As a marketer, it’s essential to understand what a sender score is and how it impacts your email reputation. A sender score evaluates whether you’re a spammer or are sending legitimate, authentic emails that people want to read. Working toward a high sender score is crucial to keep your marketing emails out of the spam box. 

Email providers use two measures to evaluate the sender score, which combine to form your email sender score and impact email deliverability:

  1. Domain reputation gauges the credibility of your domain.
  2. IP reputation evaluates the legitimacy of your IP address. 

Understanding your sender score

Here’s what you need to know about your sender score.

How is the sender score calculated?

In addition to domain and IP reputation, email service providers determine the sender score based on several factors, including the following:

  • Recipient engagement with your emails through opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and spam complaints
  • Frequency, volume, and consistency of emails
  • Whether your domain passes authentication checks
  • Quality of your email contact list

Domain reputation and its role in sender score

Domain sender score represents how reputable your email’s domain is. Your domain follows the @ in your email address, such as @company.com. Possessing a high-ranking domain improves your sender score, reducing the likelihood of your emails going to spam.

You can find your domain sender score using tools like senderscore.org. Simply entering your domain will retrieve a numerical assessment between 0 and 100. A sender score between zero and 69 is considered poor, while a score of 70 to 79 is fair. Anything over 80 is good. The higher your score, the more authoritative your domain is in the eyes of email service providers.  

IP reputation and its impact on sender score

Every email address has an assigned IP address. Email service providers evaluate your IP address’s credibility when determining your sender score. The higher your IP reputation, the better your sender score will be.

In the early stages of building your email subscriber list, your IP address will have a low score. Your score will naturally increase as you attract more subscribers, send quality content, and stick to a regular email frequency. 

Checking your sender score

Your sender score determines whether email service providers believe you’re a spammer. 

How to check your sending reputation

You can use any of these tools for a sender score reputation check:

  1. Sender Score: A free measurement tool that evaluates your sending reputation.
  2. Barracuda Central: This tool lets you check your IP and domain reputation lookups.
  3. Customer URL Ticketing System from McAfee: You can assess your domain’s email and web reputation with McAfee’s tool.
  4. Postmaster Tools: You can track data on high-volume email batches to your Gmail accounts using this Google tool. You can also analyze email performance, routing, delivery errors, feedback loops, and other factors.
  5. Microsoft SNDS: Through Microsoft SNDS, you can view your IP sending reputation and spam complaint rate, among other factors.

Improving your sender score

There are several ways you can improve your sender score.

Strategies to improve your email-sending reputation

There are a few proactive measures you can take to build your sender score:

  • Remove subscribers who don’t engage with your emails.
  • Confirm the address of new subscribers with an email verification tool.
  • Only add new subscribers who voluntarily consent to hear from you.
  • Stick to a consistent email frequency and schedule.
  • Implement authentication checks.
  • Create high-quality content for your subscribers. When your emails provide value to your recipients, they’re more likely to open them.
  • Avoid purchasing email addresses and focus on growing your list organically. Recipients who receive unsolicited emails from you will likely unsubscribe, complain, or report your message as spam.

Role of email list hygiene in reputation management

Over time, some of your subscribers may disengage from your email list. If you see that happen, consider implementing a customer winback campaign to reconnect with subscribers before they unsubscribe. 

If you receive hard bounce alerts for email subscribers, remove them from your list entirely. A hard bounce indicates the subscriber’s email address is no longer valid.

Authentication methods: DKIM, SPF, and DMARC

Once you set up your new email address from which to send your marketing messages, authenticate it to help prevent your emails from going to spam. 

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), Sender Policy Framework (SPF), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) are all authentication methods designed to prevent spammers from taking over an email address they don’t own.

DKIM-authenticated email address example from Cloudflare
An example of a DKIM-authenticated email address. Image source: Cloudflare

Maintaining a strong sender score

As your sender score improves, it’s crucial to manage it. Here are a few steps you can take.

Regular review of email statistics and performance

Routinely analyze your email statistics to assess your performance. Evaluate your open rates, click-throughs, and conversions and compare them to your target benchmarks. See where you can improve if your email campaigns don’t meet your expectations.

Best practices in list management and cleaning

Maintaining a clean email subscriber list means paying attention to engagement and bounce rates. If subscriber engagement drops, analyze your campaign to see where you might tweak it and reattract your audience.

Hard bounce notifications indicate something is wrong with a subscriber’s email address, and it can no longer receive messages. A soft bounce means a temporary message delivery issue. 

Removing email addresses that hard bounce helps protect the integrity of your email sender score. A soft bounce generally won’t impact your sender score unless there’s a problem with the recipient’s email address.

When adding new subscribers, ensure you get their consent to receive your messages. Including double opt-ins — where the subscriber provides their email address, then verifies their subscription through an extra step to confirm they want to receive your messages — helps keep your list clean.

It’s important to authenticate your email address before sending messages. Authentication protocols like DKIM, SPF, and DMARC validate your address and prevent spoofers or other nefarious actors from hacking it.

How and when to remove inactive subscribers

People won’t always read every email you send. They may scroll past messages that don’t relate to their interests or draw their attention. 

If you notice a subscriber is inactive for an extended period, you can attempt to bring them back through a winback campaign. However, not every subscriber will respond favorably. If they continue to ignore your messages, consider removing them from your list.

There are no strict rules on when to remove inactive subscribers. Every marketer sets standards based on engagement expectations and other factors, like sending frequency. 

For instance, an email marketer who sends only a handful of emails every few months may not remove inactive subscribers for a year or longer. You can set a timeline for removing inactive subscribers that suits your business model.

To remove an inactive subscriber, simply delete their email address from your list. Once removed, the individual will no longer receive your messages.

Preventing and removing spam traps

spam trap is an email address that service providers use to identify senders who fail to adhere to email best practices. At one time, they may have been valid email addresses, but the recipient has abandoned them. 

You can identify potential spam traps by tracking your subscriber’s open rates. If a subscriber hasn’t read your emails in over a year, the address may be a spam trap, and you might want to remove it from your list to protect your list credibility.

Consistent email-sending schedules

A well-designed email marketing strategy has a consistent sending schedule. Sending regularity demonstrates you’re a reliable marketer who wants to interact with your subscribers consistently. Once you set an email-sending schedule — whether it’s communication every few days or weeks — stick with it. 

Essential aspects of a robust email infrastructure

Your email infrastructure consists of the tools used to deliver your messages. It includes email reputation management tools, IP addresses, mail servers, and other components. 

When building your email infrastructure, it’s important to choose tools that facilitate seamless interactions and allow you to monitor all aspects of your email reputation, including domain sender score, email sender score, and return path sender score.

Potential issues and resolutions in sender reputation

It will take time and effort to build your email sender’s reputation. You may encounter a few issues along the way. 

Some of the problems to look out for include:

  • Bounce rates: Too many email bounces can harm your sender’s reputation. Removing subscribers when you receive a hard bounce is vital since the address is no longer valid.
  • Sender history: Your email sender history considers the frequency and volume of your sent emails. Maintaining a consistent sending schedule adds credibility to your email campaign and improves your sender score over time.
  • Unsubscribe rate: People may unsubscribe from your email list if they don’t find your content relevant or valuable. While that’s normal, it’s vital to take action if you see a rise in your unsubscribe rate or reduced engagement. 
  • Engagement rate: Your engagement rate includes open and click-through rates. Maintaining a high engagement rate helps improve your sender reputation. Focus on providing quality content to your subscribers to keep them engaged.

Avoiding pitfalls in email sending

There are a few mistakes you can easily avoid when designing your email marketing campaign.

Common mistakes that hurt the sender’s reputation

A few of the most common errors typical among email senders are:

  • Unsolicited emails: Only send marketing messages to subscribers who consent to receive them. Sending unsolicited emails can harm your sender’s reputation.
  • Too many complaints: Unhappy subscribers may complain if they receive too many emails from you or no longer want to receive your messages. If you receive subscriber complaints, address them promptly and take the appropriate action.
  • Typos: If you receive hard bounce notifications for a new subscriber, review their email address to check for potential misspellings. If you find any, correct the error and try resending your message.

Software and tools for managing sender score

There are various tools you can use to gauge your sender score. An email testing service helps eliminate common email errors, ensuring they deliver properly no matter what email service provider your subscribers use.

Email verification tools — SPF, DKIM, and DMARC — protect your email address from nefarious actors who may try to spoof your email address or intercept your messages.

DMARC record example from MXToolbox
An example of a DMARC record. Image source: MXToolbox.

It’s important to regularly evaluate your email marketing campaigns using a robust analytics tool. Constant Contact provides comprehensive analytics you can use to review your email campaign performance.

Advanced topics

There are a few more things to know about sender scores.

How to recover from a bad sender score

If your sender score isn’t what you want it to be, work to improve it: 

  • Scrub your email list regularly to remove inactive subscribers. 
  • Authenticate your email address to enhance your credibility. 
  • Work on improving subscriber engagement by providing quality content.

Email sender reputation across different email clients

Your email sender’s reputation may vary across service providers. Use a tool to check your sender score with each client, and work to maintain a positive score to minimize email deliverability issues.

Case studies and successful strategies for reputation recovery

If your sender score drops, it’s important to deploy strategies to restore it. Check your analytics to see if your campaign performance has taken a hit. If so, find ways to fix it, such as removing inactive subscribers or improving content. 

A solid sender score improves email deliverability

Building a solid sender score is vital to email marketers, especially as you continue to grow your customer base. When you have a high sender score, your emails are less likely to end up as spam. Instead, they’ll go directly to your subscribers, making it easier to connect with your audience. Constant Contact’s email marketing platform provides tools to help you strengthen your sender score, including automation features and analytics. For more resources, make sure to subscribe to our Hints & Tips Newsletter.

Constant Contact's Hints & Tips Newsletter Signup

When budgets are tight, online marketing might be the first expense you look to cut.

Let me stop you right there.

While traditional advertising methods are costly and hard to measure, there has never been greater access to cost-effective, trackable marketing tools for how to market your small business, like email marketing, for example. The best way to market your business might be a lot more accessible than you think.

While traditional advertising methods are costly and hard to measure, there has never been greater access to cost-effective, trackable marketing tools for how to market your small business, like email marketing, for example. The best way to market your business might be a lot more accessible than you think.

The power of online marketing for small businesses

Almost 94% of the U.S. population is online, and that number is growing. By 2028, it will be close to 98%. Whatever you sell, your potential customers are out there on social media sites, checking their email, and Googling your industry.

Small business internet marketing connects you with those audiences. It sets up channels for people to discover your business and to get to know you, all without significant expenses on your part.

It’s something you don’t want to miss out on. Here are the top digital marketing tips for small businesses to get you started.

How can I advertise my business for free?

To get your business off the ground check out these free marketing tools and channels for advice on how to market your small business. 

Social media marketing

Social media marketing is 100% free for advertising small business. Social media is also a great way to help your business compete and hopefully stand out amongst similar businesses. Create business accounts on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, etc.  to foster brand  engagement and loyalty through likes, comments, shares, website visits, and purchases. Showcase products and services, keep loyalists engaged, and to give followers a heads up about upcoming events, recaps of previous ones, and access to contests, freebies, valuable content. 

If your budget allows, consider investing in a social media tools to help you craft and schedule content. Social scheduling software allows you to schedule content across social media platforms in advance, giving you back time and high-level visibility into your social media campaigns. 

Email marketing and social media marketing stand to provide major benefits for your business. Is email better than social media? Is it the reverse? Try out both tactics and see what works for your business. 

Search engine optimization (SEO)

According to a 2022 consumer survey, people find new brands via search engines versus any other channel or medium. A Google search is even more popular than asking a friend for a recommendation. 

The higher you rank on a search results page (SERP), the more clicks you’ll get. Digital marketers call this the click-through rate, or CTR — essentially, how many web searchers click on your link after seeing it on a SERP. As you’ll see in the chart below, you get more traffic as you climb the page:

Google Organic CTR Breakdown by Position chart
According to Backlinko, moving up one position in search engine ranking increases your CTR by more than 32%. You make that happen by optimizing your site for search engines — or doing  SEO, as digital marketers say.

SEO improves your website’s design, structure, and content to impress search engine algorithms. If search engines like Google see your site as a relevant and high-quality match for a search term, they’ll put your business higher on the SERP.

To improve your SEO, start by working on one of the following key elements:

  • Keyword optimization: Make sure your content includes the words and phrases you want that page to rank for on the SERP. 
  • Organization: Each page should have a clear title, and pages with multiple sections should have headers to organize them.
  • Mobile-friendliness: Your content should be accessible and responsive on mobile devices. 
  • Variety: Provide both text-based and visual content.
  • Functionality: Pages should load quickly, and all links should work.

Make sure to connect your website to your Constant Contact account so you can track your SEO success. SEO often takes time to show results, so be patient!

Content Marketing

Like SEO, content marketing is an essential element of online marketing for small businesses. It engages audiences who might not already know about your business — people at the top of the sales funnel, to use a popular marketing term. 

Content builds relationships by offering valuable information without pushing a sale. While ads go straight for the pitch, content eases people into the relationship by helping them and providing a good user experience before asking them to buy.

Showcase what your company has to offer by crafting website pages for products and services. Additionally, provide value by way of blogs and gated content, like ebooks and white papers.

Good content marketing will help your business do the following:

  • Build awareness for brand
  • Grow organic traffic 
  • Show your industry expertise

How to craft high-quality content

Google identifies quality content as “helpful, reliable, [and] people-first.” That means the content does all of the following:

  • Provides original information or analysis
  • Offers a comprehensive view of the topic
  • Adds value to any content it draws from
  • Organizes data into sections with descriptive headings
  • Aims to be error-free and well-written
  • Includes the input of subject matter experts

For best results, use the checklist above on every project in your content strategy.

Tip: Make sure to include calls to action throughout your website to encourage visitors to subscribe to your mailing list, check out a blog, and to purchase products and services. Calls to action can be short pieces of directive text like “Learn more,” “Subscribe,” and “Purchase now” placed on buttons, banners, or hyperlinks. Check out this blog on How to Write Content for a Website to help you craft value-driven, engaging content to promote your business. 

Online directories and review platforms

It is important to make sure people have the ability to easily find information about your business and see how your business compares to businesses in your niche and local area through customer reviews. Add your business to online lists like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellowpages, and Angi to group your business among competitor businesses and similar businesses in your area. 

Create a Google Business Profile so people can see a quick overview of important information like address, operating hours, images, reviews, menu, identification badges like “LGBTQIA+ owned business”, “woman-owned business”, and “veteran-owned business”. Your Google profile will also allow you to collect reviews for your business. Make sure to respond to reviews, especially negative ones, to build transparency and credibility for you business. You can learn more ways to harness reviews by reading our blog on How to Grow Positive Reviews on Google

Creating a profile on Google My Business will help expose your business to search engine users through the Google knowledge graph sidebar content. Searchers will see a short description of your business and important information like address and phone number. 

Craft an elevator pitch

You should be marketing all the time — wherever you are. Therefore, you need a compelling elevator pitch.

Research shows the average attention span of an adult is about six to eight seconds. That’s all the time you have to grab someone’s attention.

If you successfully engage them, then you only have a little over a minute to really sell them on your product or service. Invest the time to craft a killer elevator pitch. The return on your investment will pay huge dividends in terms of creating business opportunities.

Leverage your community

You don’t have to think big when it comes to your marketing efforts. Think locally. What’s going on in your community?

Sponsor a Little League team or a 5k charity walk/run. Print bookmarks and leave them at the local library. Get to know your ideal customer and think about how and where they spend their time.

Then search for opportunities to get in front of your customer with your marketing message.

Collaborate

Put together a group of synergistic, non-competitive businesses in your area and agree to cross-promote.

You can use coupons, fliers, reciprocal website links, bundled promotions or social media platforms. By collaborating with each other, you can expand your customer base because you’ll be reaching new people.

Network

I’m a huge fan of networking. I don’t think there is any better way to build a business than to get out there, shake some hands, and get to know people.

Networking requires a time commitment and it doesn’t provide instant gratification, but a strong network is one of the greatest assets any business person can have.

Give a speech

A lot of people hate public speaking. However, there are many organizations looking for qualified, subject-matter experts who can present to their groups.

Take a deep breath and volunteer. You don’t have to be a pro as long as the information you share is helpful to the audience. And the upside — the more you do it the easier it gets. Plus, it positions you as a credible authority in your field.

Create buzz

I started my corporate career in the field of public relations and the business has changed significantly because of technology.

Today, a small business owner can accomplish a lot without hiring a professional firm. Subscribe to Help a Reporter Out. You can respond to reporters’ queries that are looking for story ideas and resources. Some are small media opportunities, but others are major media outlets that use this service too.

Ask for referrals

Don’t be shy about asking for customer referrals. The majority of people say they are willing to provide a referral if asked, but very few take the initiative to do it on their own.

Referrals make it easier to get in the door with new customers. If you aren’t asking for them, you are missing opportunities.

Relatively inexpensive ways to advertise your business

If you have room in your budget to your boost your marketing efforts through paid means, try these tactics and channels. 

Paid advertising 

While your business might not have a big enough marketing budget to use paid advertising regularly, it is worth it to allot a small portion of your budget to test out paid advertising through social media and search engines. Paid advertising allows you to target and segment your audience based on behaviors, interests, demographics, etc. ensuring that your content is seen by the right people. 

Google ads (Formerly Google Adwords): Google ads uses a pay-per-click model which means you only pay for the amount of clicks your ad receives. The cost of your ad will vary depending on the popularity/competitiveness of your keyword. Bidding on a keyword will help place your URL at the top of the search engine results page (SERPs). 

Ads manager (Facebook ads and Instagram ads): Similar to Google, Facebook and Instagram use a pay-per-click model for advertising. Create image, video, and carousel ads on Facebook and Instagram to reach your target audience. Use Facebook lead gen ads to generate interest for a particular product or service and to lead users to sign-up for your business’ email list to learn more. 

Use Instagram paid ads to advertise your products and services to your business’ target audience. Source: Heatonist

Email marketing campaigns

Email marketing is a cost-efficient and highly beneficial marketing channel to help you advertise your business. In fact, “Email is considered one of the most effective channels for marketing, with 79 percent of marketers placing it in their top 3.” (Constant Contact) Begin by collecting email marketing contacts by placing a sign-up form on your website, social media, and through in-store forms (if applicable). Having a healthy list of consenting email subscribers lets you have greater control over your audience, making sure you are not limited by a third party platform – like social media – in order to reach subscribers and to communicate effectively. 

Once you have a general list of subscribers, you can segment your lists to better target your audience based on their interactions with your business and information they have provided you in the their email sign-up form. Craft informative, stylized, and personalized marketing emails to send to your subscribers. 

Create a welcome email series to introduce your business, products, and services to potential customers. Craft automated email triggers to send warm wishes to subscribers on their birthday or to remind shoppers of their abandoned carts. Send a regular newsletter to keep your audience informed. Not sure what to send? Here’s a list of 30 email marketing ideas

Consider investing in a top-tier email service provider (ESP), like Constant Contact, to give you greater control and visibility into the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts. View important reporting metrics like open and click-through rates, conversions, attrition rates, heat maps, and bounce rates to give you insight into campaign performance and to make data-driven improvements. In terms of return on investment (ROI), email marketing has an average return of $36 for every $1 spent. That’s major. 

Join business associations or apply for business awards 

Increase credibility and name recognition for your business by joining local or national business associations and applying for local, national, and international business awards. 

Joining a business association in your community or on a national/international scale can help you build positive relationships with business owners and the potential for partnerships and collaborations. Business associations can also provide your business with valuable resources and learning opportunities like workshops, lectures, and networking events. Business associations also have a hand in shaping policy, adding your voice to the conversation will help your business interests. 

Business awards and recognition will help you stand out from your competition as a source of expertise and excellence in your field. 

Offer coupons

Coupons are a good way for many businesses to attract new customers. Research shows that people will go out of their way to use a coupon, proving that this method is successful in expanding your customer base.

Coupons can also generate return visits. For example, if you give a customer a coupon for a discount to use on future business, there’s a high probability they’ll be back.

Give it away

If someone has the opportunity to experience your product or service, chances are they will want to purchase more.

Don’t be afraid to give someone a free trial or a sample. In today’s economy, people are more comfortable purchasing something they have been able to experience first.

These inexpensive marketing strategies will help you engage customers, build relationships, and ultimately keep your brand top-of-mind. It’s not always about the money you have to spend on marketing, it’s about the time and effort you put into it and above all, the relevance it has for your customers.

Looking for more ways to market your business?

Sign up for Hints & Tips, Constant Contact’s bimonthly newsletter with practical, actionable small business marketing tips to help you build your brand, promote your business, and gain new customers.

Constant Contact Hints & Tips Newsletter Signup

Climate change and pollution are often on my mind. I constantly see these topics in my social media feeds and on the news. This content has made me think more deeply about the environmental impact of my actions. I’ve already taken small steps to make a difference, like becoming a vegetarian. 

This awareness has also made me more conscious about the brands I support. I want to give my money to companies that help the planet, not harm it. And I’m not the only customer who feels this way. Harris Poll research reports that 82% of shoppers want brands to share their values. Many of these customers will stop buying from companies they view as unethical. 

Businesses can use cause marketing to demonstrate their values and make a difference. This technique lets companies and nonprofit organizations unite forces. The business makes a charitable donation to the charity and improves its reputation. In exchange, the nonprofit organization helps promote the partnership. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. 

This guide examines the meaning, benefits, and challenges of cause marketing. We also explore tools for developing campaigns and building your contact list

Introduction to cause marketing

Cause marketing is a partnership between a business and a nonprofit organization. This collaboration allows both parties to promote themselves and expand their reach. The company improves its image and proves its commitment to social responsibility. Meanwhile, the nonprofit gets exposure to new audiences.  

This marketing technique has a long history in the United States. In 1983, American Express created the first formal cause marketing campaign. The company raised $1.7 million in three months to renovate the Statue of Liberty. This campaign also raised national awareness of the American Express credit card.

Cause marketing campaigns have proliferated in the last two decades. In 2004, businesses spent $990 million on cause sponsorship. In 2020, cause sponsorships surged to $10 billion due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend will likely continue as companies cater to customers who are passionate about social causes. 

Cause-related marketing can significantly impact brand identity. These campaigns strengthen companies’ relationships with their communities and customers. They can also boost a brand’s reputation and attract new customers who care about the cause. Cause marketing is also an effective way to stand out from competitors. 

How to develop a cause marketing strategy 

You may feel tempted to partner with the first exciting nonprofit you find. But the most effective cause marketing campaigns take careful planning and consideration. Every aspect of your campaign must align with your values if you want to succeed. 

Choose your cause

You can start by identifying a single cause that fits your brand identity and mission. 

Consider these questions: 

  • What values and principles does your brand represent? 
  • What issues concern your customers?
  • What causes do your employees feel passionate about? 
  • What causes are relevant to your industry or community? 
  • What type of content could you create to promote the cause? 

Your campaign will feel more genuine if you pick a cause that gets you and your audience fired up. Promoting a cause with an obvious connection to your brand or products is also easier. 

For example, suppose your company sells athletic equipment and wants to increase accessibility to sports. You could partner with a charity that helps people with disabilities play soccer. Or you could choose a nonprofit that supports young athletes from disadvantaged groups.

Align the cause with brand values

Your cause marketing campaign should go beyond surface-level engagement with a nonprofit. Consider how you can align your values and products with your chosen cause.  

If your company partners with a nonprofit for athletes with disabilities, build on this campaign by making accessibility and inclusivity central to your mission. For example, you could include people with disabilities in your marketing materials. You can also design accessible sports equipment for athletes with disabilities. These efforts will create a culture of inclusivity far beyond your marketing campaign.

Determine your contribution

Many companies donate money to their partner organizations. But you don’t need to drain the company’s bank account to give support. Here are three ways you can give back: 

  1. Organize events. Plan a fundraising event to raise money and connect your partner with new donors. For example, you can host a food festival or a 5K race.  
  2. Create an email marketing campaign. Send your subscribers marketing emails about your cause. These messages can include educational content and information about the nonprofit. They should also have strong calls to action for donations or volunteers.  
  3. Have an employee volunteer day. Clear your company’s schedule so your staff can volunteer for your cause. For instance, they could deliver food to a homeless shelter or run a charity event. 

