like to be affiliated with for a long time.
The primary purpose of an email newsletter is promotional. Companies send out an email newsletter to inform customers about a new product or to communicate with clients.Â
An email newsletter is the best way to communicate with a large audience. All you need to do is build a list of subscribers through different platforms, and you’re ready.
ÂQ2: Why is Email Marketing essential?Â
To start with, email marketing is part of various digital marketing strategies. Â
Email is fast and cost-effective compared to other forms of marketing, as it reaches thousands of people in just one click.
Email marketing allows businesses to target a specific niche of an audience that might be interested in or affected by a particular service you are trying to offer. This saves a lot of time because all you need to do is build up a list of email subscribers who might have purchased or shown interest.
With Email Marketing, you can easily read and monitor your customers’ behaviours on how well they like your product and can give you.
Q3: How do you start Email Marketing:Â
You are probably typing on Google. How do I build up a list of subscribers? How do you send out bulk emails? Well, this should be the answer you will get!
First, ask yourself why your company needs to engage in email marketing. What are some of the expected end goals? Is it part of the marketing strategy or what?
Building Email list: In the marketing department, you have the list of existing customers you recently sold to in a spreadsheet.
Find suitable email marketing platforms: Once you have compiled your email list, it’s time to look for a good email marketing provider.
For startups, it is essential to look for a platform that is:
- Cost-friendly and beginner-friendly.
- It allows you to monitor the results of your campaigns in real-time.Â
- A platform that offers at least a free trial period.
Lastly, learn and send out your fast email. Make sure you share your experience with us in the comment section.Â