Get your audience involved 

Inspire your audience to engage with your cause marketing campaign. You can encourage them to follow your nonprofit partner on social media and donate. You could also invite them to participate in charity events.  

Implementing cause marketing campaigns

Once you’ve picked your cause, it’s time to implement your marketing campaign. These three strategies will help you achieve your goals and make an impact. 

1. Use case studies for inspiration 

Start by researching successful cause marketing examples. This step lets you learn about effective strategies and incorporate them into your own campaign. 

Toms cause marketing campaign
The TOMS website includes an impact landing page with a video about its charitable initiatives. Consider adding similar content to your website to promote your partnerships. Image source: TOMS

For example, the shoe brand TOMS donates ⅓ of its profits to community organizations. The company partners with nonprofits that reflect its values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. TOMS markets this campaign through website pages, annual impact reports, and videos. 

Two Blind Brothers film "Pip"
Two Blind Brothers created the film “Pip” to educate viewers about guide dogs. Explore their website for more creative marketing ideas. Image source: Two Blind Brothers

Two Blind Brothers is another helpful case study. As the name suggests, this clothing company was founded by two brothers with visual impairments. The business donates 100% of its profits to charities and researchers supporting the blind community. Two Blind Brothers promotes their cause through an animated film,  blog posts, and social media. 

These case studies show the importance of choosing a cause aligned with your company’s values. They also highlight some of the strategies marketers use to advertise their causes. 

2. Co-promote your campaign with your partner

Your nonprofit partner is your greatest ally for your campaign. Together, you can develop strategies to co-market the cause to your audiences. 

These techniques could include:

  • Creating Instagram Collab posts
  • Collaborating on content like e-books and webinars 
  • Developing a shared landing page for the campaign 
  • Partnering with influencers
  • Co-launching a year-end fundraising campaign

3. Measure your performance 

Track your campaign’s performance to see how audiences respond to your content. Your goals can help you determine which metrics to use. 

If you want to raise awareness of your nonprofit partner, measure donations and social media engagement. If you want to boost your brand’s reputation, track brand sentiment and customer satisfaction. 

Other valuable metrics include: 

  • Click-through rates
  • Return on investment 
  • Sales 
  • Share of voice 
  • Social media impressions 
  • Website traffic

Benefits of cause marketing

Cause marketing has many advantages for businesses of all sizes. Many consumers expect brands to address environmental and social issues. Supporting a cause helps you meet this demand and builds customer loyalty. 

This strategy can also improve your brand’s public perception. Your audience will view your company as ethical and socially responsible. This view may persuade them to choose you over competitors. Media outlets may also spotlight your campaign, leading to more positive exposure. 

There are also many cause marketing benefits for your nonprofit partner. Nonprofits often have limited financial and human resources. Your company can provide valuable marketing support to help them reach new audiences. Your campaign may also inspire consumers to donate to your partner.

Common challenges of cause marketing 

Cause-related marketing has many benefits but can come with unique challenges. 

Some brands struggle to find the right cause. Overcome this obstacle by defining your values and mission. Look for nonprofit organizations that align with these principles. You can also research your audience’s interests to identify relevant causes. 

A poorly planned campaign can also put your brand reputation at risk.  Some businesses choose controversial causes that offend their target audience. Companies may also face backlash if they use insensitive messaging. 

For example, Pepsi drew controversy in 2017 after it released a commercial featuring the white model Kendall Jenner. The ad shows Jenner defusing a protest by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. Time called the commercial “a glaring misstep” that trivializes real protests like the Black Lives Matter movement. Pepsi quickly withdrew the ad and issued an apology. 

Avoid this risk by choosing partners and causes that have positive public perceptions. Hiring a sensitivity reader can also help create tactful and respectful messaging. 

Advanced cause marketing tactics 

Expand your campaign’s reach with digital marketing. This approach involves sharing your message through digital channels. Many brands use social media and blog posts to promote their causes. Email marketing also lets you share messages about your campaign with subscribers. 

Content marketing can also help you engage audiences. This strategy lets you tell persuasive stories about your cause and nonprofit partner. 

For example, you could create videos and infographics about your partner’s impact. You can also share campaign updates on your blog and website. 

Integrating cause marketing with other business areas

Combine cause marketing with other business areas to amplify your impact. 

Your sales department can create promotions related to your cause. Customers could get exclusive discounts if they donate to your partner. 

You could also develop co-branded products. For example, BrewDog created a limited-edition beer called “Street Dog.” Each can features an adoptable dog. The brewery donated the sale proceeds from this beer to animal charities. 

BrewDog "StreetDog" beer campaign
BrewDog’s “Street Dog” beer demonstrates how companies can integrate cause marketing, sales, and product development. Image source: BrewDog

Cause marketing businesses should also integrate this strategy into their website operations. Create a landing page that shares information about your collaboration. You should also include calls to action to encourage visitors to donate or learn more. 

Legal and ethical considerations in cause marketing

Cause marketing raises more ethical and legal dilemmas than other practices. Marketers must focus on accountability and transparency to maintain customer trust. Always explain how your partner uses donations and ensure they follow through on their commitments. 

Businesses must also follow relevant regulations for cause marketing. These requirements vary by state but may include: 

  • Commercial coventurers for charitable purposes. Several states require cause marketing companies to register as commercial coventurers. These laws may apply if your company gives a percentage of its sales to charity. 
  • Marketing transparency laws. The federal government requires businesses to create truthful and evidence-based advertisements. It also forbids deceptive and unfair marketing. 

Finally, businesses should avoid “causewashing.” Companies that engage in this unethical practice support causes to make money, not to make a genuine difference. Causewashing often occurs when businesses try to take advantage of a popular cause. 

Create authentic campaigns by focusing on causes that fit your mission. You should also commit to your cause for an extended period instead of jumping on the latest fad. 

Tools and software to support cause marketing 

There are many resources to help cause marketing agencies create effective campaigns. 

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is an essential tool. Constant Contact’s CRM helps you promote your campaign to your ideal audience. 

You can build custom landing pages and email campaigns to reach potential supporters. The platform’s simple contact management features also make it easy to create a shared mailing list for you and your partners. 

Constant Contact’s marketing automation tool also streamlines messaging. The platform automatically sends emails, social media posts, and other content. This feature saves time and helps you reach supporters at the right time. You can also watch your campaign performance with built-in data analytics tools. 

Make an impact with cause marketing 

Raise awareness about environmental and social issues with cause-related marketing. This strategy lets you support important causes while improving your brand reputation. It’s one of the best ways to build trust with young customers and other audiences. Plus, you’ll get to help exciting nonprofits make a bigger impact. 

Start your cause marketing journey by clarifying your values. Next, look for a nonprofit that resonates with your mission. Get in touch to see if they’re interested in collaborating and start building a relationship. 

With a little effort, you can work together to drive social change.

Companies have used marketing newsletters to keep in touch with customers for decades. My parents used to get snail mail newsletters from the local comic shop and other companies. These pamphlets often had coupons, product features, and invitations to events. (I always looked for the dates for the comic book trivia nights.) They were an excellent way for businesses to keep in touch with clients and market their brands. 

Newsletters remain as popular as ever, but most modern companies send them digitally. In 2023, 69% of B2B marketers used email newsletters to share content. It’s easy to see the appeal of this approach. Marketing newsletters are an affordable and simple way to connect with your audience. They let you deliver valuable content and build long-term relationships with your subscribers. 

Of course, creating effective marketing newsletters is easier said than done. You’ll need the right content, a stylish layout, and personal touches. Marketing automation tools and other technology can streamline this process. 

This guide explores strategies and tools for creating engaging marketing newsletters. We also cover best practices and common mistakes to avoid.

Introduction to marketing newsletters 

A marketing newsletter is a collection of updates about a brand. Consider it a highlight reel of essential or exciting content. Companies typically send this type of email every month or quarter. 

Marketing newsletters contain a broad range of content, such as:

  • Announcements about new product lines 
  • Case studies from clients
  • Event invitations
  • Exclusive deals
  • How-to guides 
  • Industry news 
  • Sales announcements
  • User-generated content

Obviously, you wouldn’t include all this information at once — it’s a newsletter, not a novel! Aim to include two to five different types of content per newsletter. Your January edition could feature a case study and an invitation to a webinar, then in February, you could announce a new product launch and share industry trends. Mixing up your content will keep your newsletter fresh and offer the most value for clients.  

Marketing newsletters vs. traditional newsletters 

Digital marketing newsletters have many benefits over traditional newsletters. They’re cost-effective and let you reach subscribers much faster than snail mail. Plus, you won’t have to make a trip to the post office and worry about your newsletters getting lost. 

Most email platforms also have built-in analytics tools. This technology lets you watch every newsletter’s performance and make adjustments. Say you notice that only 20% of subscribers open your newsletter. You could create catchy subject lines and see if they boost open rates. 

The impact of marketing newsletters

Newsletter marketing is one of the best ways to engage customers. Every newsletter is a friendly reminder about your brand and the value it provides. This approach builds relationships by keeping clients informed and connected. Newsletters also invite readers to engage by clicking links, sharing content, and more. 

Businesses also use marketing newsletters to deliver personalized content. You can curate content for each client based on their behaviors, interests, and needs. Say a customer buys a software package from your brand. Send them a newsletter with software tutorials and user testimonials about accessory products. New subscribers could get a special offer and a video introduction to your brand. This personalization ensures customers receive timely and relevant content. 

The essential elements of a marketing newsletter 

All effective marketing newsletters have three essential elements. Focus on nailing this formula every time to engage your subscribers. 

Craft attention-grabbing subject lines 

Customers see your subject line first when your newsletter lands in their inbox. A catchy heading may entice them to click on your message to see more. But a confusing or uninteresting subject line could leave your email unread — or dismissed to the spam folder. 

Personalization is one of the best ways to create intriguing subject lines. Choose an email platform that lets you add dynamic fields. For example, your subject lines could include the recipient’s name or a product they bought recently. 

You should also make your subject lines brief yet captivating. Many people check their inboxes on their phones, so stick to 40 characters or less. You’ll also want to include enticing language or timely references. These small details can increase the chances that recipients will open your newsletters. 

Here are a few examples of strong subject lines for digital newsletters: 

  • We’ve Got Thrilling News to Share 
  • Get Inspired With the Latest Trends 
  • Coming Soon: New Accessories and Rewards
  • Reflecting on Our Year: Awards and Updates 

Design an impactful newsletter layout and visuals 

Your newsletter’s visual design matters as much as the content. According to Statista, readers spend an average of 10 seconds reading brand emails. An accessible layout helps readers find relevant content as they skim your email. 

These tips will help you design the most appealing newsletter: 

  • Organize content with headings.
  • Place the most important content at the top of the email.
  • Use professional fonts in easy-to-read colors.
  • Insert high-quality infographics, photographs, and other visuals.
  • Include your brand colors and logos.
  • Create a responsive layout that adapts to different screen sizes.

Save time using an email template instead of designing your newsletter from scratch. Constant Contact has hundreds of eye-catching templates you can customize for your brand. 

Include a compelling call to action 

call to action (CTA) invites the reader to complete a task after they read your newsletter. Businesses typically hyperlink CTAs to their websites or social media. This approach can boost engagement and drive conversions. 

Like subject headlines, calls to action should be concise and intriguing. It’s also best to use active verbs and direct language to convey a sense of urgency. Aim to inspire the reader to act before they close the newsletter and stop thinking about your brand. 

Instinct Pet Food newsletter
This newsletter from Instinct Pet Food includes a clear call to action inviting the recipient to learn more about their product. Source: Instinct Pet Food

Effective calls to action include: 

  • Explore clearance items 
  • Find my store 
  • Get a free quote 
  • Learn more
  • Sign up today 

Content creation for marketing newsletters

Content creation is an essential part of every B2B email marketing campaign. Here are three ways to produce valuable content your subscribers want to read. 

Use storytelling techniques to boost engagement

Storytelling humanizes your brand and strengthens your connection with readers.  For example, you can include client success stories and testimonials. You could also share your company’s origin story and interview industry leaders. Focus on telling authentic stories that subscribers find relatable or inspiring. 

Make readers feel special with personalized content 

According to McKinsey & Company, 71% of customers want brands to provide customized experiences. Meet this demand by adding personalized content to your newsletters.

Start by segmenting your mailing list based on company size, goals, or other factors. Then, tailor your content to each group’s interests and pain points. Suppose your business sells plastic packaging to food manufacturers. You could spotlight your recyclable products for customers who have bought sustainable packing. 

Balance educational and promotional content 

This may seem counterintuitive, but your marketing newsletters should focus on educational content. That’s because most subscribers join mailing lists to learn about important topics. 

Help them gain knowledge by providing informative and relevant content. For example, you can share best practices and industry news. You can sprinkle in some promotional content, but it shouldn’t take over the newsletter. 

Strategies for subscriber growth

There are many ways to reach new audiences and grow your subscriber base. Start by including a subscription form on your website. This form should entice readers by describing the benefits of joining your newsletter. You can also allow users to sign up for certain types of newsletter content.

Additionally, many companies offer incentives for joining their mailing list. These perks can include coupons, free e-books, and early access to new products. 

You can also integrate social media with your website to capture new subscribers. Promote your newsletter on social media platforms and link to the signup webpage.

Tools and software for newsletter creation

A newsletter platform lets you design the layout, add content, and send the newsletter. Many companies offer free services, but they often have basic features. You may also only be able to send your newsletter to a limited number of subscribers. 

Paid platforms offer more advanced features and scalable solutions. Constant Contact is one of the top digital newsletter platforms. This provider offers hundreds of email templates, simplifying the design process. It also has email analytics so you can measure your newsletter’s success. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools can also improve the newsletter process. Generative AI makes it easy to create tailored content. You can also use automated drip campaigns to send pre-written newsletters to subscribers at scheduled times.

Best practices for newsletter marketing 

Follow these best practices to optimize your marketing newsletters: 

  • Create a consistent publishing schedule. 
  • Proofread content for grammar mistakes and spelling errors. 
  • Use an appropriate tone and language for your target audience. 
  • Keep the text concise but impactful. 
  • Use A/B testing to finetune your subject lines, CTAs, and other elements. 

Common pitfalls in newsletter marketing 

Businesses often struggle to use digital marketing newsletters effectively. Many companies send newsletters too often and annoy subscribers. Others publish their newsletters at random times, which can confuse readers. Avoid this mistake by sending newsletters on a consistent but not overwhelming basis. 

Not testing emails is another common pitfall that can lead to embarrassing mistakes. For example, you may realize your newsletter has a glaring typo or an upside-down image. Catch these errors by sending test emails and having a trusted colleague check your work. 

Compliance and legal considerations

Research the laws governing email marketing before you send out your first newsletter. This knowledge will help you ensure you follow all relevant rules. 

The most prominent laws include: 

  • CAN-SPAM Act: This law regulates commercial emails in the United States. It requires companies to use accurate headers and subject lines. You must also include an unsubscribe button and allow recipients to opt out of all future emails. 
  • General Data Protection Regulation: The GDPR applies if you’re sending emails to residents of the European Union. This law requires you to get consent from recipients and protect their data. 
  • Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation: CASL requires you to get consent before sending commercial emails to Canadian residents. You’ll also need to identify yourself and provide an unsubscribe option. 

The future of marketing newsletters

Emerging trends will transform newsletter marketing and the broader sphere of email marketing.

Some companies have started including user-generated content in their emails. Future newsletters may include client social media posts, surveys, reviews, and more. 

Businesses can also leverage data and advanced segmentation for tailored content. For example, you could analyze customers’ behavior to send them hyper-personalized product recommendations. 

Case studies and examples

Spend time researching the top email marketing newsletter examples. These newsletters can help you identify the best strategies and brainstorm content. 

The Hustle newsletter
The Hustle is an excellent example of a marketing newsletter with educational content about business and technology. Source: The Hustle

The Hustle is one of the most famous marketing newsletters. This daily newsletter shares the latest news from the business and tech industries. It includes three to five articles with infographics, data, and other educational content. 

Interactive features within newsletters

Increase engagement by adding interactive features and multimedia to your newsletters. These elements can include: 

  • Countdown timers 
  • Gifs
  • Interactive infographics
  • Polls and surveys 
  • Videos 

These features make your newsletters more fun and unique. They also encourage readers to engage with your brand in new ways and share your content. 

Resources for further learning

Many websites have resources to help you take your marketing campaigns to the next level. 

Coursera and edX have free courses on data analytics, social media marketing, and other concepts. These classes can expand your knowledge and teach you new marketing strategies. 

Online communities let you network with other newsletter marketers and share tips. One of the most popular groups is Newsletter Creators on Facebook.

Share your insights with newsletter marketing

Companies in business, tech, and other industries use marketing newsletters to reach subscribers. Aspiring newsletter creators can invite existing clients to join their mailing lists. Once you have a small audience, publish a monthly newsletter with two or three types of content. You can bump up your production schedule as your audience grows and you get the hang of the process. Remember that the most effective newsletters focus on engaging and educational content.

Email newsletters for a new raw dog food brand started appearing in my inbox a few months ago. At first, I paid them little attention — I didn’t even remember signing up for the mailing list. Then, Instagram ads for the brand showed up in my feed, and my favorite TikTok pet influencer reviewed it. All of this content presented the food as healthy, high quality, and backed by science. 

I ordered a bag. 

Like many customers, I had been persuaded by an integrated marketing campaign. These campaigns share a consistent message across many marketing channels. This strategy helps businesses make a strong impression on target audiences. It also allows companies to develop a cohesive brand image.

Integrated marketing campaigns combine different types of traditional and digital marketing. Read on to discover how you can make this strategy work for your small to mid-sized business. Our simple tips and tricks will help you reach new customers and boost sales. 

Introduction to integrated marketing campaigns

Let’s start with the basics: What is an integrated marketing campaign? 

An integrated marketing campaign communicates a unified message across many platforms. This method creates a coherent brand voice in different contexts and channels. That way, the audience can identify and connect with the brand no matter where they see its marketing.

This approach comes from the integrated marketing communications (IMC) theory. Northwestern University professor Don Schultz developed this theory in the early 1990s. He described IMC as a way to look “at the whole of marketing communications, rather than concentrating on each of the parts separately.” 

In the 1990s, companies relied on traditional marketing methods for IMC. They reached customers through direct mail, television commercials, press releases, and other channels. But, this marketing was mostly one-way and didn’t allow customers to interact with brands. Businesses also couldn’t easily track how people engaged with their marketing. 

Modern marketers have expanded the integrated marketing campaign definition. They combine email and SMS, social media, content marketing, and other digital channels that allow companies and customers to interact in real time. They also let marketers gather data to track how their campaigns perform. 

Integrated marketing is the future of effective branding. This method enables companies to speak with one voice across all their channels. That means many customers will encounter the same brand identity in many forms. This consistency helps the audience understand the brand’s message, personality, and products. It also builds familiarity and trust over time. 

Developing the integrated marketing strategy

Many companies publish similar content through blogs, social media, and email. But an integrated marketing communications campaign goes beyond adapting content for different platforms. This approach is a coordinated strategy to share a message across many channels.

Start developing your strategy by making a campaign plan. This process involves these basic steps: 

  • Create a campaign goal. Decide what you want your campaign to achieve. Possible goals include building your brand, increasing engagement, and entering a new market. 
  • Research your target audience. Gather data to understand potential customers’ interests, needs, and values. This information will help you tailor your content and pick the right platforms. 
  • Define your brand voice. Figure out how you want to present your brand across channels. The brand voice includes personality, tone, language, and messaging. These elements should align with your company’s values and target audience. 
  • Choose your marketing channels. You can market your brand in many ways, from elaborate events to simple emails. Focus on the channels that your target audience engages with most. 
  • Align your team and departments. An integrated marketing campaign often involves people from many departments. Spell out your goals and have regular meetings so everyone is on the same page. 

Selecting the right marketing channels

An integrated marketing campaign combines two or more channels. Here are the five types of marketing channels that you can combine to expand your reach. 

Advertising 

Advertising is paid media that shares persuasive messages about a brand. Companies use these channels to promote their products and services to broad audiences. 

Traditional advertising includes billboards, print ads, and radio and TV commercials. Marketers also use digital channels, such as pay-per-click and video ads. Digital advertising often targets more specific audiences than traditional methods like billboards. 

Digital marketing

Digital marketing uses online channels to engage audiences and raise brand awareness. Businesses often combine paid and free methods to achieve their digital marketing goals. Popular digital marketing channels include email, social media, search engines, and content marketing. 

Direct marketing

Direct marketing is one-on-one communication to share messages with consumers. This category often overlaps with digital marketing. It includes emails, phone calls, text messages, and direct mail. Direct marketing allows you to deliver personalized content tailored to your customers’ interests. 

Public relations

Public relations uses communication and medical channels to manage a brand’s image. It focuses on creating positive perceptions of a company in the eyes of the public. There are many ways marketers can use public relations in integrated marketing, such as sponsoring community events and collaborating with social media influencers. 

Sales promotion

Businesses use sales promotion to increase demand for their products or services. Promotions are typically temporary incentives that give customers a sense of urgency. These activities include discounts, free trials, and rebates. 

Defining your buyer personas by channel 

Choose two or three broad channels to begin your integrated marketing strategy. Next, pick specific methods to reach your target audience. Creating buyer personas will help you determine which content resonates with potential clients.

A buyer persona is a character who represents a segment of your audience. You can develop these characters by collecting data on your existing clients. This information should include behavioral data, demographics, and details about their interests. Use the data to create personas and determine how these groups engage with content. 

Best practices for omnichannel marketing 

Let’s be honest: Sharing a consistent message across many platforms is not always easy. But these best practices can help you master omnichannel marketing

  • Use automation tools. Marketing automation software publishes content across many channels automatically. This tool saves time and makes it easier to coordinate your marketing efforts. 
  • Personalize your marketing across channels. Marketing technology allows you to personalize your content based on customer behavior. Say a potential customer puts a product in their shopping cart but doesn’t finish the order. Marketing software can kick in to display ads for the product on their social media and send email reminders. 

Read now: Personalized Emails: Boost Customer Connection with Tailored Strategies 

  • Create a consistent experience at every touchpoint. Your brand should deliver the same message and experience through every channel.

Content creation for integrated campaigns

Content is the cornerstone of every integrated marketing campaign. It’s the vehicle that you use to carry your message to your audience. Without it, you won’t have a way to engage with potential customers. 

Focus on creating adaptable content and messaging for your campaign. This content should have a core story about your brand that you can tell in many ways. For example, you could highlight how your product helps customers overcome challenges. You can tell this story through case studies, paid video ads, and client testimonials. 

Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse promotional tweet
X was one of many channels that Sony Pictures used to market Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This post got over 7 million views. Source: @SpiderVerse 

You can also study integrated marketing campaign examples for inspiration. Sony Pictures’ promotion of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is one excellent case study. The company released movie trailers and posted about the film on social media. They also created a 3D billboard in Times Square. This cross-channel marketing raised brand awareness and got fans excited about the film.  

The Spider-Man campaign highlights the importance of brand consistency across channels. Sony used the same characters, font, and visual style in all its marketing. Your small business may not have the budget for a 3D billboard, but you can still use similar techniques to build brand identity

Implementation and execution

Ideally, your campaign should launch across all your channels at once. You may find it helpful to create enough content for a few weeks or months before you start your campaign. That way, you’ll have plenty of material ready to go. 

Integrated marketing campaign management will help you share this content efficiently. Create a content calendar to organize your campaign across channels. You can use cross-channel marketing software to schedule when this content appears. You should also hold regular team meetings to address issues and promote collaboration. 

After your campaign starts, measure your success with key performance indicators (KPIs). These metrics will help you track how your target audience engages with your content. Relevant KPIs may include: 

  • Click-through rate 
  • Conversion rate 
  • Customer acquisition cost 
  • Email open rate
  • Number of generated leads 
  • Social media engagement 
  • Video views 
  • Website traffic

Analyzing integrated campaign examples

Nike is one company that has used integrated marketing with great success. The company’s “Just Do It” campaign uses many channels to inspire its audience and encourage physical activity. 

Nike's "What the Football?" commercial
This image shows the athletes featured in Nike’s “What the Football?” commercial. It also includes Nike’s signature slogan, which appears across all the company’s channels. Source: Nike

For instance, Nike released a commercial called “What the Football?” before the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The commercial ended with the slogan “Just Do It.” Nike also markets its brand with social media posts and sponsored athlete endorsements.

This case study reveals some of the elements of successful integrated campaigns. These components include: 

  • A clearly defined message
  • Multichannel approach 
  • Social proof through appearances from athletes 
  • Consistent visual elements and slogans 
  • Engagement with current events 
  • Compelling storytelling 

Continuous improvement in integrated marketing

Keep close tabs on your campaign’s performance, even if you’ve met your goals. That way, you can keep improving and catch problems early. 

Say you notice that your recent Instagram posts have half as much engagement as ones from last year. This drop could mean that your audience’s preferences have changed. Or maybe you haven’t maintained a consistent brand. You can investigate the cause and take action to improve future content. 

A/B testing can also provide valuable insights into your content’s performance. This process involves sharing two versions of content with segments of your audience. For example, you could use an A/B test to learn which email subject lines get the best response. Use software to track which version gets the most engagement and adjust your content strategy.  

Advanced integrated marketing tactics

Many integrated marketers have adopted emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the trendiest innovations right now. You can use AI tools to create and adapt content for different channels.

Businesses can also boost engagement with personalization and automation. Marketing software can automatically customize content based on the user’s data. For instance, you can include a client’s name in the email subject line.

Common challenges and solutions

Cross-channel marketing often produces an overwhelming amount of data. You can solve this issue by focusing on KPIs related to your goals. Data visualization tools can also help you spot patterns in data quickly. 

While this strategy can be time-consuming, it can help you market across many channels. Use marketing automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks and save time. 

Optimizing your integrated marketing campaigns for the future

Changes in consumer behavior will likely drive future trends in integrated marketing. Customers increasingly care about brands’ environmental and social policies. Marketers can respond to this change by creating ethical and transparent campaigns. Innovations like AI can also help companies stay ahead of the competition. 

More resources and tools

Constant Contact’s digital marketing tools can help you create effective integrated campaigns. Communicate across channels with our emailSMS, and social media marketing solutions. These tools let you schedule content, automate workflows, collect data, and more. They also integrate to streamline campaign management. 

A customer relationship management tool lets you track customer data and personalize content. Constant Contact offers a CRM and lead generation solution

Get started with integrated marketing 

An integrated digital marketing campaign lets you share a consistent message across channels. It’s one of the best ways to build your brand and engage customers. 

You can jumpstart your integrated marketing campaign by researching your target audience. Find out which channels they engage with most and tailor your content to appeal to them. As you gain experience, you can branch out into more channels until you’re an integrated marketing master.

How agencies benefit from partnering with a digital marketing platform guide from Constant Contact
Download this free guide to learn more about how your agency can benefit from partnering with Constant Contact. Image Source: Constant Contact

Let’s face it: Customers can be a fickle bunch. Competition for customer loyalty is tough, and there’s always something new and shiny to distract them.

So, how do you keep your customers faithful? You stay faithful — with a regular email marketing newsletter. 

A monthly newsletter is just what it sounds like — an email that informs subscribers of news about your organization or shared interests. It’s a great way to generate a devoted following with your audience. Sending a monthly newsletter helps develop stronger connections with your subscribers, increase sales, and drive more traffic to your website.

Publishing a monthly newsletter is among the best tools for increasing subscriber engagement. If your time allows — and you have enough relevant information to share — you can write a weekly newsletter. You can also consider a quarterly newsletter if it’s more appropriate for your business model.

Creating an engaging monthly newsletter

To make the most of your newsletter emails, consider these factors.

Five elements of a monthly newsletter

There are several key aspects that your monthly newsletter should include.

  1. A clear and compelling subject line: Your newsletter’s subject line is usually the first thing people see. Writing a compelling subject line that captures people’s attention is crucial. The more compelling your subject line is, the more likely they will read your email.
  2. An interesting preheader: Your email’s preheader is a blurb that appears after your sender’s name and subject line. It summarizes the content of your message so readers know what to expect if they open it.
  3. A beautiful newsletter design: An appealing newsletter has a clear format and is easy to follow. You can experiment with various monthly newsletter templates, color designs, fonts, graphics, and other elements to find a layout that fits your business.
  4. Relevant content for your audience: Your newsletter should contain information pertinent to your subscribers’ interests. Include topics that appeal to their wants or needs and align with your organization’s business model.
  5. A call to action (CTA): A CTA encourages readers to take some form of action. The action might be visiting your website, purchasing, booking an appointment, offering feedback, or some other activity. Make sure your readers can easily spot your CTA and that it’s easy to follow.

Generating high-quality, targeted content

Creating compelling content starts with defining your newsletter’s purpose. What do you want to accomplish with it? Do you want to build anticipation in your company’s products and services, or are you sharing information that fits your audience’s interests? 

Once you know your newsletter’s purpose, you can create content that aligns with it. Some examples of content you might include are news about your company, upcoming industry events, new product features and reviews, educational information, and other relevant details.

Designing a user-friendly newsletter interface

Your newsletter interface should be easy to interact with, meaning its format is clear and straightforward to follow. Include your company’s logo, clear images, and headings to separate different sections of your newsletter. Your CTA should grab the reader’s eye and include specific directions so they can act on it if they want to.

Drafting and finalizing subject lines for high click-through rates

The subject line is the first thing readers judge in your newsletter, so create one that grabs their attention. Some of the best subject lines encourage a sense of urgency and curiosity among readers. For instance, you might inspire subscribers to open your newsletter using terms like “important” or “act now.” 

Personalizing your newsletter’s subject line is also an excellent way to inspire the recipient to open the email. You might personalize your newsletter by including the recipient’s name or other identifying details. 

It’s a good idea to draft several subject lines. You can test them among a small segment of your subscriber base to see which ones generate the highest open rates, then use the leading performer as your final subject line.

Choosing the right newsletter design

Your newsletter’s design is one of its most essential components. Select a design with a simplistic interface that’s easy to follow no matter what device you view it on — a smartphone, tablet, or computer. If your newsletter contains multiple sections, use headers and body text to separate each segment.

Deciding what type of content to include

The content you include in your newsletter should reflect its purpose. If you aim to keep subscribers informed of organizational updates, include them in your content. If your newsletter is product or service-oriented, share clips of your newest items or feature offers. Educational or interest-related newsletters may incorporate blogs or articles relevant to subscribers’ needs. 

Using wireframes and design elements to collaborate on the design

Wireframes form the basic structure of your newsletter. They include a header section, logo, menu, and body content. Design elements help distinguish each part of the newsletter, such as its layout, navigation bars, and interactive buttons or links. 

You can design a wireframe or use a pre-designed monthly newsletter template. Constant Contact’s email marketing tools include a variety of wireframe designs you can choose from to create your newsletter.

Scheduling and deploying the newsletter for optimal engagement

Sending your newsletter at an optimal time — when subscribers are most likely to check their inbox and open your email — can improve open and read rates. You can determine the best time to send with the help of your email analytics tools, which will indicate when people are most likely to read your communications. Some email marketing tools will recommend optimal sending times based on prior sent messages.

Planning and production process

To create an effective newsletter, adopt a thorough planning process:

1. Gather ideas

Schedule time to develop the content strategy for each newsletter you produce. Use the time to identify what you want to share with your subscribers and what you hope to gain from your message. Outline each topic you’ll cover in your newsletter. Your email will likely include a range of topics, from product descriptions to blog snippets to company happenings. Think about the most important updates to keep subscribers informed. After, define your CTA — whether that’s promoting customer loyalty, directing subscribers to visit your website, or making a purchase.

2. Establish comprehensive planning strategies

A comprehensive newsletter planning strategy goes beyond idea generation and sets the stage for your short and long-term email marketing newsletter goals. It assesses how often you’ll send subscribers a newsletter, your objectives, and how to measure the results. 

3. Use efficient production techniques

Once you understand the goals and purpose of your newsletter, you can establish a production routine. Your newsletter’s production includes the templates or wireframes you’ll use for your emails, sending consistency, and how you’ll create your content. Other aspects of production include any consistent graphics or images you’ll use — like your company’s logo — and user interface/user experience (UI/UX) design.

4. Test protocols

Before sending your newsletter en masse, it’s good practice to do some initial testing among a small portion of your subscribers. You can change various elements of your newsletter, like your subject lines, CTAs, and images, to see which combination generates the best results among your testing base.

Aside from A/B testing, thoroughly reviewing your content is a good idea. Check for spelling and grammatical errors and make sure all links and other user elements function correctly. 

5. Curate your content

Creating a steady flow of content for your monthly newsletter can be time-consuming, especially if you have many other tasks. If you’re creating content yourself, schedule a time to devote to content curation. 

There are a couple of ways you can cut down on your work while still achieving results:

  • Share existing content: Your newsletter doesn’t have to consist entirely of new content. You can use pre-existing content from blog posts, infographics, news, press releases, and other sources to fill out the bulk of your newsletter. 
  • Use pre-designed templates: Some email marketing platforms include pre-designed templates with sample text you can use for inspiration. The sample text is helpful for subject lines, short blurbs, and other brief messaging.

Measuring success and continuous improvement

You’ll want to use analytics and metrics to evaluate your newsletter’s performance. Analytics and metrics will show your newsletter’s success over time and help you understand where your campaign is succeeding and where improvements may be necessary. 

A few metrics to monitor include the following:

  • Click-through rate: Your click-through rate represents the percentage of email recipients who clicked on your links. It helps you understand how subscribers engage with your newsletter.
  • Open rate: Your open rate is the percentage of subscribers who open your email. It tells you how many recipients open your message. However, it can be a little misleading since some email service providers only report an opened message if the images are fully downloaded.

Read now: How Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection Impacts Email Marketing

  • Conversion rate: Depending on your newsletter’s purpose, you may want readers to take a specific action. You can use the conversion rate to track how many recipients take that action.
  • Bounce rate: Your bounce rate includes both hard and soft bounces. A hard bounce indicates that your emails go undelivered, while a soft bounce indicates a temporary delivery problem. Keeping a low bounce rate is essential to maintain your email sender score.

While these are some of the most common newsletter performance metrics, you can establish other benchmarks to monitor newsletter performance.

Past campaign performance can inform future newsletters

As you embark on your newsletter campaign, store your analytics to compare performance over time. Regular campaign evaluation can help you baseline your newsletter expectations and identify areas where improvements may be necessary. 

Common mistakes to avoid in email newsletter creation

There are a few typical pitfalls to consider when developing your newsletter. They include:

  • Not providing content your subscribers want to read
  • Sending newsletters too frequently
  • Failing to have a distinct CTA
  • Using boring subject lines
  • Not reviewing your newsletter’s content and interactive elements before sending
  • Disregarding feedback from subscribers
  • Using non-responsive templates that don’t display on all types of devices

Be sure to follow proper newsletter development protocols to avoid errors.

Inspiration and examples

Looking for monthly newsletter ideas? Take a look at these monthly newsletter examples from top brands. 

1. National Geographic

National geographic newsletter example
This newsletter from National Geographic includes a stunning image, a clear CTA, and easy-to-follow text. Image source: National Geographic email newsletter. 

2. CROSBY Studios

Crosby's email newsletter sample
Crosby’s newsletter includes brand updates and clear formatting. Image source: CROSBY Studios email newsletter.

3. Zeus Jones

Zeus Jones email newsletter sample
This newsletter from Zeus Jones — with its colorful images breaking up the simple but effective white-on-black text — informs customers of recent organizational changes. Visual communication of information is key to catching your customer’s eye. Image source: Zeus Jones email newsletter.

Technical aspects and tools

A well-crafted newsletter requires practical tools. While you can certainly craft a newsletter within your email service provider’s messaging system, you’ll get professional results from a dedicated email marketing service like Constant Contact.

Through Constant Contact, you can design well-crafted newsletters with pre-designed templates. We offer many email marketing services, including subscriber management, automatic delivery pathways, robust analytics, and a mobile app so you can work on your newsletter from mobile devices. 

Keep in mind that tracking your newsletter campaign’s performance is crucial. Monitor your analytics and set benchmarks to evaluate the success of your campaign. 

Extra tips

Here are a few additional tips to consider as you develop your newsletter strategy.

How to effectively manage your email list for a monthly newsletter

Your email list contains all the addresses of people who subscribe to your newsletter. Regularly assess it for hard and soft bounces and inactive subscribers, and remove them — especially hard bounces — when necessary. Keeping your bounce rates low will help you maintain a strong sender score.

How often should you send your newsletter for maximum engagement?

The sending frequency of your newsletter can be weekly, monthly, quarterly, or any other timeframe. Once you determine the right frequency for your organization, it’s essential to stick with it. Choose a frequency that allows you to provide quality content without being overbearing. 

How do you ensure effectiveness in reaching the target audience?

Building a subscriber base of people who want to read your emails is vital. Avoid purchasing bulk email lists or sending unsolicited newsletters. Instead, grow your email list organically and receive recipient consent before sending your newsletter.

Email subject line strategies that sell

Captivating monthly newsletter subject lines makes the difference between an opened and unopened newsletter. Consider recipients’ needs when designing your subject line if your newsletter is sales-focused. Choose a subject line you think will attract them. For instance, you might highlight your brand-new product or a one-time deal in the email’s subject line.

Monthly newsletters: a great way to build customer connections

Your monthly newsletter can help strengthen customer relationships, boost sales, and increase website traffic. Start by determining your newsletter’s purpose and planning your content strategy. Use practical email marketing tools — like Constant Contact — to manage your subscriber list and create professional newsletters that are appealing to read. 

To learn more about email marketing newsletters, check out some of our additional resources:

When it comes to communications, many companies focus primarily on crafting their messages to customers. However, internal communications are equally important to your business success. The company newsletter, in particular, is a valuable tool for keeping your employees informed, engaged, and on the same page. 

Drafting a successful company newsletter isn’t as tricky as it sounds, especially when you have the right tools. Discover company newsletter examples to learn what works best in these communications and how to craft your own. 

What is a company newsletter?

Most employees have probably received a company or nonprofit newsletter at one point, but they may not even realize that’s what it was. So, what is a newsletter and what are some examples?

A company newsletter is a type of communication typically shared by email that relays relevant information with the business’s internal team. These newsletters go out to everyone in your organization rather than specific departments or individuals. Communicating the same message to every member of your organization allows you to break down information silos and ensure everyone is informed.

This could include things like a company update, helpful tips for the workplace, or even internal opportunities. 

Objectives of company newsletters

Companies have several reasons for sharing newsletter content with their employees. Some of the objectives of company newsletters include:

  • Inform employees: If something is happening in the company that all employees need to know, sending out a newsletter is an ideal way to share that information. 
  • Keep employees engaged: Staying up-to-date on company happenings through the newsletter helps employees feel more connected. 
  • Strengthen company culture: Sharing a newsletter with all employees contributes to a more inclusive, collective company culture. 
  • Reduce email volume: Sending one newsletter with all the key updates employees should know allows companies to reduce the number of emails sent back and forth, which distracts employees. 

Your reasons for sending a newsletter can vary. You may want to establish or reinforce your brand with consistent internal messaging. Or, perhaps you’re interested in opening up important dialogue with your employees. Whatever your objective is for sending company newsletters, you need to ensure it’s both informative and engaging for the best results. 

What makes a good company newsletter?

A “good” newsletter is hard to define since different styles and types of newsletters are well suited for different objectives. Still, the best company newsletter examples have some qualities in common. These are some of the elements of effective employee newsletters:

  • A concise, simple message
  • Relevant and interesting information for your employees
  • Images that complement the message you’re sharing
  • An eye-catching design that does not distract from the message
  • Involvement from your employees (i.e., quotes, images, etc.)
  • Calls-to-action prompting readers to take the next steps when applicable
  • Links to other relevant company communications, such as a blog or social media profiles

Also, make sure to maintain proper email etiquette in your newsletters. Proofread each message to avoid mistakes, stick to your brand voice, and format your newsletter to appear clearly on desktop and mobile devices. 

Ensuring consistency between your newsletters will further strengthen your internal brand. You can use the same general newsletter email template whenever you send the newsletter and update the message with the most current information.  

25 company newsletter ideas

What do you write in a company newsletter? Here are some newsletter content ideas to keep your employees engaged.

1. New team member announcement

When a new employee joins your team, consider announcing their hiring in the next company newsletter. Making the announcement this way will provide a warm welcome to the new employee and allow the rest of the team to learn a little bit more about them. 

2. Personal anniversaries and celebrations

Announce work anniversaries to celebrate employees who have been with the company for many years. If someone reaches 10 years with the company, for example, mention this in the newsletter to highlight their commitment. 

3. Recommendations and must-sees

If you have any recommendations that would interest your team members, a list of those must-see items would make a great addition to any company newsletter. Include books, videos, or articles related to your business or professional development. 

4. Special day events

When special days like the winter holidays and Employee Appreciation Day come around, announce them in the newsletter. These announcements help employees know what events are on the horizon. 

5. Competitions and contests

Contests and competitions foster engagement and company spirit among your employees. Announce them in the newsletter or, in the case of puzzles and other digital contests, run them entirely through the newsletter. 

6. Surveys

Get employee feedback on any topic with surveys in your company newsletter. This allows for quick, actionable insights on a variety of topics you may want to gather more data about.

7. New job postings

If you have an open job position and would like to hire internally, a great way to share that information is in the company newsletter. Share some basic details about the position and include the next steps interested candidates should take. 

8. Training opportunities

Companies often offer training opportunities for employees to strengthen their skills. Share these opportunities in your newsletter so everyone knows they’re available.  

9. Free resources and tips

You can also use your newsletter to share resources and tips to help employees with their work. This provides value and keeps team members interested in new content.

10. Doing good and giving back

Corporate charitable efforts are important to employees and customers. Share how your company is doing good and giving back in your newsletter. 

Mobile-optimized newsletter
This mobile-optimized newsletter highlights the company’s recent efforts toward making a difference for rescue animals. Image Source: Constant Contact

11. Industry updates and company news

Make sure your employees are all up-to-date on any industry and company updates with a newsletter. This is a great place to share any product and service development updates, departmental shifts, and legislative or fiscal changes.

12. Messages from the Board or CEO

You can send messages from your company board or CEO in separate emails, but why not include them directly in your newsletter? This ensures the information goes to all employees and keeps everyone on the same page.

13. Sharing company history

Newer employees may not be familiar with all of your company history. Include fun facts and important details so they can get to know your brand better. 

14. Changes in leadership

If company leadership changes, alert your staff in the newsletter. 

15. Customer reviews and feedback

Strong customer reviews and feedback are encouraging for the whole company. Highlight some top reviews in the newsletter to boost morale and emphasize success. 

16. Just for fun activities

The newsletter doesn’t need to be all serious business communications. Share some fun activity recommendations or opportunities to keep employees entertained. 

17. Employees’ milestones

As employees hit important milestones or accomplishments, highlight them in the newsletter. This is also a great opportunity to showcase team and group achievements.

18. Employee of the month

It’s not a plaque on the wall, but getting an employee of the month shoutout in the newsletter will still help motivate and reward employees. 

19. Employee stories

Take the opportunity to know your employees on a more personal level and share their stories. This may include their hobbies, interests, and accomplishments outside of work. 

20. Executives in the spotlight

Don’t hesitate to highlight your executives, especially when they’re making headlines or gaining positive attention outside the company. 

21. Infographic newsletters

Infographics are a great way to make data accessible and engaging, so include some in your newsletters when possible. 

22. Pets at work

People love pets. Sharing some pictures of employees’ furry friends in the newsletter can be a great way to cheer everyone up. This is a great bonus if you have a pet-friendly office or employees work from home and their companions join them at work!

23. Ask the CEO

Invite participation from your employees with an “Ask the CEO” section where they can ask any questions they may have. 

24. Health and wellness tips

In many company email newsletter examples, you’ll see health and wellness tips for employees. Including these tips shows you care about your employees and want them to be well. 

25. Sustainability and CSR initiatives

Be proud of your company’s sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. Share them in the newsletter, so your team members know how you’re contributing to your community. 

How to create a company newsletter

What should be included in a business newsletter? To write your own company newsletter, follow these steps:

1. Define your goals and audience: What are the employees at your company like? How formal is your work culture? What do you want your team members to know?

2. Choose an email marketing platform: Platforms like Constant Contact make sending emails a breeze.

3. Create a visually appealing template: Choose a template that includes your company colors and a variety of photo and text options to create a visually engaging design.

Constant Contact email templates
Constant Contact offers a variety of email newsletter templates for you to choose from. Image Source: Constant Contact

4. Craft compelling subject lines: Boring email subjects will get lost in your employees’ inboxes. Grab their attention with a snappy headline.

5. Write engaging and informative content: Employees won’t want to read content if it’s uninteresting or irrelevant. Make sure it provides value and keeps them coming back each time you send new content!

6. Incorporate a clear call-to-action so readers know what to do next: Whether it’s filling out a survey or signing up for volunteer opportunities, make sure team members have clear instructions when they finish reading!

7. Proofread and test your email to be sure it appears without errors in recipients’ inboxes: You don’t want to distract from your content with typos. Clean, error-free content allows teams to enjoy the message!

8. Send the newsletter and track performance: Make sure it goes to everyone at the company. Then, see what works well and where you can improve.

9. Continuously improve your newsletter: Over time, you’ll learn what kinds of content engages employees the most. You can use this information to write more interactive content!

Possible issues with newsletters and their solutions

While sending a newsletter has many benefits, especially if you follow company email newsletter examples, you may still encounter some problems. Here are some of the most common issues with newsletters and ways to address them:

  • People aren’t opening the newsletter: You may be wondering, “How do you introduce a company newsletter?” If your employees don’t open your newsletter, you won’t reap the benefits of sending one. To solve this problem, make your newsletter more engaging with a dynamic format. Include images, videos, humor, and highly relevant content to get employees to open the email. 
  • Using jargon or highly specific terms: Remember that your newsletter goes to everyone, so you should only include language that is accessible to everyone. Write messages that every member of your team can engage with and understand. 
  • Struggling to find enough content: If you have a set schedule for sending a newsletter, you may not always have enough new information to share each time. Either put more time between your messages or reach out to employees for ideas on what they’d like to see in the newsletter so you can diversify content. 

Newsletter names: Catchy and memorable titles

A fun idea to help your newsletter stand out is to give it a catchy and memorable title. You can customize this title to be a play on your company name or another recognizable detail about your business. Or, use a more general but still clever name like one of these employee newsletter ideas:

  • “The Conversation Corner”
  • “Keeping Up with the Company”
  • “Buzzworthy Business News”
  • “The Weekly Update”
  • “Insider’s Guide to the Company”
  • “Scoop of the Day”

Having a newsletter name will also help your employees identify the newsletter in their inboxes so they don’t miss it. 

HR internal newsletter ideas

While newsletters generally cover all relevant company news, some businesses send an internal newsletter specifically related to HR topics. Some internal company newsletter examples dealing with HR topics include:

  • Upcoming days off
  • Staff events
  • Changes to HR policies
  • Open positions in the company
  • Anniversaries celebrating employees who have been at the company for years
  • Employee spotlights
  • HR-related deadlines
  • Tips for filling out HR forms

How to use software to enhance newsletter’s effectiveness

You can manually draft and send out your company newsletter, but that isn’t the most efficient or effective way to do things. Instead, use software to enhance your newsletter’s effectiveness. Email marketing software like Constant Contact can help you improve many aspects of your newsletters. 

This software includes drag-and-drop HTML email builders, so you don’t have to create your newsletter from scratch — just customize an existing template. You can also use merge tags within the software so each subject line is customized to the recipient. Other valuable features of Constant Contact’s email software include:

  • Emoji reactions so team members can share feedback on the newsletter
  • Mobile-friendly formatting so recipients can read the newsletter without issue on their mobile devices
  • Video and GIF embedding tools to make your newsletters more engaging
  • Pulse surveys for even more quick feedback from team members
  • Email tracking and analysis software
  • AI tools that help you draft your newsletter content

Using Constant Contact can be the difference between a mediocre newsletter and a newsletter that truly makes a positive impact on your business. 

Pointers for writing better company newsletters

It’s easy to make mistakes when writing company newsletters, especially if you’re new to it. Try these pointers to make your newsletter writing as strong as possible:

  • Use an attention-grabbing newsletter name and subject line
  • Proofread multiple times to eliminate any errors
  • Try to include at least one image or graphic per newsletter
  • Use headers, subheaders, lists, and short paragraphs to break up the text
  • Write in the first person (I or we) for a more personal message

Conclusion

An internal newsletter is a must-have for keeping your employees informed and engaged in your company. Use company monthly newsletter examples for inspiration as you draft your own and focus on creating content that speaks to your employees. And don’t forget to take advantage of email templates from Constant Contact for an even more successful company newsletter.

There are many ways to spread the word about your business, but SMS marketing ranks among the best. When you incorporate SMS into your marketing strategy, you can reach customers through their mobile devices. And there’s an extremely good chance that subscribers will read your message. In fact, SMS open rates average a hefty 98% —  increasing the likelihood that clients will see your content.

SMS marketing ranks among the most valuable advertising strategies simply because it lets you connect with subscribers one-on-one. You can use it to share product updates, solicit client feedback, and provide real-time shipping notifications, among other uses. While email marketing offers a similar connection, there’s a lot of competition among your subscribers’ inboxes, and open rates tend to be lower. 

You can incorporate SMS marketing into a multichannel strategy that complements your other techniques. For instance, you might use social media to showcase your products and SMS to provide shipping updates when a client orders one. You could use email to request a customer’s evaluation after they receive your product.

Legality and ethics of SMS marketing

There are lots of laws concerning marketing text messages, including the TCPA and the CAN-SPAM Act. The regulations aim to protect consumers from unsolicited text messages and spam. They require that organizations receive a customer’s written consent before sending marketing texts and that brands don’t take advantage of subscribers by sending messages at odd times or selling their personal data.

Before you embark on an email and SMS marketing strategy, it’s crucial to understand these regulations and how they apply to your campaign. Speaking with a qualified legal advisor can help you learn what your business is responsible for to help you stay in compliance. 

Benefits of SMS marketing

Engaging in SMS marketing provides numerous advantages that can benefit your brand. Here are a few reasons why text message marketing is so advantageous.

SMS marketing is cost-effective

Sending an SMS message is one of the most inexpensive ways to reach your audience compared to other marketing channels. A single text typically costs just a few pennies to send. Other marketing strategies — like online ads, commercials, and curated social media posts — can run into the thousands of dollars to create. Since SMS marketing is so economical, it is a useful tool for nearly any organization, regardless of its budget.

Direct communication with customers

SMS marketing is one of the best ways to connect directly with your audience. Since messages go straight to your subscribers’ cellphones, they receive individual communications from your brand — something that other channels, like social media and online ads — can’t offer. You can personalize your SMS texts directly to individual clients or send targeted messages to specific audience segments.

Real-time updates and high open rates

SMS messages boast significantly higher open rates than email. An SMS marketing text has a 98% chance of being read, while email open rates hover around 24.7%. Since people typically keep their cell phones on hand, they’re more likely to see messages when they’re immediately delivered. Brands can use SMS messages to give subscribers real-time updates, like appointment confirmations and package delivery notifications.

Ability to drive sales and customer engagement

SMS marketing messages are an excellent way to boost revenue and client engagement. You can use them to notify customers of flash sales or recommend complementary products based on their prior purchases. They’re also an easy way to request customer feedback or solicit opinions via surveys and polls. 

Strategies for building an SMS subscriber list

Before you can send SMS marketing texts, you need a base of willing subscribers who want to receive your messages. Here are a few techniques that can help you build and support your audience.

Ethically incentivizing opt-ins

Sometimes, customers need a little motivation to subscribe to SMS texts. After all, they’re providing you with their personal phone number and trusting that you won’t take advantage of it. You can prompt them to sign up with an incentive. For instance, you might describe the value of subscribing, such as access to exclusive deals or promotions. 

Prism Boutique SMS opt-in form
The above is an example of an SMS opt-in from Prism Boutique. The form encourages subscriptions with incentive options and gathers necessary information. Source: Prism Boutique

Creating an effective SMS welcome automation

Once a subscriber signs up to receive SMS texts, it’s good practice to welcome them to your list. Consider setting up an automated process that sends them an immediate text when they join. You might also ask them to verify their subscription by quickly replying to your message. You can describe what they can look forward to in your future SMS texts and allow them to set preferences, such as how often you want them to hear from you and what type of content they’d like to receive.

Expanding your SMS list and using checkout experiences

Your subscriber list will gain momentum over time, especially if you use every opportunity to promote it. One of the best ways to gain text message subscribers is during the sales checkout process. Once someone buys from you, they’re already familiar with what you have to offer. Whether they buy online or at your physical storefront, you can encourage them to sign up for your SMS texts when they purchase.

Targeting email subscribers for SMS opt-ins

If you already have an email subscriber base, use it to promote your SMS list. You can send an email to your audience telling people what to expect if they sign up for your SMS texts and how it differentiates from your other marketing channels. You can also include a simple and clear CTA so your customers can quickly sign up if they want to.

Designing your SMS marketing campaigns

As your SMS marketing gains steam, you must decide on strategies that compel your subscribers to engage with your content and continually attract new audiences.

How to create SMS marketing campaigns

Designing an SMS marketing campaign requires some planning. You don’t want to start sending SMS texts without addressing a few key elements first, including the following:

  • Your campaign goals: What are you hoping to achieve through your SMS texts? Do you want to build a loyal following or boost sales? Are you hoping to learn more about your customer base? Do you want to use SMS texts to promote new products or services? Defining your campaign goals can help you establish a clear SMS business marketing strategy.
  • Identifying your audience: Define the traits and characteristics of your target customers. Learn what motivates them to subscribe to your marketing messages and why they want to hear from you. Knowing their demographics, interests, and purchasing behaviors can help you cultivate tailored content. 
  • Establish a campaign timeline: Determine how frequently you’ll send SMS texts and when they’ll be delivered. Remember that time zones may vary across your customer base, so ensure you send messages when your clients are most likely to engage with them.

Best practices for SMS campaign design and timing

Understanding the best practices of successful SMS campaigns can help you avoid faux pas that hurt your results. Here are a few to be aware of:

  • Provide valuable content: Any time you text a subscriber, ensure your message is relevant to their motivations and interests. Avoid sending texts that don’t apply to their needs. Otherwise, your audience may complain or unsubscribe.
  • Include a clear CTA: Unless your text is informational — such as a shipping notification or update to your store hours — provide a CTA that tells recipients what you want them to do. Providing links and shortcodes can help you engage with subscribers.
  • Personalize messages: Include elements that personalize your message content, such as your subscribers’ names, location, or connections to a recent brand interaction. 
  • Integrate your SMS campaigns with other marketing channels: Chances are, your SMS campaigns aren’t the only marketing channel you have. Integrate your texts to coincide with your other channels. For instance, you might use email to promote a new product line and then send an SMS text receipt if a customer places an order.
  • Promote special offers: SMS texts provide a great platform to promote flash sales or one-time deals that your subscribers can use.
  • Automate SMS marketing for efficiency: You can ensure your subscribers receive timely messages from you through automation. Use automation for welcome texts, shipping notifications, and other similar content. 
  • Evaluate performance: Use KPIs to monitor the effectiveness of your campaign. For instance, you might set benchmarks for open rates, conversions, and click-throughs, then compare them to your actuals. If your results don’t meet expectations, find ways to improve your SMS campaign.

Advanced SMS marketing techniques

When you first begin SMS marketing, you’ll put new skills to the test. You’ll learn how to build a subscriber list, develop an effective SMS marketing automation strategy, and evaluate results. As you become more confident in your abilities, you can try out some advanced techniques to enhance campaign performance.

Using two-way SMS for customer engagement

Not all of your SMS texts have to be one-directional. Instead, work on developing relationships with your clients through two-way SMS texts. For instance, you might send an SMS text asking clients to rate a recent product they bought and provide a short review. Their feedback can help you learn more about how they feel about your brand.

Personalizing messages with targeted segments

As you would with your email messages, develop a segmentation strategy for your SMS texts. Categorize your subscribers based on their buying motivations, demographics, location, and other factors. Instead of sending text blasts with the same content, vary your messaging to cater to each segmented group.

Improving customer loyalty through tailored SMS programs

A tailored SMS messaging strategy can enhance customer trust and loyalty. Consider offering clients something they’ll appreciate when subscribing to your texts. For instance, you might recognize a subscriber’s birthday with a special message and one-time offer or reward them with loyalty points they can use toward future purchases.

Supporting post-purchase experience with SMS

After customers buy from your brand, use SMS to learn about their experience and solicit feedback. For instance, you might send them a customer service survey to find out what they thought about their purchase. Or, you could use SMS to recommend other products they might like.

SMS marketing software solutions

An effective SMS marketing campaign requires software with supportive features. You can choose from several different solutions, including Twilio, Omnisend, Klaviyo, and Constant Contact. Here’s a breakdown of how they compare. 

 TwilioOmnisendKlaviyoConstant Contact
ChannelsSMS, MMS, WhatsApp SMS, MMSSMSSMS
Special featuresOne-way and conversational texts; customizable APIPre-built automation workflows; list-building toolsAutomation, segmentation, data tracking, and templatesAI content generator, built-in link shortener, A/B testing, list-building tools
ReachOver 180 countriesAll countriesU.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, IrelandU.S. only
PricingPay as you go; $0.0079 for inbound and outbound SMS texts$0.015 per SMS credit; Pro subscribers receive free SMS creditsDepends on the plan and the number of credits chosenStarts at $10 per month; Premium plan includes 500 free SMS messages
AnalyticsTrack links and performance for an additional $0.015 per text (First 1,000 SMS texts are free)The pro plan includes advanced reporting toolsBuilt-in and customizable reportsIncludes reach and engagement reporting tools
Free trialYesFree trial on Free and Standard plans; Pro plan offers a demoOffers free plan with 150 SMS and MMS credits; demos available for more robust plansYes
This chart details features and pricing of leading SMS marketing software providers.

Constant Contact’s SMS marketing plan includes built-in features designed to support all marketers. Unlike some other platforms, you don’t need to be a software expert to get started. You can begin developing SMS texts immediately after subscribing and use an AI content generator if you need a little messaging inspiration.

Pairing SMS marketing with other digital strategies

Think of digital marketing cohesively. It’s not simply email marketing or SMS texting; it includes other strategies like social media and ecommerce advertising. When combining your SMS texts with other marketing strategies, find ways to complement them so you’re not simply repeating the same information in every channel.

For instance, you might use email to provide news updates on your business and social media to display your newest products. You can use SMS messages to follow up with clients after they order a product or to provide shipping status updates.

A solid SMS marketing strategy can reap huge benefits

There’s no doubt that SMS marketing can bring tremendous value to your business. It provides an opportunity to form stronger client relationships and is extremely cost-effective compared to other marketing strategies. To get started on your SMS marketing campaign, define its purpose and your goals, and start building an organic subscriber list. Remember to integrate SMS best practices, including personalization, automated workflows, and integration with your other marketing channels. As you become more comfortable with SMS marketing, you can try more advanced techniques, like two-way SMS and segmented texts. To learn more about SMS text marketing, check out our guides to SMS for Retail and SMS Text Message Marketing for Small Businesses.

Email marketing is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy. With it, you can reach your target audience, share impactful promotional content, and drive conversions. 

Implementing direct email marketing will help you get ahead of your competitors who overlook this powerful marketing method. Learn what direct email marketing is and how to leverage it to grow your business.  

Introduction to direct email marketing

What is direct email marketing? Direct email marketing is the practice of sending promotional emails directly to your customers and potential customers. The message goes straight from the business to the target audience, making it a “direct” marketing channel. 

What is a direct marketing email?

The content of these marketing emails varies. Some may provide educational content related to the brand’s products or services. Others may introduce new product developments or special deals. Any promotional content businesses send via email to targeted groups of customers is a direct marketing email. 

Effectiveness of direct email marketing

Before investing in this marketing strategy, you may ask yourself, “Are direct email marketing campaigns effective?” The simple answer is: Yes, email marketing is incredibly effective. 

According to a Litmus report, more than 90% of marketers believe email marketing is important in their company’s success. Email marketing provides an excellent return on investment (ROI), averaging $36 for every $1 spent. That’s a 3,600% return. Very few other marketing channels are as cost-effective as email marketing

Direct email marketing is not without its drawbacks, however. For example, companies using direct email marketing may run into issues with spam filters that prevent their emails from reaching customers. Designing and writing effective marketing emails is also challenging, especially for brands venturing into email marketing for the first time. 

Luckily, none of these challenges are insurmountable. With the right strategy and direct email marketing solution, you can make this channel work wonders for your business.  

Creating a strategy

Getting started is the hardest part of email marketing. Step one is to develop your strategy. To create a successful direct email marketing strategy:

  • Determine your goals: The most effective strategy is tailored to your brand’s specific goals. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Increase your upselling and cross-selling? Improve your customer retention? Your goals will inform your email marketing practices. 
  • Build your email list: You need a strong email list to reach the right people with your email promotions. This list is full of customers and potential customers who have already agreed to receive emails from your business.
  • Segment your customers: One of the main strengths of email marketing is that it allows you to easily segment your customers into smaller groups by shared characteristics. For example, you can create a segment of customers who have spent $500+ on your products and send them a thank-you email to recognize them. 

Four types of email marketing messages

Your strategy depends on the type of email marketing you plan to use. What are the four types of email marketing? They cover several key areas:

  • Transactional emails: Confirm customer purchases
  • Promotional emails: Keep customers aware of your special deals and discounts
  • Email newsletters: Build brand awareness with updates and other engaging information
  • Retention emails: Help you engage and keep existing customers

Key direct email marketing metrics

Tracking and evaluating metrics is a key part of any marketing strategy. These metrics will tell you what’s working and what you can improve in your campaigns. Here’s how to measure direct email marketing success with key metrics:

  • Open rate: Your open rate is the percentage of all recipients who open your email. You want this percentage to be as high as possible. One way to increase your open rate is to write more compelling subject lines. 
  • Click-through rate: The click-through rate (CTR) on your marketing email is the percentage of recipients who click on a link in the message. If you send 1,000 emails and 100 people open a link in those emails, your CTR for that email is 10%. 
  • Bounce rate: The bounce is the percentage of emails you send that do not reach the recipient’s inbox. Emails can bounce for several reasons, such as invalid recipient email addresses, full inboxes, or spam filters. Watch your bounce rate for any unusual spikes that may indicate an issue with your emails. 
  • Conversion rate: The conversion rate on your emails is the percentage of messages that result in a customer completing a desired action, like making a purchase. Divide the number of customers who completed this action by the total emails you sent to get your conversion rate. 
  • Email list growth: Hopefully, you will continue to grow your email list over time so you can reach more and more customers. Track your email list numbers to know if the growth slows or even stops. A welcome email and email retargeting can help keep your list numbers up over time.

Direct email marketing best practices

If you’re not careful, it’s easy to make costly mistakes in your promotional emails. Keep these do’s and don’ts of effective email marketing in mind:

Do: Personalize your emails

Email is a marketing channel that allows you to personalize your messages easily. Try to incorporate a personalized greeting for each customer, make personalized recommendations for each customer, and reference previous interactions they’ve had with your brand when possible. Direct email marketing services like Constant Contact include convenient tools to help with this personalization. 

Don’t: Leave out a call-to-action (CTA) in each email

You should have a clear goal of what customers should do after reading each email you send. Take that desired behavior and create a corresponding call to action that prompts the reader to take the next step. The CTA should be large, distinct, and easy to click so the readers don’t miss it. 

Do: Use an email builder for better email design

It’s tricky to get your email design right when you do it manually, but an email builder can help you create stunning messages with ease. Direct email marketing companies like Constant Contact offer tools like pre-designed email templates for simpler email creation. You can drag and drop email components like text, images, and buttons in Constant Contact’s email editor to have a professional email ready in moments.  

Constant Contact's drag and drop email builder
Use the building blocks to customize Constant Contact’s email templates to your needs. Image Source: Constant Contact

Don’t: Forget to proofread your messages

There’s nothing more unprofessional and offputting to customers than a brand email with errors. Proofread each email until you’re sure there are no typos or other mistakes in your message. Run the message through an online grammar checker to be safe. 

Do: Write a compelling subject line

When an email arrives in a customer’s inbox, they use two main pieces of information to decide whether to open it: the email sender and the subject line. The stronger your subject line is, the better the odds are your recipients will open and engage with it. Think about the best subject lines that would entice your target customers to open your message.

Avoid “click-bait” phrases that mislead the audience and focus on catching their attention honestly. 

Don’t: Forget to follow through or be inconsistent

Follow-throughs ensure you don’t leave any leads hanging and keep customer interest over time.

You also want to ensure consistency — in the timing and delivery, style, voice, and all other areas of your email. This way, readers know what to expect and won’t be confused by varying styles.

Targeting and segmentation

Part of any great direct email marketing strategy is a focus on audience segmentation and targeting. Audience segmenting is all about breaking down your customers into smaller groups based on common attributes. For example, you may segment your audience by location if customers in different areas have distinct needs and preferences. Segmenting by age and gender is very common. 

Segmenting allows you to create email messages that are more tailored to the recipients rather than sending the same message to everyone. Another example of segmenting in email marketing is separating your email list into prospective and existing customers. That way, you can create specific messages for returning customers and different messages to entice new customers. 

Segmenting and targeting work best when you have a large audience. Follow these creative ways to grow your email list so you have plenty of people to email. As your list grows and you have more interested customers to contact, you increase your odds of making conversions.  

Email testing

Don’t expect the first version of every strategy and message to be perfect. Email marketing requires testing and monitoring for continuous improvement. For instance, run A/B tests and send out two similar but distinct versions of the same email in small batches. Comparing the performance of these two emails will help you determine what works best with your audience, and you can proceed with the better email. 

Goals and stages of direct email marketing

Brands use email marketing to accomplish many different goals. What is the direct mail method of marketing? Some of the main goals of direct email marketing include:

  • Increasing brand awareness
  • Generating and nurturing leads
  • Driving web traffic
  • Retaining customers
  • Increasing sales
  • Creating upsell and cross-sell opportunities
  • Building brand loyalty

Develop an email marketing strategy tailored to your business goals. For example, if you want to create cross-sell opportunities, segment your customers by their previous purchases and send emails recommending complementary products. Send special offers to individuals to drive sales and engagement.

You don’t have to choose just one goal to focus on, but understanding your goals can help you focus your efforts.

Performance measures and examples

The best email marketing campaigns don’t just deliver a strong open rate or click-through rate — they deliver tangible results that help your business grow. Design your emails to drive conversions and sales. 

You may be wondering: What is a direct email with an example? Use these case studies of the best direct email marketing examples for inspiration. 

Beardbrand

To reengage customers and get them interested in new products, Beardbrand sent an email with the latest best sellers. The call-to-action in this message, “check out what I’ve missed,” is especially strong since it plays on the reader’s fear of missing out on something great. Bright, clear product images help to engage the audience further. 

Bearbrand product email example
The simplicity of this message, from the product images to the clear CTA, makes it an excellent example of an effective marketing email. Image source: ​​Beardbrand

Starbucks

Starbucks shared this promotional email exclusively with members to alert them to a special deal available that week. It’s simple but effective, with colorful graphics and a straightforward call to action. 

Starbucks rewards program email
Exclusive membership emails like this help make customers feel special and remind them of the benefits of staying loyal to the brand. Image source: Starbucks  ​

Additional considerations

Some additional considerations to consider while implementing email marketing include:

Email marketing and customer service solutions

Email marketing goes hand-in-hand with customer relationship management. With that in mind, you may want to integrate your email marketing efforts with your CRM. Combining the two will strengthen both. For example, you can use data like customer purchase history from your CRM to better customize your email messages. Direct email marketing tools can make this process a breeze.

You’ll also want to use an omnichannel strategy and ensure consistent messaging across all channels so consumers see you as a cohesive brand.

Avoiding email marketing pitfalls: honeypots and spam traps

The better your email delivery, the more effective your email marketing campaigns will be. So, what is email deliverability? Email deliverability is the percentage of your messages reaching your intended recipients. This goes down significantly if you get caught in spam traps. Follow email best practices to avoid getting caught in honeypots — decoy email addresses meant to catch spammers — and other spam traps. 

Conclusion and further learning

Direct email marketing is a powerful tool for any business, especially with the help of the right email direct marketing tool. Use email marketing to connect with your target audience, segment your customers into groups, and send personalized promotional messages that convert. Learn more about generating email leads and upholding legal and ethical standards in your marketing campaigns before you get started. And keep in mind that email marketing, like digital marketing overall, is constantly evolving. In the future, brands will likely emphasize artificial intelligence (AI) and direct email marketing software even more to help them with their campaigns. To stay competitive, you’ll need to combine email marketing best practices with the strongest tools and resources available. Get started today with a free trial of Constant Contact.

How to Create the Perfect Email free e-book from Constant Contact
Learn how to craft the perfect email campaign to delight your subscribers and turn prospects into loyal customers. Download our e-book now.

Crafting a great email subject line is an important part of building a successful email marketing campaign. The subject line is subscriber’s first encounter with your email campaign, and it’s what gets them to open it. 

Without a good email subject line, your email marketing campaign could get lost in inbox! No need to worry — you’ve come to the right place to learn how to write subject lines that get your email noticed.

In this article, you’ll learn what a subject line is and why it’s important. Then, we’ll dive into how to create the best email subject lines (that get people to actually open your emails!), plus we’ll see some great email subject line examples.

What is the subject in an email?

The subject in an email is the main purpose and goal of the content. The subject line of an email supports the intention and goal of your email in the inbox. This one line of text can often determine whether an email is opened or sent straight to the trash, so ensure it’s optimized for your audience.

Spending a little extra time on your email subject lines will help you get more customers to open your emails, get your message in front of the right people, and help you avoid the spam folder. Plus, good email subject lines help lead subscribers to take the action that generates the most value for your business: click-through rate.

What makes a catchy subject line?

A catchy subject line is what will pique your subscribers’ interest and entice them to open your email. As you sit down to write your next email marketing campaign, you’ll likely ask yourself: what makes for a catchy subject line? A couple of factors influence that 40-character advertisement. 

Content: With limited real estate in subscribers’ inboxes, your subject line needs to be informative and personal without giving everything away — sometimes teasing your email’s content is what will get people to open it. Whether it’s a regular newsletter, an update about a product, a confirmation, or a request for a survey, let your subscribers know what kind of value they will gain from reading your email. 

Tone: Tone helps you to inject emotion into your content. Think about what sort of emotions are going to help your subscribers take action and what tone will trigger those emotions. Emails about sales might have subject lines with an urgent tone. On the flip side, emails about an upcoming product launch might be informative yet coy enough to tease the email’s content to the subscriber. 

Style: Like tone, the styling of your subject line is going to inform your subscriber’s response. Credible subject lines are styled to match your brand voice and avoid spam filters. Youthful brands might lean into using emojis in their subject lines while brands geared toward a male-dominated audience might opt for fewer exclamation points.  

Best Catchy email subject lines

Professional email subject lines 

From expert tips to peer updates, craft email subject lines that inform subscribers about the value they stand to gain for their careers and professional advancement. 

  • “DC networking round-up: March update”
  • “SEO best practices 2024 – download the guide” 
  • “Hints & tips for a better resume”
  • “Learn: a new playlist went live for “Design”
  • “Check out these expert tips to build better emails”
  • “Bonjour! Your first class is on us” 

Funny email subject lines

As the classic “Singin’ in the Rain” said: Make ‘em laugh. Use witty and humorous subject lines to get people excited to open up your email. 

  • “This just in: nothing – there’s nothing good in here [winky face emoji]”
  • “Your fridge said you’re not being creative enough”
  • “Sisterhood: we’re double-cuffing now [jeans emoji]”
  • “There are not enough sticky notes on your desk”
  • “The Earth’s 70% water and you’re parched” 

Cold email subject lines

Cold subject lines give the information to the reader directly, no fills. 

  • “Discover the secret to [desired outcome]”
  • “Boost your [goal] with [offered solution]”
  • “Your [product/service] success starts here” 
  • “New insights on [relevant topic] inside” 
  • “Get ahead of the curve: [prospect’s industry] trends”
Tend appointment email sample
Caption: This email subject line from Tend confirms a customer’s appointment. Image Source: Tend and Really Good Emails

Welcome email subject lines

Similar to introduction email subject lines, welcome email subject lines invite subscribers into contact with your business. Welcome email subject lines should help solidify a bond between subscriber and business. 

  • “Thank you for joining [company name]! Here’s what we have in store for you.” 
  • “Welcome to [company name] – Let’s make great things happen together.”
  • “Welcome [name]! Your success story begins here.” 
  • “Unlock endless possibilities with [company name]. Welcome aboard!”
  • “You’re in! Here’s a little something from [company name] to help you get started.”
Heart welcome email sample
Caption: Hearth’s welcome email subject line is simple and inviting. Image source: Hearth and Really Good Emails

Newsletter email subject lines

Newsletter subject lines serve to intrigue readers with interesting news/valuable information.

  • “Exciting updates from [company/industry]”
  • “[Company name] Newsletter: Packed with insider tips and trends” 
  • “Get inspired: Learn from the success stories of [industry expert/customer]”
  • “Just released: Our ultimate [resource/guide] to [topic]”
  • “Your [month] roundup: Top [industry] insights”

Abandoned cart email subject lines

Remind your subscribers when they “accidentally” forget an item in their cart. Craft subject lines that generate a fear of missing out or even a playful guilt trip.  

  • “Forget something? This tote can’t fill itself”
  • “You abandoned me” — what could’ve been a cute top”
  • “These bath bombs are lying in wait”
  • “Excuse my French, you forgot your macarons”
  • “There’s ennui, and then there’s an abandoned cart”

Sales email subject lines

Sales subject lines are upfront and direct, they let the reader know the email is product/service focused. 

  • “Limited-time offer: save 50% on our best-selling product!”
  • “Last chance to take advantage of our biggest sale of the year!”
  • “Act now and receive a complimentary gift with your purchase” 
  • “Limited quantity alert: grab your favorite [product] before it’s gone!”
  • “Just for you: enjoy a personalized [offer]”

Black Friday email subject lines

Black Friday is one of the busiest holidays of the year for most businesses. Prepare subject lines that will get your subscribers excited about upcoming sales.

  • “Ready your hatchets: blockbuster deals start at midnight”
  • “We’re slashing prices this season | Black Friday Deals”
  • “Check out what deals are dropping at midnight”
  • “Shop local this Black Friday”
  • “Black Friday deals to help you ring in the holidays”

Survey email subject lines

Survey email subject lines ask recipients to provide their feedback. Make sure your audience knows you value their opinion of your business. 

  • “Help us serve you better! Complete our survey for a chance at [reward]”
  • “Your opinion matters — take our quick survey and help us improve” 
  • “Your feedback matters. Share your thoughts and shape our future”
  • “We’re listening! Take our survey and let your opinions be heard”
  • “Your satisfaction is important to us. Share your feedback and help us excel”

Thank you email subject lines

Thank you email subject lines show gratitude, they remind your subscribers that their time, attention, and loyalty are important to a business. 

  • “A sincere thank you from our team” 
  • “Your support means the world to us”
  • “A special thank you for your continued partnership”
  • “Appreciating your awesomeness, [name]”
  • “You’re amazing! Thank you!”

Introduction email subject lines

Introduction email subject lines should invite the recipient into conversation with your business. Let them know what value your business is going to provide the reader. 

  • “Introducing [company name]: Your solution to [recipient’s needs]”
  • “Get acquainted with [company name]— your newest partner in [industry]”
  • “Introducing [company name]. Here’s how we can help you”
  • “[company name]: Your guide to [recipient’s desired outcome]”
  • “[recipient’s name], meet [company name]: Your key to [industry] success”

Fundraising email subject lines

Fundraising email subject lines ask the subscriber to donate their time or money to an organization or cause. Use emotions and ethics to craft subject lines aimed at generating charitable donations. 

  • “Help us change lives: donate now” 
  • “Your gift transforms lives”
  • “Unlock hope: donate today” 
  • “Together, we can make a difference” 
  • “Making a difference starts with you”
  • “Empower the future: support our cause” 
  • “Every dollar counts: help our mission” 
  • “Your generosity can change the world” 
  • “Become a hero for our cause”
  • “Changing lives, one donation at a time”

FOMO email subject lines

Fear of Missing Out, aka FOMO, is a common phenomenon — you can harness its power to help you generate opens for your email marketing campaigns. 

  • “Don’t miss out on tix to [insert band name]”
  • “Last chance to sign up for [insert event name]”
  • “Time’s ticking, download our [event name] guide to get ready” 
  • “Hurry! Our [name of sale] ends tonight!”
  • “Adventure awaits! Book your tour now! 
Visit Rapid City email sample
This Visit Rapid City email advertising Amazing Rush email subject line teases adventure for the subscriber, hoping to increase the likelihood of FOMO. Image Source: Visit Rapid City & Really Good Emails 

Events email subject lines 

Event email subject lines let your audience know that your business is hosting an event and encourage them to RSVP. 

  • “Join us for an unforgettable evening: [event name] is almost here!”
  • “Limited spots available. Register quickly for [event name]”
  • “Last chance to secure your spot at [event name]—Register today”
  • “Unlock new possibilities at [event name]—get your tickets now”
  • “Polish your skills at [event name]: It’s an opportunity you can’t miss”

Best Practices for Email Subject Lines

The following are best practices to help you craft compelling email subject lines for your business’ marketing emails. 

Grab their attention

Your email subject line should act as a mini advertisement for your content. In order to stand out in the inbox you want to instantly grab the attention of your audience — this could be through using a catchy piece of copy, including the name of the recipient in the subject line, and using pictorial additions like emojis to help separate your business’ subject line from the rest of the inbox. 

Convey relevance

Email subject lines should offer information that is relevant to the recipient and give them a hint as to what content they can expect to find if they open your email. Emails meant to drive customers to a product should use subject lines that speak to the value or relevance of the product, like the importance of scheduling a check-up or a sale on shorts in the summer. 

Create curiosity

As previously stated, you want to grab the attention of your audience, but you also want to make them curious. Email subject lines are short by design, you want to give the reader a taste and make them decide whether they want to invest their time in reading further. 

Drive action

Think about the main goal and call to action of your email campaign. What action do you want your audience to take once they have finished reading what you have provided them? Do you want your audience to buy a product or service? Do you want them to sign up for an event? Make sure your subject line is clear about the desired action of your business. 

Personalize when possible

People respond best when they feel that communication is personal and they are likely to take pause when they notice something familiar, like their own name, in the inbox. Use dynamic fields to auto-populate your subject lines with the name of the recipient.

Deep dive: Why you should personalize your marketing (and 7 ways to do it)

Keep it concise and compelling 

Make sure you remember to keep your subject line concise to avoid it getting cut off in the inbox. Your subject line should be able to convey urgency, excitement, intrigue, feelings of welcomeness, or whatever the goal of your email message is in a few short words. 

Use a familiar sender name

In the same vein as why people pause when they see their own name, your audience is likely to open emails that have a sender name that is familiar to them. Selecting a regularly occurring sender name to represent your business will help build trust with your audience, increasing their likelihood of opening.

Create a sense of urgency or exclusivity

Generate urgency in your subject line to capture the attention of your audience and encourage them not to wait to open your business’s email. Craft an exclusive air in your subject line to promote feelings of specialty. 

Don’t use all caps

All caps can trigger readers’ instinct that the email they are looking at could be spam. Avoid using all caps when possible, and if you do decide to use all caps in your subject line keep it to one or two words. 

A/B test your subject lines

In order to figure out what your audience responds to positively, consider A/B testing your subject lines. Perhaps you will write subject line A to stress urgency and subject line B to express exclusivity. Send each email test to a small group of your audience (10-20% of your total audience for each group is a good rule of thumb), determine a timeframe and analyze your results once the timeframe has passed. Whichever subject group has the highest open rate will determine which subject line you will use for the rest of your audience. 

Remember to tweak 

As you work on email marketing ideas for your business, remember that you’re playing a long game. Besides A/B testing your subject lines, remember to try new styles to see what works and what can be improved. 

Email open, click, and bounce rate by industry

Crafting good email subject lines serves to increase value metrics and help your business achieve marketing goals. Open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates are all influenced by the quality of your email subject lines. 

Email open rate: Measurement of how many times an email has been opened by subscribers versus how many times the email has been sent. 

Email click-through rate: The measurement of how many people have click a link located within an email versus the number of opens. Clicks can be counted through hyperlinked content, linked images/graphics, or linked buttons. Using a call to action (CTA), which is a line of text that directs the reader to take the business’ desired action, will help improve click-through rate. 

Bounce rate: The measurement of the number of emails sent versus the number of emails delivered. 

Industry averages 

Want to know how your business’ emails measure against industry averages? See the full list on our KnowledgeBase.

Final thoughts on email subject lines

With these tips in mind, you’re ready to write good email subject lines that will get your emails the attention they deserve.

But don’t rely on our advice alone.

Take a look at your own inbox and see which emails you’ve been opening. Putting yourself in your contacts’ shoes is one of the best ways to write a subject line that will get you noticed and boost your business.

To see which subject lines grab your audience’s attention, try A/B testing.

How to Create the Perfect Email free ebook from Constant Contact
Download our free ebook “How to Create the Perfect Email” to get started today!

Text messages are a part of everyday life. We use them throughout our day, every day, to communicate with one another while we’re apart.

And while we all use text messages in our private lives, most of us also receive SMS marketing messages from companies and organizations that we do business with.

What is SMS marketing?

SMS stands for “short message service.” SMS marketing helps your business send text messages to customers or clients who’ve opted in to receive timely communications from your business or nonprofit. 

Businesses use SMS to send marketing messages to subscribers about limited-time offers, sign-up confirmations, event announcements, appointment reminders, and more.

Is SMS marketing legal? 

SMS marketing is legal when you obtain consent from your subscribers and your business upholds the following guidelines set forth by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FCC’s Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) requires that businesses gain consent before sending SMS marketing text messages. The act also requires SMS marketing text messages to include the following:

  • Description of the program
  • Shortcode or phone number messages will come from
  • The phrase “Msg & Data rates apply.”
  • The number of messages subscribers can expect to receive
  • Instructions on how to opt-out
  • A link to your terms and conditions or privacy policy
  • Contact and support information

The FTC’s CAN-Spam Act helps to protect consumers from misleading information and poor business practices. The CAN-Spam Act instructs businesses to avoid the following bad business practices: 

  • Failing to identify a message as an advertisement
  • Misleading or false information in subject lines, header content like sender information (To:, From:, Reply to:) and message body content. 
  • Falsifying business location 
  • Failing to inform subscribers how to opt-out
  • Failing to honor unsubscribes

Comply with the TCPA and CAN-Spam Act to ensure your SMS marketing practices remain legal.

How to use SMS marketing

Use SMS to quickly get in touch with customers, answer questions, and direct them to take action. 

To create and send successful SMS text messages for your business, make sure to follow these guidelines: 

Character count and tone

While you want to be conversational, make every character count when you begin sending SMS marketing messages for your business. 160 characters (including spaces) is the standard for SMS marketing messages (70 when you include an emoji).

Be friendly and informative with your messaging, reinforcing your brand voice in the process. Have a business geared at younger clientele? You might sacrifice 160 characters for an emoji that says it all. 

Respect sending times

No one wants to be bothered by marketing text messages at 2 a.m. Make sure to respect sending times — this means only sending SMS marketing messages between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. 

Frequency 

Just like respecting quiet hours, you do not want to bombard your subscribers with too many messages. Send SMS marketing messages when it matters to keep subscribers informed without overwhelming them with updates. 

Value

SMS marketing messages should provide your subscribers with value. From promo codes to confirmation information, clarify what subscribers will gain from your business. 

Types of SMS marketing

From abandoned cart messages to appointment reminders, SMS text message marketing is no longer just for large retail businesses.

Here are some common types of SMS marketing: 

  • Appointment reminders
  • Shipping confirmations
  • Flash sales
  • Product launches
  • Discounts and exclusive offers
  • Abandoned cart reminders
  • Seasonal reminders and sale promotions
Constant Contact’s Dave Charest and Stephanie French discuss why SMS text marketing is an effective tactic for small businesses.

Benefits of SMS marketing for small businesses 

SMS text message marketing helps your business get up close and personal with subscribers — driving your message right into the palm of their hand. Here are some of the major benefits of introducing SMS text messages into your business’s marketing strategy.

Building relationships

As a small business owner, your greatest advantage is the relationships you build with your customers. By combining SMS marketing with your other marketing channels, you can boost your company’s average user lifetime by 76% all while communicating timely information to your audience when and where they want to receive it. 

Directness

The success of SMS marketing hinges on its ability to get important messages into the hands of your subscribers. It’s direct and immediate. With no spam folder and 80.5% of consumers checking their text notifications within five minutes, your marketing messages always get seen. 

Cost-effective

SMS marketing allows businesses to reach a wide audience at a low cost, making it an attractive option for businesses with limited marketing budgets. Because of its newness in the digital marketing sphere, you’ll often find digital marketing software platforms offering SMS marketing services as an add-on feature. 

Brand awareness

Connect your brand messaging to your subscribers instantly by building a conversation through SMS text messages. Send information about product launches, flash sales, and reminders to give value and reinforce your brand. 

High open rates and conversions 

With 91% of consumers interested in signing up for texts and open rates as high as 98%, SMS marketing is an impactful tool to get your message out to subscribers and encourage them to take action. 

What a small business should be using SMS for

What can’t you use it for? From abandoned cart messages to appointment reminders, reservation confirmations, donation drives and flash sales, SMS is not just for large retail businesses anymore.

As a small business owner, your greatest advantage is the relationships you can build with your customers. 

SMS text message marketing offers an additional way to build those relationships by communicating timely information to your audience when and where they want to receive it.

That’s why every business or nonprofit can benefit from using text message marketing as part of their marketing strategy, no matter how large or small.

5 industry-specific SMS marketing sequence examples

Still wondering how you can use text message marketing for your small business? Take a look at these examples:

Retail:

Retail and e-commerce businesses can use text message marketing to share promotional or sales notifications, send abandoned cart reminders, build anticipation for new and seasonal products, welcome and nurture new customers, and even ask for reviews after a purchase.

Real estate:

In real estate, you can use SMS to grow your client base and deepen connections. Use SMS marketing to welcome and nurture new leads, share information on new area listings, provide invitations and reminders for open houses, alert clients to price and status changes, and even ask your client to leave a review online. 

Plus, you could send a text invitation and reminders when you’re running a client appreciation event.

Nonprofit:

SMS is a great way to keep your community informed, active, and growing. Your nonprofit can send messages around your fundraising events, such as save-the-dates, registration updates, and even a thank you message after your event is complete. 

SMS is a great opportunity to alert members when you’ve sent an important email or newsletter update that requires a timely response. Plus, you can send alerts and notifications about your cause, welcome new subscribers, raise emergency funds, and share updates on your progress. 

A few other ideas include sharing inspirational messages around your cause and even reminders for healthy habits like drinking water, working out, and meditating.

Services:

SMS is practically made for the service industry. Use text marketing to confirm appointments and cancellations, send appointment reminders, notify customers of last-minute openings and missed appointments, announce product sales or service discounts, or send reminders to check email for service contracts or receipts.

B2B:

If you’re in the business-to-business (B2B) world, you can use SMS too.

Consider sending event invitation reminders, appointment reminders, alerts on new downloads and helpful content, company announcements, order management, or product and service updates.

What are the most important features of a text message marketing platform? 

There are plenty of platforms on the market to consider. Your needs will of course vary depending on your industry but make sure that you’re getting these features from the platform you decide to use. 

Compliance and consent management

Will the platform ensure that you will be in compliance without you having to think about it?

Make sure that the SMS text marketing platform you’re looking at does the following:

  • Requires recipients to opt in
  • Has automatic quiet hours
  • Requires an easy opt-out option with every text

Easy-to-use editor

Text message marketing is desirable because it’s fast. If you’re having trouble figuring out the editor, you’re losing time writing texts that resonate with your audience. Your editor should give you the options to personalize messages and easily create an opt-out phrase. 

If you’re planning to send bulk messages to multiple customers at once, find a platform that makes it easy to manage your customer database. It should give you the option to create lists and market segments.

A good editor will have a dashboard that’s easy to navigate with clear headings for each section. Use a program that offers templates for various message types so that you can write your texts quickly with language that’s more likely to convert. These templates are also great for writing automated responses. 

Mobile keywords and shortcodes 

Dedicated keywords or shortcodes like “YES” to opt-in and “STOP” to opt-out are examples of mobile keywords that can trigger automated actions like customer opt-ins and follow-up messages. 

Personalization options

You want your business’ marketing messages to feel safe and trustworthy to the individual receiving them. Personalization options, like including a dynamic field to feature the name of the recipient, will help make your subscribers feel comfortable and special to your business. 

Text-to-join and lead generation landing page

Investing in a platform that includes a text-to-join feature will help business’ to easily opt-in subscribers to their marketing text messages. Provide potential subscribers with a phone number to text in order to be added to your business’ SMS marketing list. Invite customers who are subscribed to your business’ text message marketing to join your email list by sending a link to a lead generation landing page. 

Dedicated phone number

To save time and money, you may be tempted to use your personal or business cell phone number to send and receive SMS messages. But this makes it harder to manage once you start sending out messages in bulk. 

Look for a text message marketing service that provides dedicated toll-free and local phone numbers. With these services, you can manage your messages in one spot — the same dashboard you use to compose your texts. 

Contact management

A contact management tool makes it easier for you to send bulk messages, segment your contacts, and personalize your messages. For example, if you want to send an automated happy birthday coupon to members of your loyalty program through SMS messages, you can program each member’s birthday into the system and generate an automated message. 

If you’ve segmented your list, a contact management tool offers reports that can help you see your most valuable segments. When you’ve identified your MVPs, you can engage them with special offers. Or you can switch up your messages to underperforming segments and see what gets them to engage. 

Automation

Speaking of automated messages, any good text messaging service will let you create and send automated messages.

At the very least, set up an automated welcome series of messages thanking customers for subscribing to your text messages. These messages would be triggered by anyone who opts in to receive texts from you. 

Add value to your list immediately by including a one-time discount or offer to people who sign up for your texts.

Other automated text messages include personalized promotions that send around birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.

Use the automated message feature to create abandoned cart texts to notify customers who have been shopping on your site without completing their purchase. If you’re managing a restaurant, you can also use the abandon cart principle when a customer doesn’t finish booking a reservation or making a takeout order. 

Integrations

Depending on your business, your SMS marketing platform will offer different integrations. If you’re running a nonprofit, you may integrate your SMS with your donation software, so people can click a link or text a code to make a simple donation. 

SMS platforms can integrate with scheduling and conferencing apps, updating your calendar in real-time whenever someone texts you to make an appointment. This keeps you from accidentally double-booking and makes it easy for your clients to choose a time that works for them. 

Find a tool that integrates with your preferred customer relationship management (CRM) software to track different interactions with each customer. 

Reporting

Measure the analytics of each communication channel to gauge its effectiveness. Look for a tool that generates reports on how many people opened your text and for how long they engaged with your landing page if they clicked on the link. 

You can also look at other reports like how many people opted out after each campaign, how many new customers signed up in a given period, and how your subscribers found you. Some platforms let you measure a campaign’s success in dollars, tracking revenue attributed to promotional offers using a specific landing page. 

Scalability and reliability

You want your list to text message marketing subscriber list to grow over time, make sure the platform you select can grow with your business. Take note of platforms subscriber thresholds and reliability. You do not want to invest in a platform your business will outgrow to quickly or one that cannot successfully deliver messages to your subscribers.

Why email, SMS marketing, and social media are better together

Using SMS doesn’t mean you should drop the use of other marketing channels such as email marketing and social media. In fact, customers prefer it when their favorite brands use more than one marketing channel to engage them. 

In particular, SMS and email marketing are more effective when combined because they’re both permission-based marketing channels.

When people sign up to receive your messages, they’re not just giving permission for you to send them marketing messages; they’re asking you to send them. They’re showing that they’re interested in your business, and they want to receive more information from you. 

Whether it’s the latest news on industry trends or a flash sale on cat toys, it’s up to you to send timely, targeted messages on the channels your subscribers prefer.

Doing so will ensure you get the best results possible. And, because not everyone likes to receive the same messages the same way, it’s important to use your marketing channels both separately (omnichannel marketing) and together (cross-channel marketing). 

The trick is to know the unique aspects of each channel and how to use them.

Email marketing gives you ownership of your list and your ability to connect with your audience. It allows you to send personalized, targeted messages on your terms. It’s perfect for regular newsletters and messages with enticing images and intriguing snippets that lead back to your website, blog, or online store. However, you also have to compete for your reader’s attention in the inbox. 

Social media allows you to reach new people and share beyond your existing email list. But, algorithms can limit your reach, and the social media channel can control how, when, and if you can communicate with your subscribers. And, because social media success relies on your action and interaction, it can be time-consuming. However, social media is perfect for building brand awareness and growing your list.

SMS marketing is much like email marketing; it also gives you ownership of your list and your ability to connect with your audience, as well as allowing you to send personalized, target messages on your terms. However, these messages are more immediate than email and require clear and succinct messaging. This makes text message marketing perfect for sending exclusive messages that require a timely response. 

Just remember, no one wants to have their phone pinging all day long, so be careful not to abuse this connection, or you’ll turn people off.

When planning your marketing strategy, keep in mind that even though you should be using these channels together, you don’t want to repeat the same message on every channel. 

While we recommend occasionally mentioning what’s going on in other channels or with your campaign, you’ve got to have a reason to be there, and you must pay attention to how you’re using each channel  —  individually and together.

SMS best practices 

Growing your SMS marketing list is just as important as growing your email list and social media connections. After all, the power of your digital marketing efforts lies in reaching your customers and customizing your message to their wants and needs.

Start by announcing the new communication channel to your email recipients and include a call to action (CTA) with a link that directs them to your landing page or sign-up form, where they can enter their mobile phone number. Be sure to tell them what they’ll get out of it — from a special discount code for joining to early or exclusive access to sales or industry information.

Set achievable goals for your SMS campaigns

As with all marketing efforts, without setting a goal for your text message marketing, your messaging will lack focus, and you won’t know if your actions are working. So, always set a goal for every campaign. Whether that’s to get 100 opens or to increase sales on a specific item by 10%.

Make data-driven decisions

This goes along with setting goals. Once you know what your goal for a campaign is, set KPIs (key performance indicators) to check your reports against.

If you start out your first campaign to get 100 recipients to read your message, check your report to see the open rates. If the report says that you had 100 opens, then you reached your goal. If it’s less than 100, see if you can figure out why. 

Pay attention to when you send and how often

While you want to keep your subscribers informed, respect sending times as per federal guidelines and test frequency to prevent future dropoff from your SMS contact list. 

Send updates in real-time

Use SMS marketing messages to send real-time updates to your subscribers. Having a flash sale or a inclinement weather for an event? Quickly send a text to keep your contacts in-the-know. 

Revise and repeat

If you don’t get the results you’re looking for in a campaign, don’t chuck it. Take a hard look at your campaign and your reports and see where the weak link is. 

Were your open rates low? Maybe you need to try writing a better headline.

Were open rates high but click-through rates low? Double-check the link in your message. Was it working properly? Was it clear what they needed to do to get the offer?

Did sales underperform? Was the offer clear to your subscribers? Was your offer something your recipients would really be interested in?

When you use your reports to find the weakness in your campaign, you can work to improve that part of your campaign and then try again.

SMS text message marketing in Constant Contact

Just like with email marketing, using a trusted platform can help take the guesswork out of regulatory requirements — and even some best practices. 

With the SMS marketing feature within Constant Contact, many of the best practices outlined above are taken care of automatically, so you don’t have to worry about them, including: 

  • Restricting SMS messages to the appropriate hours of communication
  • Identifying your company in each and every message
  • Utilizing a dedicated local number rather than a toll-free or out-of-area number for best engagement
  • Giving your recipients required disclosures, as well as opt in and opt out information
  • Shortening links for clear, succinct marketing text messages

Using a trusted platform also has the advantage of using proven tools — like landing pages and sign-up forms – to help you build your SMS subscriber list.

Creating an SMS campaign

By managing your SMS and email marketing within the same tool, you have the ability to superpower your new SMS marketing campaigns with the information you already have about your loyal customers and your interested prospects.

Finally, once you have launched your first SMS marketing campaign, you can see the outcomes alongside your other marketing reporting for a full picture of when, how and why your customers are engaging with your messaging.

Armed with this information, you will be ready to refine, relaunch, and continue to improve your marketing messages for the best results.

How to get started with SMS text message marketing

Getting started with SMS marketing is easy as long as you know three key things: your brand, your message, and your audience

With any marketing effort, knowing your brand and your brand voice is critical to creating on-brand, authentic, and meaningful communications with your customers. 

Whether your business aims to be a serious thought leader or a fun and friendly community member, sticking to your brand when starting SMS text campaigns will help the rest fall into place. Stay true to what your customers already know and love about you when you start creating your first text campaign, and you’ll be well on your way to success.

So what to send first? As outlined above, text marketing works best for particular types of messages: ones that are timely, succinct and exclusive to SMS. Sales, event reminders, and product sneak peeks are all good examples of the types of messages that work well over text. Consider what you already know about your customers and what motivates them, and start from there. 

This is where knowing your audience comes into play — and can make a significant difference between a text campaign that is “wow!” and one that is “meh.”

Just as you would with an email campaign, customizing your SMS marketing messages to your audience is key. Whether sending a text wishing a customer a happy birthday or reminding them a product they frequently purchase is back in stock, a customized message can show your customers how much you value their support.

Armed with a good grasp of your brand, your message and your audience, you’ll be ready to start growing your SMS list and sending messages in no time. Text message marketing doesn’t have to be hard   —  it’s just one more way to ensure you’re communicating authentically with your customers in the ways and places they prefer the most! 

Knowing what platform you want to use can help tie it all together. A trusted platform like Constant Contact helps you stay on top of regulations, follow best practices, and manage your online marketing efforts all in one place. If you are a current customer, follow this tutorial on setting up SMS in your Constant Contact account. If you’re new to Constant Contact, check out our package offerings to choose the plan that’s right for you.

*This content is not meant to replace legal advice or full regulatory guidelines around text message marketing.

You’ve just had a potential customer express interest in your product or service. They’ve filled out a form on your website, downloaded some content, or asked for more information. But they’re not quite ready to make a purchase yet.

So, what do you do? Do you push for a sale right away, potentially scaring them off? Or do you ignore them, hoping they’ll come back when they’re ready?

Neither of these approaches is ideal. The key to converting this potential buyer into a loyal customer lies in the art of lead nurturing.

Lead nurturing is a critical component of the sales process, centered around building relationships with prospective customers. It can revolutionize your sales process and should be standard in your sales and marketing strategy.

Here’s how to develop your lead nurturing program.

Introduction to lead nurturing

Lead nurturing plays an integral role in successful sales, but it’s easy to overlook because its returns are often indirect.

What is lead nurturing?

Lead nurturing is the process of building relationships with potential customers who aren’t ready to buy yet. Rather than converting today’s buyer, lead nurturing sets up a future sale.

It aims to understand the customer’s needs, provide valuable information, and maintain regular communication until they’re ready to make a purchase decision.

What is the nurturing stage of a lead?

The nurturing stage of a lead begins after a potential customer first expresses interest in your product or service, and it continues until they are ready to buy.

During this stage, your job is to answer potential questions and develop a connection.

The role of lead nurturing in B2B sales

In B2B sales, lead nurturing takes center stage. Unlike B2C sales, where decisions are often made quickly, the B2B buying process typically involves longer sales cycles with multiple stakeholders.

Through consistent and personalized communication, businesses can stay top-of-mind throughout this process, gradually moving prospects through the sales funnel.

How lead nurturing impacts sales funnel efficiency

Lead nurturing best practices allow your sales team to identify the prospects with the highest potential and focus their efforts accordingly.

Moreover, providing leads with relevant and valuable content throughout their journey can speed up the sales cycle and inspire larger purchases.

Developing lead nurturing strategies

Turning leads into loyal customers is a bit like gardening. You can’t just plant a seed and expect it to grow into a full-fledged tree overnight. It requires consistent care, nourishment, and time.

How do you create lead nurturing?

An effective lead nurturing strategy requires careful planning and execution. You’ll need to understand your buyer’s journey and provide what they need at each stage.

Understanding your buyer’s journey

The first step is understanding your buyer’s journey. Create a customer journey map that charts the typical path your leads take from the moment they first encounter your brand to the point of purchase.

Identify key touchpoints along the path. Where are your best opportunities to engage with your prospects and provide them valuable content and support?

Creating targeted content for different sales stages

The next step is to create targeted content for each stage and touchpoint. Consider the best type of content as well as the best channel. Each piece should have a clear goal.

For example, your brand could produce educational blog posts for people in the awareness stage, case studies and webinars for those in the consideration stage, or product demos for those in the decision stage.

Arnold Electrical Services website
This Chicago-based electrical company starts its lead nurturing process with informational blog content designed to answer common questions, encouraging more visits and keeping users on the website longer. Image source: Arnold Electrical Services

Personalization and its importance in lead nurturing

In one Statista study,  29% of businesses report that more than half of their customers expect some degree of personalization. An additional 11% report that more than 90% of their customers want content specifically geared toward them. Provide your leads with content that caters to their needs and interests.

To nurture leads toward a sale, it helps to segment your email list based on various criteria such as industry, role, or behavior. For example, a B2B business might want to create both a detailed report for their main contact at a company and a digest for other stakeholders.

Using multi-channel nurturing techniques

The best strategies leverage multiple channels to engage with leads, such as email, social media, and website content. Meet your leads where they are to increase your touchpoints and opportunities for engagement.

Integrating sales and marketing efforts for coherent strategies

Sales and marketing should always be close partners rather than independent silos. Aligning their efforts allows these teams to ensure a coherent approach to lead generation and nurturing.

Consistent messaging and seamless movement between sales and marketing touchpoints improve the overall customer experience.

Best practices in lead nurturing

Employ these best practices when communicating with prospective customers for better nurturing and higher conversion rates.

Effective communication and follow-ups

Effective communication doesn’t mean bombarding your leads with sales pitches. Instead:

  • Provide them with valuable information
  • Answer their questions
  • Maintain regular, meaningful contact
  • Ensure consistent follow-ups

If a lead has expressed interest in your product or service, don’t let them slip away. Keep the conversation going and remind them of the value you can offer.

Leveraging automation for timely interactions

Take advantage of marketing automation for lead generation and nurturing. Automated email campaigns, for example, ensure that your leads receive timely and relevant content that responds to their interactions with your brand.

How important is a speedy reply to customers? Extremely important. Over half of the customers in one survey hired the first business to respond to their request, even if it was more expensive.

Scoring and segmenting leads for targeted nurturing

Not all leads are created equal. Differentiating qualified vs. unqualified leads lets you identify the people with the appropriate interest and the power to make a decision.

You can further score and segment your leads so you can devote more time to people closer to purchasing and tailor your communications to address groups at different stages.

What is the best way to nurture leads? Provide them with relevant, valuable content that speaks to their present needs.

Multichannel distribution tactics

There are many benefits to multi-channel marketing, so don’t limit yourself. Using multiple channels helps you respect different preferences and diversifies the type of experience you provide each lead.

Nurturing channels

Direct mail, social media, and retargeting are three effective channels for nurturing.

  • Digital mail: Direct mail can be the touch that lets you stand out in a digital world. For instance, you could send customized information packets to prospects or stay in touch with holiday postcards.
  • Social media: Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn allow businesses to interact directly with their audience, fostering relationships and building trust. Respond to comments or messages to show people you’re paying attention.
  • RetargetingRetargeting is one of the most powerful lead nurturing best practices. Targeting ads to users who have previously interacted with your website or email content reminds them of their interest.
Blue Apron ad on Buzzfeed homepage
This Blue Apron ad is a classic example of ad retargeting. Because I’ve visited the Blue Apron website, it pops up on the BuzzFeed homepage as a display ad. Image source: BuzzFeed

What is an example of nurturing?

Suppose a lead downloads an ebook from your website. A dedicated nurturing strategy might involve sending them a series of follow-up emails with additional resources related to the ebook topic, inviting them to a related webinar, or offering a free consultation.

Continuous testing and optimization of nurturing campaigns

Lead nurturing requires testing and optimization. Monitor your campaigns, measure their performance, and adjust your strategies. This approach will ensure that your efforts remain effective and yield the best possible results.

Lead nurturing techniques that work

It’s time to focus on some proven lead nurturing techniques and the different styles available.

How to build and optimize a lead nurturing campaign

Once you understand your customer’s journey and develop an overarching strategy, you can create the campaigns that execute your vision.

First, position your campaign within the lead nurturing process and set clear, related objectives. Then, plan and develop associated content.

After you execute your campaign, monitor your reports, test different approaches, and refine your lead nurturing strategy.

Empower sales reps with lead intelligence

Knowledge is power, and lead intelligence is crucial to sales outreach.

The term refers to the information collected about potential customers, which guides sales representatives in their interactions. In addition to verified contact information, this could include their:

  • Behavior on your website
  • Demographic details
  • Responses to previous communications

With this information, sales reps can personalize their outreach, predict potential issues a lead may face, and propose solutions proactively.

High-touch vs. low-touch nurturing approaches

There are two main approaches to lead nurturing: high-touch and low-touch.

  • High-touch nurturing: Involves personalized, one-on-one interactions with leads. It’s labor-intensive but effective for high-value leads and is a mainstay of real estate lead conversion.
  • Low-touch nurturing: Involves automated communications such as email campaigns or social media posts. It’s less personal but can reach a larger audience and is more scalable.

These days, 75% of B2B buyers prefer buying experiences that don’t include sales reps, underscoring the importance of including low-touch interactions in your strategy.

Re-engage lost leads and no-decision opportunities

Sometimes, leads go cold, or opportunities end in a no-decision. But that doesn’t mean they’re lost forever. With the right techniques, you can re-engage these leads and revive these opportunities.

To start, understand why the lead went cold. Was it a matter of timing? Budget? A change in priorities? Use this insight to tailor your re-engagement strategy.

Next, reach out with lead nurturing emails. Acknowledge the previous interaction, provide new value, and invite them to re-engage.

Tools and technologies for lead nurturing

From marketing automation platforms to AI-powered intelligence tools, there are impressive options available to help you guide your leads through their buying journey.

Choose the right marketing automation platform

A marketing automation platform automates repetitive tasks such as sending emails, posting on social media, and tracking user behavior, freeing up time for more strategic activities.

When choosing a platform, consider factors like:

  • Ease of use
  • Scalability
  • Integration capabilities
  • Level of customer support provided

Constant Contact’s marketing automations improve lead nurturing initiatives by allowing you to set up emails to send contacts after they engage your contact. You can even set up email series spread out over time or integrate SMS and email communications for multichannel nurturing.

The importance of CRM integration in nurturing

Customer relationship management (CRM) integration is another crucial aspect of lead nurturing. You either need to choose an all-in-one solution that provides marketing, communication, and CRM functionality or integrate your marketing automation platform with your CRM software.

This combination provides a complete picture of your leads’ behaviors and preferences and improves your ability to personalize your interactions.

Advanced tools like AI for lead intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the world of lead nurturing. AI-powered tools can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, providing valuable intelligence about your leads. For example, AI can predict which leads are most likely to convert based on their behavior, allowing you to focus your efforts on these high-potential leads.

Measuring success in lead nurturing

It’s important to evaluate your lead nurturing success at each stage of the buying journey. Regularly look at your email marketing metrics and lead-related KPIs.

Key performance indicators for nurturing programs

KPIs evaluate the success of a strategy or activity. For lead nurturing, these might include:

  • Conversion rate: This is the percentage of leads that become customers. A high conversion rate indicates that your nurturing strategies are effective at guiding leads through the buying journey.
  • Time to conversion: This is the average time it takes a lead to become a customer. A shorter time to conversion means your nurturing process is efficient and effective.
  • Lead scoring accuracy: Lead scoring ranks leads based on their likelihood to convert. If your lead scores accurately predict conversions, it’s a sign that your scoring model is working well.

Monitoring these KPIs reveals possible areas for improvement.

Lead nurturing’s ROI and its influence on business growth

One crucial KPI is the return on investment (ROI), the profit generated by an activity relative to its cost. In the context of lead nurturing, to calculate ROI, you can compare the revenue generated by converted leads to the cost of your nurturing program.

Improving your lead nurturing process (and thereby increasing your ROI) can drive greater business growth. For instance, optimizing your content strategy might help you attract more qualified leads, and refining your lead scoring model could help you focus your efforts on the most promising leads.

Next steps in evolving your lead nurturing

Lead nurturing is an ongoing process that evolves with your business. It requires a balance of strategic thinking, creative content creation, and data-driven decision-making.

The essential elements of lead nurturing revolve around providing value through tailored content and maintaining consistent and timely engagement.

But it all begins with understanding your customer’s journey. Try diagramming its steps and listing associated actions and common questions. Then, you can tailor your lead nurturing program to their needs.

"Make It Personal: Building relationships at scale through next-level digital campaigns" premium e-book from Constant Contact
Learn more ways to nurture customer relationships with this premium e-book. Download now!

If you’re like most small business owners, reaching new customers is an ever-present challenge. You want to grow, but finding that broader audience can take time, especially when you’re working with a limited budget.

That’s where online marketing for small business comes in. With the right tools, you can reach almost anyone, and with a good strategy, you can reach your target audience.

The power of online marketing for small businesses

Almost 94% of the U.S. population is online, and that number is growing. By 2028, it will be an close to 98%. Whatever you sell, your potential customers are out there on social media sites, checking their email, and Googling your industry.

Small business internet marketing connects you with those audiences. It sets up channels for people to discover your business and to get to know you, all without significant expenses on your part.

It’s something you don’t want to miss out on. Here are the top digital marketing tips for small businesses to get you started.

Key strategies for successful online marketing

Getting started with online marketing for small business can seem like a lot. The good news is that it consists of multiple smaller, more approachable strategies that any business owner can implement in their business model. Here are some of the most important ones.

Search engine optimization (SEO)

According to a 2022 consumer survey, people find new brands via search engines versus any other channel or medium. A Google search is even more popular than asking a friend for a recommendation. 

The higher you rank on a search results page (SERP), the more clicks you’ll get. Digital marketers call this the click-through rate, or CTR — essentially, how many web searchers click on your link after seeing it on a SERP. As you’ll see in the chart below, you get more traffic as you climb the page:

The click-through rate (CTR) drops off dramatically after the first Google result. Even small moves up the page will make a difference to your traffic. Image source: Backlinko, “Here’s What We Learned About Organic Click-Through Rate.”

According to Backlinko, moving up one position in search engine ranking increases your CTR by more than 32%. You make that happen by optimizing your site for search engines — or doing  SEO, as digital marketers say.

SEO improves your website’s design, structure, and content to impress search engine algorithms. If search engines like Google see your site as a relevant and high-quality match for a search term, they’ll put your business higher on the SERP.

To improve your SEO, start by working on one of the following key elements:

  • Keyword optimization: Make sure your content includes the words and phrases you want that page to rank for on the SERP. 
  • Organization: Each page should have a clear title, and pages with multiple sections should have headers to organize them.
  • Mobile-friendliness: Your content should be accessible and responsive on mobile devices. 
  • Variety: Provide both text-based and visual content.
  • Functionality: Pages should load quickly, and all links should work.

Make sure to connect your website to your Constant Contact account so you can track your SEO success. SEO often takes time to show results, so be patient!

Content marketing

Like SEO, content marketing is an essential element of online marketing for small business. It engages audiences who might not already know about your business — people at the top of the sales funnel, to use a popular marketing term. 

Content builds relationships by offering valuable information without pushing a sale. While ads go straight for the pitch, content eases people into the relationship by helping them and providing a good user experience before asking them to buy.

How to craft high-quality content

Google identifies quality content as “helpful, reliable, [and] people-first.” That means the content does all of the following:

  • Provides original information or analysis
  • Offers a comprehensive view of the topic
  • Adds value to any content it draws from
  • Organizes data into sections with descriptive headings
  • Aims to be error-free and well-written
  • Includes the input of subject matter experts

For best results, use this checklist on every project in your content strategy.

Social media marketing

Social media is an essential component of online marketing for small businesses. More than 80% of the U.S. population have accounts on at least one platform, and the average user visits 6.7 different social platforms per month.

Social media marketing gives you two effective ways to reach those audiences. One is to create an account on your chosen social media channel and post for free. Marketers call this organic social to distinguish it from paid advertising.

The second is paid social media advertising, which lets you promote your business to broader audiences. You create an ad and specify the user groups you want to target. For example, if you have a child care center in Cleveland, you might tell Facebook to show your ad to parents of children ages 0 to 5 in that area. 

Whether you choose organic social or paid advertising, you can follow the same social media marketing tips for small businesses. For example:

  • Create a content calendar. Decide in advance what you want to post and where so you don’t repeat yourself or miss a topic.
  • Interact with your followers. Social media is a place to build relationships with your audience. Encourage people to comment and respond to what they say.
  • Use analytics to guide your strategy. Major channels such as Instagram and Facebook give you metrics to guide your posts’ success. Monitor and analyze them so you can do more of what works.
  • Dedicate time to social media management. Block off time every week to develop content, respond to comments, and check results.

The last thing to consider before you start is how often to post on social media. Consistency is vital, so don’t spread yourself too thin. Start with one social media channel and establish a regular schedule. Then, expand when you can.

Email marketing

When it comes to keeping in touch with existing audiences, you can’t beat email marketing for small businesses. It lets you create personalized content for different segments of your audience so each person feels a genuine connection with your business.

With tools such as Constant Contact, it’s easy to divide your audience into groups based on their needs and preferences. From there, you can develop customized campaigns that feel personal to every recipient.

Relevant, personalized emails keep your business top-of-mind with your audiences and reinforce your business as an industry expert. They’re also an effective channel for publicizing promotions and sales, sharing company news, and increasing demand for your products.

You don’t need any experience to get started with email marketing. All you need is a list of contacts, an engaging message template, and something to say. As with social media, analytics will help you improve your messages over time.

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC)

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, also known as search marketing, is a cost-efficient way for small businesses to advertise. Instead of paying a large lump sum upfront as you would for TV or billboard advertising, you pay a small amount every time someone clicks on your ad.

Let’s focus on Google, where most search advertising happens. Google displays ads at the top of a SERP so users see those results before the organic listings. 

When advertising on Google, you choose the keywords you want to bid on. If someone searches using those keywords, Google compares your ad with others bidding on the same terms. Relevant ads with high-quality landing pages have the best chance of “winning” the bid and appearing on the SERP.

Keyword selection is also crucial when you’re doing PPC for small business. Relevant keywords help you get more clicks and improve your conversion rates.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is one of the most overlooked strategies in digital marketing for small businesses. It’s easy to think of them as too expensive or out of reach, but there are influencers out there for any size business.

Micro-influencers — those with between 1,000 and 100,000 followers — are often the best fit for small businesses. They reach enough people to be worth the effort, but not so many that your message will get lost in the noise.

Micro-influencers tend to have niche followings, which is excellent for smaller businesses. They’ll promote your brand to people who already trust them. Plus, if you choose the right influencer, their following will closely match what you offer.

How to build relationships with influencers

The right match is critical to a successful influencer strategy. If you’re on social media, look for posts that promote products or services. Someone you follow might be an influencer without you even knowing! Here’s one example:

Ronnie Wood Pug is a micro-influencer for dog products. Not all his posts are promotional, but a savvy follower will notice that he accepts brand partnerships. Influencers like Ronnie exist in all industries, though most have two legs! Image source: Instagram, @Ronniewoodpug

If you find an influencer that could be a good match, reach out. Ask how they do brand partnerships. Some expect payment, while others do product or service exchanges. 

Online listings

Online listings are an essential part of local marketing for small businesses. People use them to search for a nearby business or browse customer reviews for a place they’ve heard about.

One popular example is Google Business Profile, which integrates into SERPs. If you Google something related to a local business, such as “coffee shops near me,” the first results you’ll see will be listings like these:

These three results are business listings for San Diego coffee shops. Clicking on any result will show you the store’s complete profile, which includes information such as opening hours and site photos. Source: Google search, “Coffee shops in San Diego, CA.”

Google is the best place to start building a profile. According to BrightLocal, 87% of consumers go there to check out local businesses. Once that’s complete, you can move on to other popular sites, such as Yelp or Yellowpages.com. 

Finally, set aside time for online listing management. That includes keeping your information up-to-date and responding to reviews. BrightLocal also pointed out that 88% of consumers are likelier to choose a business if they respond to all reviews.

Budget-friendly tips for small businesses

Internet marketing for a local business can feel expensive. When that’s the case, consider these budget-friendly ways to do online marketing for small business.

Partner with other businesses

Chances are, you’re not the only local business that wants to market on a budget. An exciting solution is finding a non-competing but related company and launching a joint campaign.

For example, a roofing company might create an arrangement with a general contractor or gutter cleaning company. A hair salon might partner with a wedding planner or dress shop. 

Once you have your partnership, discuss how you want to promote each other. You might set up a referral arrangement, mention each other in your email newsletters, or link to each other in blog posts. 

Host events and workshops

Running a workshop, seminar, or other special event lets you offer value and build face-to-face relationships at a low cost.

If you have a brick-and-mortar presence, on-site events are the perfect way to meet your community and get people in the door. If not, online events serve the same purpose and offer a wide reach.

Think about topics that interest your target audience. Consider how you could teach that topic in a way that generates interest in your services without being overly promotional. 

Offer discounts and promotions

Combining promotions with no- or low-cost digital marketing, such as organic social and SEO, is a fantastic way to get more from your online business marketing. The key is to offer discounts related to your goals so the business you earn will far outweigh any minor cuts to your profit margins.

For example, if your goal is to attract new business, create a coupon code for 10% off first-time orders. Or, if you’re trying to grow your audience, send the code when people sign up to receive messages. You can promote the code online, including your website and social media accounts. 

Get started on boosting your online presence

By now, you’ve heard about 10 different ways to do online marketing for small business. You’ve learned about SEO, social media, content marketing, and more. You’ve even collected some strategies for keeping your budget under control. 

Now comes the exciting part: getting it off the ground. 

First, ensure you have the five online marketing tools you need to run campaigns. That includes a website, primary social account, up-to-date listings, and a way to send email. 

Next, get your guide to online marketing essentials. This guide offers a more detailed description of the elements you’ve learned about, plus actionable tips to help you get started.

You don’t have to do it all at once! Start with one strategy — perhaps a blog to boost your SEO or your first PPC campaign. Launch it and see how it performs, then tweak it to see if you can do even better. 

Before long, you’ll be ready to move on to the next type of small business online marketing. 

You may have heard that it’s much more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to retain an existing one — and numbers don’t lie. It costs between five to 10 times more to bring in a new customer than to sell to a current customer. Because of this, companies are highly incentivized to foster brand loyalty. Retaining existing customers is much more cost-effective and offers an excellent return on investment.

One of the most popular methods to generate brand loyalty is offering a loyalty program to your customers. Implementing or enhancing a loyalty program will help boost your customer retention and business growth. 

Understanding loyalty programs

So, what are customer loyalty programs? A loyalty program is when businesses offer their existing customers incentives like discounts and free products to encourage them to make another purchase. There are many different forms of loyalty programs, but points-based programs are the most common.  

Whatever form they take, the main goal of customer loyalty programs is to enhance customer retention as part of lifecycle marketing. These programs make it more appealing to shop with your business and less beneficial to buy from your competitors to improve customer retention.

If a customer can buy the same exact product for the same price from Companies A and B, but Company B also offers a free gift with purchase through its loyalty program, the customer will naturally buy from Company B. 

The psychology behind loyalty programs

Loyalty programs tap into the psychology of customers to help companies retain their business. For one thing, they offer positive reinforcement in the form of a reward for customers who purchase from your business. Over time, this positive reinforcement creates a habit of buying from your brand over competitors. 

Loyalty programs also emphasize loss aversion — people’s inclination to avoid loss or FOMO (fear of missing out). If a customer buys from another company, they won’t get the benefits of the loyalty program. Loss aversion convinces them to shop with your business to avoid missing out. 

Keep these psychological factors in mind when building your own loyalty program, and don’t forget the three R’s. What are the 3 R’s of loyalty programs? They are rewards, relevance, and recognition. 

  • Rewards: Your loyalty program must offer customers rewards that have genuine value. Discounts, points, free products, or special offers all make great rewards. 
  • Relevance: The rewards must also be relevant to the customer receiving them. Offering free baby food to customers who aren’t parents, for example, won’t make an effective loyalty program — but offering those rewards to new parents will.
  • Recognition: A great loyalty program recognizes and rewards a business’s best customers instead of treating them as just numbers. 

The benefits of loyalty programs

Fostering brand loyalty benefits both brands and their customers. With a strong loyalty program in place, customers get rewards for their shopping, and brands get more return business. So, what are the three benefits of loyalty?

  1. Improving retention, reducing churn, and strengthening brand affinity

One of the best things you can do for your business is improve your customer retention. Loyalty programs help accomplish that goal.

Offering rewards through a loyalty program encourages customers to keep choosing your business over competitors. Rewards make shopping from your brand more appealing because customers get additional value beyond the products or services they buy. 

With a strong program, your customers are more likely to prioritize your brand, thus improving customer retention and reducing churn (the percentage of customers who stop shopping from your business after a given period). 

  1. Boosting revenue and customer lifetime value

Improving customer retention boosts your average customer lifetime value (CLV) and total revenue. Customer lifetime value is the total amount a given customer spends on purchases from your business over the life of the relationship.

Loyalty programs entice customers to keep making purchases at your company, boosting CLV. As CLV increases, so does revenue. 

  1. Turning customers into brand advocates and motivating consumer behavior

Loyalty programs focus on customer retention, but they can help you generate leads and acquire new customers as well. An excellent loyalty program excites customers and makes them more likely to talk positively about your brand to their friends and family.  When you pair a loyalty program with referral bonuses, customers are even more inclined to act as brand advocates and help bring in new customers for your brand.

Offering rewards gives customers more motivation to do specific actions, like:

  • Make purchases
  • Refer to friends and family
  • Engage with your brand

This is boosted when you offer exclusive access, perks, and personalized experiences that otherwise would not be available. With the right rewards, you can shape customer behavior in your brand’s favor. 

Types of loyalty programs

When you create your own loyalty program, there are many different structures you can use. Here are some of the top types of loyalty rewards programs:

Points-based loyalty programs

Points-based loyalty programs are the most common form of enterprise loyalty programs. In these programs, customers earn reward points for repeat purchases or otherwise being loyal customers of your brand. The customers can then redeem their points for rewards like:

  • Free products
  • Discounts
  • Special offers
  • Cashback

These programs are so popular because they are inherently flexible. They include multiple ways to earn and spend points and allow customers to personalize their own rewards. 

Tiered loyalty programs

Tiered loyalty programs rank customers into different groups and provide them with rewards based on those tiers. Typically, companies using these programs rank customers according to the total amount spent at the business, years as a customer, engagement level, or other key metrics. As customers rise through the tiers, they obtain more exclusive, valuable rewards. 

Some loyalty program examples that fit the tiered model include American Express’s loyalty program, Elf’s Beauty Squad program, and the Hyatt Hotels loyalty program.

E.L.F Beauty Squad
Elf’s loyalty program, Beauty Squad, has three different tiers that offer increasing rewards. Image Source: Elf

Paid loyalty programs

Sometimes, the rewards from a loyalty program don’t automatically come free with a repeat customer’s purchase. In paid loyalty programs, customers pay a participation fee to access the program’s benefits. 

Amazon Prime is one of the most popular loyalty programs and has been hugely successful for the company, with over 200 million members

Value-based loyalty programs

Instead of tangible rewards like freebies, some loyalty programs offer customers rewards in line with their values. Value-based loyalty programs persuade customers to buy from your business because you’ll donate to a charity that aligns with their values with each purchase. These may also be known as mission-based and community programs.

The shoe company TOMS has gained company loyalty over the last nearly 20 years since they

began their One for One model. In this program, for each pair of shoes a customer buys, they give away another pair. Customers like knowing their dollars go to more than just the company — and they go back into a community or a larger mission.

Points-based programs also combine well with value-based loyalty programs. You can give customers points with each purchase and then allow them to cash out those points to a charity of their choice. These programs don’t directly benefit the customer making the purchase, but they do benefit society in a way that’s meaningful to the consumer. 

Refer-a-friend programs

Many brands employ programs that not only reward customers for making additional purchases but also for recommending the brand to their friends and family. In a refer-a-friend program, the customer receives some reward — typically a discount or cashback — every time they refer someone to the business. 

Airbnb, for example, offers customers a travel credit every time they refer a new member to the site. For an added incentive, the new member also gets a free credit upon signup.

Examples of successful loyalty programs

Many businesses have loyalty programs in place, but they aren’t all equally successful. So, what is the best example of a loyalty program? Here are some examples you use for inspiration:

Starbucks

The coffee giant has an incredibly effective loyalty program that keeps customers coming back for more. With every Starbucks purchase made on the app, customers earn loyalty stars to redeem for free products like food, drinks, and merchandise. The app makes accumulating points easy and accessible for customers, two features of any successful loyalty program.

Starbucks loyalty program signup
The Starbucks app allows customers to participate in the loyalty program in three simple steps. Image Source: Starbucks

Sephora Beauty Insider

Sephora also has a points-based program, but it’s a hybrid-tiered one. The more customers spend at Sephora, the more points they earn and the higher tier they reach. At the highest rewards tier, customers get bigger discounts and gain invites to exclusive events. Customers can cash out their points for beauty product samples or other merchandise. 

Part of what makes Sephora’s program special is that program members become part of Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community. Customers share advice and tips within this community and talk about their favorite products. The community helps foster an emotional connection to the brand, which is one powerful strategy to improve customer retention

Creating your loyalty program

Understanding the different loyalty programs is just step one to creating your own. Consider these factors when developing your loyalty program for small business or large enterprise:

  1. Determine your goals: A key step when developing any program is to think about your goals. Do you want to increase customer retention across the board? Is it your goal to raise the average order value? Tailor your program according to the specific business metrics you want to impact. 
  2. Consider your industry: Different industries are suited to different types of loyalty programs. A referral program is ideal for low-frequency purchases like large furniture and appliances, while points-based programs are better for retail businesses with high purchase frequencies like coffee shops. 
  3. Understand your customers: Your program must address your customers’ needs and wants to be effective. Make sure you offer rewards that appeal to them. 
  4. Market your program: There’s no benefit to having a rewards program that no one knows about. Raise awareness of your program through email marketing campaigns and other marketing channels. 

Metrics and success measurement

It’s essential to measure the success of your loyalty program to ensure it works as intended. Track the following metrics to understand the success of your program:

  • Retention rate: The percentage of customers who stick with your business over a given timeframe
  • Reward redemption rate: The percentage of rewards customers are redeeming through the program
  • Churn rate: The percentage of customers leaving the loyalty program over a given period

In addition to monitoring these KPIs, you should also track the:

  • Cost of your program
  • Return on investment (ROI)
  • Program’s engagement rate

If the cost gets too high relative to your returns, you may need to change some details about your program. 

Challenges and solutions

You may encounter some pitfalls when implementing or improving your loyalty program. For example, some customers may have unrealistic expectations of the kinds of rewards they’ll receive through the program.

To counter this issue, make sure you clearly communicate the program terms and what’s available to participating customers. You don’t want to mislead the customers about your loyalty program — that will backfire and drive customers to your competition. 

Another issue some brands have with loyalty programs is a lack of clarity about the program’s performance. Even if you have access to data about the program, you still need to analyze that data and find actionable insights.

Loyalty program software can eliminate this issue. These software programs often include a dashboard that clearly shows the data about how effectively your program works and if anything needs improvement. 

Implementing loyalty programs with technology

Today, the right software makes it easy to implement and run a successful loyalty program. This software tracks customer purchase data and automatically issues customers rewards according to the program details. Some of the software options also track other customer data to better offer personalized offers and rewards in the programs, making them more effective. 

Examples of this software include Loyalzoo, a points loyalty program ideal for restaurants, and Loyalty Gator, which is geared toward businesses with physical locations. 

You can also use other marketing software to increase the success of your loyalty rewards program. Email marketing software like Constant Contact, for example, includes tools that help you promote your loyalty program through effective, easy-to-create emails. Constant Contact even allows you to automate email messages, such as when a customer is eligible for a new reward! Reach out to Constant Contact to learn more about improving your email marketing efforts.  

Conclusion: the future of loyalty programs

Loyalty programs have changed over the years, but they remain one of the best strategies to boost customer engagement and retention. In the future, expect brands to put even more emphasis on customer data and personalization to make their programs stand out. And don’t miss out on the growth opportunities you can gain with your own brand loyalty program.

Make It Personal: Building relationships at scale through next-level digital campaigns. A premium ebook from Constant Contact
Learn more ways to engage with your audience with our premium ebook “Make It Personal.” Download now!

Your business needs a steady stream of new leads to grow and stay ahead of the competition. In an ideal world, leads would magically appear at your door, ready to buy your products and services. But before your business goes viral (fingers crossed), you’ll have to put in the work to attract and nurture potential customers.

Focusing on marketing qualified leads (MQLs) can help you use your resources wisely. An MQL is a prospect who has already shown interest in your brand. Maybe they’ve shared your content on social media or come to one of your webinars. Or perhaps they’ve visited your website several times but haven’t bought anything yet. These actions suggest these leads are more likely to become customers than those who haven’t shown interest. 

There are many benefits of harnessing MQLs for your business. Read on to learn how to identify and convert MQLs. You’ll also discover common challenges you may encounter and tools to manage this type of lead. 

Introduction to marketing qualified leads (MQLs) 

Conversion funnel graphic
This chart outlines the lead-to-sales conversion funnel. Prospects visit your website, interact with your content, and become interested in your product. Finally, they become paying customers. Source: Constant Contact

Potential customers move through a few stages before they become buyers. First, they learn about your brand through your website, social media, or another channel. Then, the prospects that fit your customer profile might consider becoming a client. Marketing experts refer to these people as qualified leads.

What is the marketing qualified lead stage? Marketing qualified leads take the next step in the buyer’s journey. These show interest in your brand with marketing engagement. This behavior suggests they’re almost — but not quite — ready to buy your products or services. As a result, MQLs are typically easier to convert to paying customers than generic leads. 

Here are a few ways that MQLs can interact with your brand: 

  • Attend a virtual event 
  • Click an Instagram ad for your products 
  • Download an ebook 
  • Sign up for your newsletter

Some companies also track marketing accepted leads (MALs). This term refers to prospects who meet the minimum criteria your marketing team sets. For example, they may fit your ideal demographics or visit your website.

What is the difference between MQL and MAL? Unlike MQLs, MALs haven’t taken concrete actions to engage with your brand. That means you’ll probably need to nurture them more before they buy anything.  

Benefits of MQLS for B2B companies 

MQLs are vital in lead generation for business-to-business (B2B) companies. Here are three benefits of including these prospects in your marketing strategy:  

  • Increased efficiency: Target MQLs to streamline your marketing and sales processes. These prospects have already learned about your brand and expressed interest. That means you won’t have to spend as much time and energy converting them as you would if you started with cold leads.
  • Improved collaboration: Your marketing and sales teams can work together to identify and nurture MQLs. This collaboration allows them to share resources and focus their combined efforts on the most promising leads. 
  • More impactful content marketing: MQLs help you learn more about your target audience’s interests and goals. You can analyze how they engage with your content to see which materials resonate most. This information lets you create more relevant and valuable content for your audience. 

Developing a shared definition of MQL

Several departments often collaborate to nurture MQLs. If you ask different departments, “What type of leads are MQL?” the definition may vary depending on who answers. Creating a shared definition ensures that everyone targets the same types of leads. Otherwise, you might waste time on unqualified leads or work toward different goals. 

Ask your teams to share their insights about qualified leads. Each department can list the traits they associate with these prospects, such as: 

  • Authority 
  • Behavior 
  • Budget 
  • Demographics 
  • Engagement 
  • Industry
  • Level of urgency  
  • Pain points 
  • Timing 

Discuss each of these criteria to create a standard definition of MQLs. For example, the marketing department might focus on engagement with content. Meanwhile, the sales department could insist that MQLs have decision-making authority. Draw on each team’s expertise to create the most comprehensive definition.

Identifying and qualifying MQLs

How can you tell the difference between marketing qualified leads and regular leads? Follow these simple steps to identify and qualify MQLs efficiently. 

Understanding MQL vs. SQL

You may be wondering, “What is an MQL and SQL?”

It’s important to distinguish between MQLs and Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs). SQLs are at a more advanced stage of the buyer’s journey than MQLs. You’ve already nurtured these leads enough, so you don’t need to spend more time marketing your brand to them. Instead, they’re ready to engage with your sales team and take the final steps to become paying customers. 

You can convert an MQL to SQL if you nurture the relationship sufficiently. Understanding the difference between these stages will help you transition leads between your marketing and sales funnels. 

The buyer persona’s role in identifying MQLs

A buyer’s persona represents your target audience. This character has your ideal customer’s behaviors, characteristics, and pain points.

Suppose your company sells custom coffee mugs. One of your buyer personas could be Sustainability Sarah. She’s a thirty-year-old small business owner who wants to buy mugs with her company logo. She has a tight budget but prefers ethical and environmentally friendly products. 

Buyer personas can help you define and identify MQLs. You can use these profiles to score leads and determine how likely they will convert. For instance, you could focus on millennial female customers who want affordable, environmentally friendly mugs. Buyer personas also let you tailor content more effectively and attract more MQLs. 

Anecdotal feedback from sales and its importance

Your sales team is one of your most valuable assets for MQLs. After all, they typically have the most direct interaction with leads. This engagement allows them to understand their goals, needs, and preferences. Sales representatives also know which leads they can convert the fastest. 

Consult your sales department as you develop marketing qualified lead criteria. Their insights will help you focus on the most valuable leads and align your marketing and sales. That way, you won’t waste time on bad leads.  

Using firmographic and demographic qualification factors

Many companies gather firmographic and demographic data about their customers. This information can help you identify MQLs you may have overlooked. You can also use the data to score leads during the qualification process.

Consider this firmographic data when selecting MQLs: 

  • Budget 
  • Company size 
  • Industry
  • Number of clients 
  • Revenue 

This demographic data can also help B2B companies identify MQLs: 

  • Age 
  • Authority
  • Department 
  • Geographic location 
  • Job title 

Behavioral criteria for MQL qualification

MQLs stand out from other leads because they engage with your brand. However, not all engagement is equal. Behavioral data helps you identify the types of interactions that predict sales. You can use these insights to identify and focus on your most valuable leads. 

Here are a few examples of behavioral data used to classify leads: 

  • Event attendance 
  • Marketing emails open rates
  • Number of web pages visited 
  • Social media likes 
  • Downloaded content 
  • Newsletter subscriptions 

Setting and forecasting MQL delivery targets

You don’t want to overwhelm your sales team with an avalanche of MQLs. But you also don’t want to waste your lead generation efforts because you fall short on enough MQLs to meet your sales goals. 

Collaborate with your marketing and sales teams to set realistic targets. It may be helpful to initially define MQLs narrowly and start with a small pool of leads. As you ramp up your marketing efforts, you can expand this definition to generate more leads. 

Adjusting MQL criteria and definitions over time

Your business and customers evolve due to changing market dynamics and other factors. Revisit your MQL criteria every quarter to make sure you target appropriate leads. Don’t be afraid to adjust your definition as your business goals or customer needs change.

Calculating and tracking MQLs

Analytics tools allow you to assess and track MQLs. You can use this technology to check how your marketing campaigns perform.

Many companies use marketing automation tools to track engagement. This technology monitors click-through rates, social media follows, and other interactions. You can also use predictive analytics software to forecast which leads will convert. This data can help you identify MQLs and improve lead generation. 

Your marketing and sales teams should use the same methods to track MQLs and SQLs. This shared process will help you measure and optimize MQL to SQL conversions.

Examples and actions recognized as MQLs

AdvancedMD signup landing page for a free demo
Website visitors can request a free software demonstration from AdvancedMD. This is one way that companies use content to identify and track MQLs. Source: AdvancedMD

B2B companies use many strategies to attract and track MQLs. For example, consider the electronic health record company AdvancedMD. The company’s website gives leads several ways to engage with its content. Visitors can:

  • Download a product flier
  • Talk to a chatbot
  • Request a free demo

AdvancedMD can use these digital touchpoints to identify MQLs and nurture these leads. 

Here are a few more examples of MQL behavior: 

  • Download case studies and reports 
  • Share content on social media 
  • Complete a survey 
  • Click on links in your emails 
  • Register for a webinar 

Setting criteria for marketing qualified leads 

Establishing robust MQL criteria ensures you focus on the most promising leads. To start, collect data on your paying customers and how they engage with your brand. For example, you can use web analytics tools to track how clients use your website. You could also create surveys to learn why customers chose your business. 

This information lets you identify common behaviors and traits associated with conversions. Your marketing and sales teams can use these insights to create a shared definition of MQLs. 

You should also use metrics to measure the impact of your MQL strategies. Key performance indicators may include: 

  • Number of content downloads
  • Cost per MQL
  • Event attendance 
  • Lead-to-sale conversion rates
  • Lifetime value 
  • Website visit duration 

These metrics can help you refine your MQL performance over time. Say you notice that you have a high cost per MQL that outweighs the lifetime value. You could try new methods to reduce this cost, such as using more affordable marketing channels.  

Challenges in MQL identification and conversion 

It’s normal to experience challenges when you try a new marketing strategy. Many businesses struggle to align their MQL criteria with their goals. However, this misalignment can cause your marketing team to generate too many low-quality leads. Clear criteria for your target customer profile to overcome this obstacle. 

Some companies also have unrealistic sales expectations, which can lead to disappointment. Use industry benchmarks to set reasonable goals. It’s also important to focus on quality over quantity. Remember, you’re building lasting relationships with potential customers, not trying to win a numbers game. 

Using tools and software to manage MQLs

Technology can help you manage and track MQLs. Many companies use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to handle these tasks.

Constant Contact’s lead generation and CRM platform makes it easy to oversee MQLs. This solution allows you to score leads and nurture them with personalized content. Plus, you can measure your performance with built-in analytics tools. 

With Constant Contact, you can also use marketing automation to nurture leads toward a sale. For instance, you can schedule regular messages to email leads to share information about your brand. 

Improving MQL strategies

Demand generation strategies help you convert more people from cold leads and attract more MQLs. These methods aim to increase awareness and buzz for your brand.

Popular demand generation strategies include: 

  • Establishing robust content marketing 
  • Developing referral programs 
  • Marketing your brand on social media platforms 
  • Offering lead magnets
  • Organizing conferences and webinars 
  • Investing in paid advertisements 

Convert leads and drive sales with MQLs

Marketing qualified leads can streamline the B2B sales funnel. These leads have already interacted with your brand to express interest. That means they’re typically easier to convert to sales than cold leads. Prioritizing MQLs can increase revenue and efficiency, leading to huge gains for your company. 

Get started by defining MQLs for your business and establishing clear criteria. Consider focusing on a handful of high-quality MQLs at first. As you refine your strategy, you can expand your criteria until you have a steady stream of MQLs.

It’s natural for your goals and dreams to evolve as you grow. You might have felt thrilled to land an internship at the beginning of your career. As you gain experience, you may set your sights on senior leadership roles. This ambition can drive you to reach goals you may have never thought possible. 

Companies often have similar journeys. New businesses typically focus on selling products in their local area or niche. As they expand, they target bigger clients and diversify their offerings. Enterprise marketing can help you scale your business and effectively make this transition.

Enterprise marketing involves promoting your brand to large companies with many employees. Landing these big clients can help you expand your business and boost revenue. However, enterprise marketing requires strategies different from regular marketing. 

This guide explores enterprise marketing techniques and tools to help you scale your business. We also discuss common challenges and best practices to overcome them.

Introduction to enterprise marketing

Enterprise marketing is the promotion of products and services to enterprise-level organizations. 

Enterprise businesses typically share these traits: 

  • Hundreds of employees 
  • Many locations 
  • May operate on a global scale 
  • Generate $50 million or more in revenue 
  • Large budgets
  • Overseen by a board of directors

Enterprise marketing is a bit more complicated than traditional marketing. Large companies have more complex decision-making processes than their smaller counterparts. Instead of impressing a single client, you must win over many stakeholders. These leads often have different priorities you’ll need to address in your marketing. 

Enterprises typically have longer sales cycles than smaller companies. It takes time to nurture leads in different departments and understand their concerns. The process of negotiating deals and passing compliance checks can also take months. In other words, expect your enterprise marketing efforts will take time before you get tangible results. 

But don’t get discouraged. Big companies often have large budgets and want to partner with reliable suppliers. That means your business has plenty of opportunities to grow and thrive. Enterprise marketing also lets you focus on a handful of high-value clients. This process is more efficient than marketing to hundreds of smaller clients.

Common challenges in enterprise marketing 

Businesses of all sizes often face challenges in enterprise marketing. But you can overcome these hurdles with the right knowledge and tools. 

Resource allocation

Resource allocation is one of the most common obstacles to encounter. It can be expensive to fund enterprise marketing campaigns. You may need resources like:

  • Marketing automation software
  • Data analytics platforms
  • Other tools

Plus, enterprise marketing often requires more staff than traditional methods. These costs can add up quickly. 

Executive buy-in can help you overcome this obstacle. Leaders who understand enterprise marketing are more likely to offer financial support. Small businesses can also use technology to conserve limited resources. For instance, artificial intelligence (AI) tools can help you brainstorm content, saving time.

Collaboration across departments 

Some companies also struggle to collaborate effectively across departments. For example, your marketing and sales teams may have different goals or messages. This lack of teamwork can make it challenging to organize complex marketing campaigns. To solve this issue, create cross-departmental teams with shared goals.

Program management in a large-scale environment 

Even the most experienced marketers can feel overwhelmed by enterprise marketing. You may need to juggle several leads, channels, and teams at once. 

Project management techniques can help you stay organized. Create detailed marketing plans for every potential client. These plans should include goals, timelines, resources, and other information. You can also use technology to improve communication and collaboration. Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams make it easy for teams to stay in touch.  

Vendor relationship management

Many companies rely on vendors for supplies and services. You can run into roadblocks if you don’t manage these relationships efficiently.

Say you agree to sell an enterprise a thousand custom office chairs. You won’t be able to fill this order if you can’t get enough fabric from your vendor. 

Clear communication with your vendors can help you avoid this problem. Keep them in the loop about your enterprise marketing goals and timelines. That way, they can set aside resources to meet your needs. Vendor relationship management software also lets you organize documents and track performance. 

Communication silos 

Enterprise marketing often requires several departments to work together. You can run into trouble if these teams don’t share information effectively. Suppose your sales team has identified a few enterprises that fit your buyer persona. Your marketing team can’t target these leads if the sales team doesn’t communicate. 

To overcome this hurdle, organize regular meetings between departments. Encourage teams to share data and work together to nurture leads. It’s also helpful to use customer relationship management software. This technology lets everyone access information about leads in one place. 

Strategic enterprise marketing management

Many companies have dedicated managers for their enterprise marketing campaigns. These specialists develop marketing strategies, oversee teams, and check progress. They’re also in charge of managing budgets and keeping projects on track. 

Here are a few essential skills for enterprising marketing managers: 

  • Communication
  • Delegation 
  • Financial management 
  • Flexibility 
  • Leadership
  • Problem-solving 
  • Project management 
  • Search engine optimization (SEO) 
  • Stakeholder engagement 
  • Strategic thinking 
  • Time management 

Enterprise marketing techniques for success

You can use many strategies to market your brand to enterprises. Using several methods at once will increase your reach. Here are five leading strategies to help you get started. 

Integrate word-of-mouth and user-generated content 

Case study for Jack's Family Restaurants
This case study is a great example of user-generated content. Jack’s Family Restaurants shares how they used Quantcast’s platform to drive traffic. Source: Quantcast 

Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective ways to promote your brand. Leads are more likely to trust products and services that they’ve heard about from others. 

Harness the power of word-of-mouth in your enterprise content marketing. Ask your current clients to support your brand with user-generated content. These materials can include case studies, testimonials, and reviews. 

Use lead scoring for higher conversions 

Lead scoring is the process of assessing and ranking prospects. You can use many criteria to score enterprises, including: 

  • Budget 
  • Company size 
  • Engagement 
  • Geographic location
  • Industry 
  • Level of interest 
  • Timeframe 

Lead scoring focuses on the most promising prospects, helping increase conversions. Imagine that Company A has requested a product demo and wants to buy it next month. Meanwhile, Company B has yet to engage with your brand and has a small budget. It makes sense to invest time in Company A because they’re more likely to convert. 

Target international markets and deepen marketing penetration

Many enterprises operate in more than one country. Tap into global markets to connect with new audiences and expand your reach.

Enterprise search engine marketing is one way to reach global clients. This process involves targeted ads and keywords tailored to international audiences. You can also localize your content and adapt it to different cultures. For instance, you could translate a blog into Spanish to fit a local community.

These strategies can also deepen your marketing penetration. They build brand awareness and help you gain the trust of new customers. These methods allow you to attract loyal customers on a global scale. 

Assess the diversification of audiences

Enterprise marketing lets you attract more diverse clients that may not have been a part of your original target audience. These audiences often have distinct goals and preferences. Segment these clients into different groups so you can personalize your marketing. 

Invest in multi-channel marketing activities

Most large companies have many decision-makers with different communication preferences. Using many marketing channels will help you reach the most leads. For example, you could use SMS text message marketing for young decision-makers. Meanwhile, you can create a whitepaper on the same topic for people who crave deeper analysis. 

Best practices in enterprise marketing

Follow these best practices to elevate your enterprise marketing campaigns. 

Develop and maintain a consistent brand voice

Enterprise marketing usually involves large teams. Create a brand voice along with a style guide that describes your brand’s tone and personality to ensure everyone shares the same messaging with clients. This guide should also include examples of language to avoid. 

Map goals and plan expansion 

Your business plan should include goals related to your enterprise marketing efforts. For example, you might aim to convert three companies in the next six months. You should also map out how you will expand your marketing in the long term. This plan could include branching into new marketing channels and finding international leads. 

Combine account-based marketing with other strategies

Account-based marketing focuses on individual companies. Marketers create custom content based on each account’s goals and pain points. Combine this approach with enterprise marketing tactics, such as multi-channel marketing. 

Check performance and make strategic adjustments 

It’s essential to watch how your enterprise marketing performs. That way, you can see what works and adjust your methods accordingly. 

These metrics can provide insights into your performance: 

  • Click-through rate
  • Cost per lead
  • Customer lifetime value 
  • Engagement 
  • Event attendance
  • Lead conversion rate
  • Marketing return on investment 

Use enterprise marketing software 

Manage your campaigns with enterprise marketing software. Constant Contact’s Enterprise Program makes it easy to promote your brand. Your team can access libraries of approved assets and use digital marketing tools as you grow and scale your brand. 

Enterprise marketing tools and technologies 

Every enterprise SEO marketing company needs the right tools. Look for affordable and accessible technology that grows with your business. Choose software with these handy features: 

  • Ability to integrate with existing platforms 
  • Data analytics tools 
  • Marketing automation 
  • Mobile apps 
  • Reporting 
  • Secure databases to manage client information 
  • Templates 

Constant Contact’s enterprise marketing automation software offers all these features and more. For instance, you can use this platform to send personalized emails to decision-makers. 

Adapting enterprise marketing to scalability

Adapt your enterprise marketing over time to grow your business. 

  • Experiment with new methods to build brand awareness. For example, you can create new content like ebooks and podcasts. You can also organize conferences and webinars to promote your brand. 
  • Spend time creating authoritative content. These materials can include case studies, infographics, and whitepapers. Translate this content across several channels for the most impact. 
  • Implement lead scoring. Adjust your criteria as your goals and target audience change. You might narrow your criteria to focus on the highest quality leads or expand it to broaden your pool. 
  • Invest in a headless content management system (CMS) like Constant Contact. This technology lets you share content across many channels from one convenient hub. 

Personalization and customer engagement 

Personalize your content to appeal to decision-makers. First, identify and segment your audience. You can separate clients by pain points, industry, and other criteria.

Next, choose the right marketing channels for each audience. Some clients may prefer snappy emails, while others want to watch videos. Consider conducting surveys to learn about these preferences. It’s also vital to deliver valuable content to enterprise leaders. For example, you can create content about industry trends and everyday challenges. Prospects are more likely to engage with these educational materials.

Finally, embrace workflows for agile marketing. This approach lets you adapt content to different clients and respond to new trends.  

Measuring success and ROI in enterprise marketing

Assess your marketing efforts often to ensure you’re on the right track. You can use many account-specific key performance indicators to measure success, such as: 

  • Customer acquisition costs
  • Brand awareness
  • Return on investment 
  • Website traffic

Choose accurate analytics and reporting tools so you can track your performance effectively. 

Future of enterprise marketing

Sciex virtual reality advertisement
SCIEX uses virtual reality to help clients explore their scientific mindsets and learn about the company’s technology. Source: The Drum

Enterprise marketing practices will continue to evolve as technology advances. One of the latest trends is using AI to generate custom content at scale. This tool can create personalized emails, blog posts, and more. 

Some marketers also use augmented and virtual reality to promote their brands. This innovative technology enables you to showcase your products in new ways and helps you stand out from competitors.  

Harness the power of enterprise marketing 

Enterprise marketing focuses on converting large companies into clients. This approach lets you concentrate on high-value clients with big budgets. A single deal with a big company can significantly boost your revenue and reputation. 

To get started, identify companies that fit your target audience. Research their pain points and create custom content tailored to their needs. Before you know it, you’ll be building relationships with key decision-makers.

Picture this: You’ve just finished a social media ad for your company. You run it for a few days and see a flurry of activity on your website. However, you don’t make any effort to capture information about your visitors, and once the ad finishes, your website goes quiet. Unfortunately, it’s a missed opportunity to learn more about your audience and what they want. You can avoid this situation with the right lead management tactics and ultimately generate more customer interest.

Lead management means attracting, qualifying, and converting potential customers. It uses tailored strategies to connect with your target audience and convince them to buy from you. With a well-designed lead management strategy, you’ll see increased sales and customer loyalty.

The lead management process exposition

Here’s what to know about the lead management process.

Overview of different lead types

There are two basic lead types most businesses recognize.

  1. Marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) show interest in your brand but are still deciding whether to buy. Examples of MQL-related activities include signing up for your emails or texts or downloading an ebook.
  2. Sales-qualified leads (SQLs) understand what your company has to offer and are very close to purchasing. They’re considered highly qualified leads. Examples of SQL activities include trying products out on the sales floor or asking to speak with a sales representative.

Detailed stages in lead management

There are five basic stages in the lead management process:

  1. Lead capture: The first stage of lead management is capturing leads. It involves gathering basic information from interested customers — like names and email addresses — from various sources, for example, an email capture landing page. Once obtained, the brand can store the client’s details and the sales campaign information in a single platform.
  2. Lead tracking: After capturing a lead, you move on to lead tracking, which aims to monitor your client’s interactions with your brand to learn more about what they want. Example activities include tracking website visits as well as email open and click-through rates.
  3. Lead qualification: During the lead qualification stage, marketers examine the client information they have to determine how close a client is to making a purchase. This stage considers client interest, buying ability, and whether your products or services align with the client’s needs.
  4. Lead distribution: Brands often have different sales reps handling various locations, products, or services. Marketers evaluate the lead qualification results in the lead distribution stage and determine which sales representative should handle them.
  5. Lead nurturing: The lead nurturing process focuses on retaining clients during and after they make a purchase. The goal is to develop strong relationships so customers return next time they need your products or services.

Lead generation techniques

There are many ways to generate leads. Virtually any activity that encourages a brand-customer interaction can generate leads. A few standard techniques that companies use to develop leads include email signups, content marketing, Facebook lead-generation ads, and in-person store visits.

Qualify and segment your leads

As you build your leads list, use the information you obtain to assess how likely they are to buy. Use segmentation to categorize leads according to demographics, behaviors, location, interests, and other elements.

Nurture leads to maturity

It may take some time for a new client to become a paying customer. You can encourage them through the buyer’s journey through nurturing campaigns. A nurturing campaign aims to develop stronger client relationships through content marketing and regular interactions. For instance, you might email leads with your latest products and video demonstrations to pique their interest.

Lead scoring methods

Lead scoring ranks your customer leads according to various factors, including their engagement and fit. People who receive higher scores are closest to buying with your organization. You can use lead scoring to identify and target key customers in your sales efforts.

Constant Contact lead scoring
This is an example of lead scoring results using Constant Contact’s lead scoring tools. Image source: Constant Contact

Distribute leads among the sales team

You can distribute your customer leads among sales team members as soon as you identify them. For example, you might assign sales leads based on the products customers are interested in or their geographical location.

Convert leads into paying customers

Not all leads will ultimately buy with your organization, but effective strategies can enhance your conversion rates. Focus on demonstrating how your products and services can serve clients’ needs and use marketing techniques to strengthen relationships and showcase industry credibility.

Track performance and make adjustments

As you initiate your marketing strategy, you can use your lead management system to track performance and evaluate results. It’s helpful to set benchmarks, which you can use to determine whether you’re meeting objectives or need to make adjustments.

Integrating lead management software

Trying to manage lead data manually is virtually impossible unless you have a small customer base. Instead, you can use lead management software programs to assimilate client details, monitor customer interactions, and score leads. 

Types of lead management software available

There are two main types of lead management solutions:

  1. Customer relationship management (CRM) systems provide a comprehensive platform for all customer interactions. Common features of a lead management CRM include marketing channel management, sales automation tools, and sales pipeline administration.
  2. Dedicated lead management systems specialize in lead scoring, process management, sales forecasting, and analytics. They typically contain robust lead generation tools but may lack a CRM’s enhanced functionality.

Constant Contact’s CRM platform includes all the tools you need to manage your lead generation and marketing efforts. You can use its built-in marketing automation tools to create effective email and social media marketing campaigns. Plus, Constant Contact’s CRM includes lead scoring and lead nurturing features, making it easy to identify when it’s time to follow up on a sales prospect.

Selection of lead management systems

Deciding on a lead management system boils down to your needs. Consider the extent of your marketing strategies and where a platform can enhance your efforts. You’ll also want to consider the current systems you use, whether you plan to integrate them with your new software, and the cost and time of setting up a new platform.

Most lead management providers offer demonstrations or a product trial to help you assess their capabilities and alignment with your organizational goals. You can schedule a demo with Constant Contact to learn more about our CRM system and how it can positively impact your company’s marketing efforts.

Features to look for in lead management tools

As you evaluate your CRM and lead management options, you’ll see various features that can assist with lead generation to build your business

Some popular lead generation features include:

  • Lead scoring systems
  • Email and social media marketing tools
  • Lead capturing features
  • Lead nurturing automation tools
  • Integrations with various business operations platforms, such as email and accounting software
  • Analytics and reporting tools

Lead management best practices

As you initiate your lead management efforts, consider a few best practices to enhance your results.

Setting clear lead management goals

Effective lead management requires clear-cut objectives. Start by identifying your short- and long-term goals. You can use the SMART process to define and work toward your goals. 

SMART goals contain the following traits:

  • Specific: A specific goal defines the objective, who is responsible for meeting it, and the steps to achieve it.
  • Measurable: Your objective should include a quantifiable benchmark to evaluate your progress.
  • Achievable: Your goal should be reasonable and attainable.
  • Relevant: Your objective should align with the long-term vision for your brand.
  • Time-bound: Setting a due date creates a sense of urgency to meet your goal.

Some examples of lead management goals include:

  • Obtaining 100 new leads over the next two weeks
  • Converting 50 new clients within the next month
  • Establishing a comprehensive lead scoring system within the next month
  • Improving your lead-qualifying efforts to generate higher-quality leads within the next six months

Mapping and organizing the lead management process

Lead management includes multiple steps, and you’ll want to outline your process for each. Some steps that might apply to your brand include lead capturing, tracking, qualification, distribution, and nurturing.

Define how you’ll approach each step in the process. For instance, what techniques will you use to capture leads? Once you obtain their contact information, what tools can you use to track their interactions with your brand? 

The more complex your lead management process, the more detailed you want to be.

Keeping data clean and sales processes aligned

Your lead management system may include analytics to track your lead generation, lead scoring, and nurturing activities. Define which metrics you’ll use to evaluate your process, and ensure you understand how you’ll assess them. If your data is inaccurate, it can skew your results and make it difficult to determine whether your processes are working.

Adopting omnichannel lead tracking

Some companies use omnichannel marketing to interact with customers via separate channels, including social media, email, text, and their physical storefront. Omnichannel marketing connects with all channels by integrating customer interactions. 

You can track your leads across various platforms using omnichannel marketing to deliver consistent messaging that seamlessly connects with your audience. For example, if your client visits your website and browses a product, you could use email to encourage them to buy that product and offer a special discount if they do.

Evaluating the impact of lead management

As you implement your lead management process, measure your results against your goals. If you’re falling short of your objectives, identify ways to improve your processes and try them out.

Optimizing lead management system

Once you implement your lead management system, there are a few ways to optimize it for the best results.

Monitoring lead generation campaigns

When you initiate a new lead generation campaign, establish benchmarks to help you monitor the outcomes. Examine each activity to determine which strategies work and which should be adjusted. Remember that some lead generation tactics may not be as effective as others, so it’s essential to identify which ones those are, as they may impact your lead scoring model.

Keeping data up-to-date

Most lead generation systems will automatically update customer interactions, especially electronic ones. However, it’s important not to rely entirely on your system. Your sales reps and other customer-facing employees may interact one-on-one with your clients, and it’s crucial to update your data to reflect those communications.

You’ll also want to monitor your customer base for clients who stop interacting with your brand’s emails, texts, and other messages. If you receive bounce notifications or clients unsubscribe from your company’s messages, remove them from your subscriber list to protect its integrity.

Aligning marketing with sales efforts

Marketing content keeps clients engaged with your brand but doesn’t always result in a sale. Establishing a sales pipeline helps identify where people are in the customer journey and when to deploy your sales reps to encourage them to take the next step.

Constant Contact sales pipeline overview
Example of a sales pipeline in Constant Contact, noting the different customer touchpoints. Image source: Constant Contact

Collaborating between teams

Your teams should work together on the lead management process. Sales, marketing, and customer service should all collaborate to ensure a streamlined sales pipeline and lead nurturing process. 

Using analytics for better results

Analytics use hard data to tell you exactly how your lead management process is working. Establish a few metrics to benchmark your progress.

Measuring success in lead management

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are individual metrics to evaluate lead management success. Some common KPIs that marketers use to assess their efforts include leads to sales conversion rates and sales cycles.

Determining leads to sales conversion rates

To calculate leads to sales conversion rates, use this formula:

(Number of sales/number of leads) x 100

For example, assume you acquire five sales from 100 leads. Applying the formula, your sales conversion rate is 5%, or (5/100) x 100.

Calculating sales cycles

Calculating the average sales cycle is a little more complex. Start by identifying the initial point when your client entered the customer journey and the date they decided to buy. The duration from start to finish is one sales cycle. You can take the same approach with other customers. Add all the sales durations together and divide by the total conversions to get an average. 

Using metrics to refine lead management

Metrics can help you assess where your lead management processes are running smoothly and where you can make enhancements. Use different metrics to evaluate each stage of the lead management process.

The future of lead management

As you establish your lead management process, consider each stage and how it applies to your brand. Develop strategies to help you generate leads and move them through your customer journey. To maximize your efforts, consider implementing a lead generation system with features to manage your leads and track your results.

In the future, marketers will continue to benefit from technology development. Tools like automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence can streamline the lead management process, especially in areas like data analysis and timely communication. Keep current with new technological developments, and consider implementing them if they can positively impact your brand.

While it may come at the end, your email footer shouldn’t be an afterthought.

Email footers need to check certain boxes, but a well-crafted footer goes beyond. It contributes to your brand and engages your subscribers.

The goal is to provide essential information, adhere to regulations, and make sure your emails end on a high note.

You want to optimize every element of your email campaigns. These email footer examples will help you get the most out of any template — down to the last word and pixel.

Understanding email footers

First, let’s cover the role of an email footer — where to find it and why it’s important for email marketing.

What is an email footer?

An email footer is a dedicated space at the bottom of your emails. It’s like a digital business card and includes crucial information such as contact details, legal disclaimers, unsubscribe links, and social media icons.

What is a footer example?

This footer from the brand Supernotes is a short and sweet footer example. It gives you an address, social links, and an opportunity to unsubscribe.

Email footer example from Supernotes
This Supernotes footer is a great example of a minimalist design that checks the necessary boxes. Image source: Supernotes

Why do email footers matter?

Email footers serve three primary purposes: communication, branding, and compliance.

An email footer delivers necessary information and helpful links in your brand’s established aesthetic, demonstrating your professionalism and boosting brand recognition.

Footers also help you meet legal obligations for email when you provide an unsubscribe option and state your business address.

Essential components of an Email Footer

There are several non-negotiable elements for an email footer as well as some strongly encouraged components.

Legally required footer elements

Certain elements are legally required to comply with laws like the CAN-SPAM Act in the U.S. or GDPR in Europe. Make sure the following items are easy to find:

Company information

Your company’s physical address is a must-have element in your footer. This could be your current street address, a P.O. box, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail-receiving agency.

Unsubscribe link

An option for recipients to opt out of your emails is also mandatory. Let uninterested parties go, abiding by regulations and improving email list hygiene.

Consider unsubscribe best practices, and make the process straightforward and user-friendly.

Suggested elements

These aren’t necessary for compliance, but it’s a good idea to include them regardless.

Preference center

Maintain a clean, engaged subscriber list by directing subscribers to a preference center.

Preference centers empower users to control what kind of emails they receive from you and how often they receive them. You can reduce unsubscribes and increase engagement with better-tailored content.

Social media buttons

Add social media buttons to your email footer, connecting your email strategy to social media marketing.

This encourages your subscribers to interact with your brand on various platforms, strengthening your online community.

App download links

If you have a mobile app, include a download link in your footer to drive more installations and engagement.

Unlike open marketplaces — where you compete with over 7 million apps — your email is a dedicated space for your content and products.

Email footer example from Airbnb
Airbnb’s footer hits the essentials and includes app download links for both major marketplaces. Image source: Airbnb

Interactive or dynamic content

Leave your audience with a personalized recommendation or update using dynamic content. Or solicit their opinions with interactive content such as a poll or a link to a survey.

Awards or credentials

Brag away! Remind your audience about why they trust you with identifiable award icons or listed qualifications.

The cruise line Royal Caribbean incorporates many of the above features:

  • Awards
  • Trademark information
  • Links to unsubscribe or update email preferences
  • Main address
  • Link to customer support
  • Privacy policy

Royal Caribbean is a great source of email header and footer examples because of the way the two elements work together in this message. A phone number and trackable navigation links are provided up top, supplementing the content in the footer.

Email footer example from Royal Caribbean
This cruise line email header and footer efficiently cover a lot of ground, collectively giving the subscriber access to important links and information. Images source: Royal Caribbean

How to Optimize Email Footers for Engagement

Here are a few tips to use as you optimize your email footer to increase engagement and conversions.

Encourage readers to add you to their address books

Ask readers to put you in their list of contacts or approved senders. This ensures that your emails don’t end up in the spam folder and increases the chances of your emails being opened and read.

Promote offers and update subscribers

Think of your footer as an additional chance to communicate with your subscribers and drive more traffic to your website.

Try including links to your latest products or services, sharing discount codes, or providing updates about your business operations.

Optimize for mobile devices

Almost half of all emails are opened on mobile devices.

Every aspect of your email design needs to be mobile-responsive. Consider using larger fonts and more spacing between lines and links to improve readability.

Any images or graphics used in your footer should scale correctly and links should be easy to click on a mobile screen.

Periodically update footer content

Your footer content should be fresh and relevant. This could mean changing the offers or updates you’re promoting, updating your contact information, or refreshing the design.

Designing your email footer

Creating an effective email footer requires strategic planning, thoughtful design, and creativity. Pay attention to these considerations and best practices.

Best practices for creating an effective email footer

Your footer is a regular feature of your emails and should be clear, attractive, and true to your brand personality.

  • Organize content for clarity. Arrange your information logically and use dividers or white space to separate different sections.
  • Stay on brand. It’s hard to overstate the importance of brand consistency in developing audience recognition and loyalty. Use imagery, fonts, and colors that are consistent with your brand identity.
  • Keep it simple. Avoid clutter and ensure your footer is easy to navigate.

How do I create an email footer?

Create your email footer in two easy steps:

  1. Outline the content you wish to include. Make a list of all legally required information and note optional links, information, and CTAs.
  2. Design your email fodder or choose a layout. Create your own custom email footer or simplify the process of creating email footers by using an email marketing service, like Constant Contact, which offers professional email templates.

Inspirational examples from top brands

Learning from successful brands often provides valuable insights. Here are some examples of top-tier email footers.

Apple: More is more

While Apple’s general design principle might be minimalist, its email footer takes a different approach.

Email footer example from Apple
Apple’s footer provides all the legal details and disclaimers, assuring potential buyers by laying out this information upfront. Image source: Apple

Apple provides one of the best email footer disclaimer examples. It demonstrates its commitment to transparency here. No matter what piques your interest in the body of the email, you can find all the legal qualifications and provisions below.

Takeaway: If your service or product is complex and requires legal disclaimers, adding this information to your footer can foster trust in your brand.

Patagonia: Share your values

Patagonia’s footer focuses on its commitment to environmental responsibility. Its centerpiece is an invitation to read an updated mission statement reflecting high-level changes to its business model.

Email footer example from Patagonia
If your brand’s values are central to your relationship with subscribers, you can use your footer to reaffirm your commitment, as Patagonia does in this email footer. Image source: Patagonia

As business email footer examples go, this approach stands out for the way its design creates a visual hierarchy that reflects the brand’s central values.

Takeaway: Your email footer is an opportunity to highlight something central to who you are and what you do.

Dutch Bros Coffee: Negative space is your friend

This email from Dutch Bros. Coffee celebrates recipients by offering them a free drink on their birthdays and is one of the best marketing email footer examples I’ve seen.

Email footer example from Dutch Bros Coffee
This email footer from Dutch Bros. Coffee is a good example of a footer that ticks the boxes and provides all relevant information without sacrificing either clarity or personality. Images source: Dutch Bros Coffee

The footer is extensive, including:

  • Dynamic content — a personalized reminder of the recipient’s current loyalty status
  • Fine print for the terms of the offer
  • Social icons
  • The privacy policy and terms of use
  • A link to their website
  • A request that readers add the rewards program email address to their address book
  • An invitation (and link) to email them with feedback
  • The business’s physical address
  • The logo
  • A clear unsubscribe option

That’s a lot to ask of a footer, but clear organization and ample spacing keep it easy to read.

Takeaway: Don’t underestimate the power of a clean and clear design.

Technical tips for email footer design

Keep a few crucial technical considerations in mind when designing a footer.

Compliance

I repeat myself, but you must comply with email marketing legal standards. Include all necessary legal information, such as your company address and an unsubscribe link.

Accessibility

Follow web accessibility standards. Use a font size that is easy to read on both desktop and mobile and choose a color scheme with high contrast so text stands out.

Create alt text for any images in your footer, too. This ensures users with visual impairments can understand your content using screen readers.

Testing

Testing allows you to identify potential issues for readers.

Read a sample email on different devices. Ensure your footer displays and functions well on various screen sizes and check the links to make sure they work.

Overcoming common challenges

Good business email footer examples incorporate solutions to overcome common email marketing challenges.

Address high unsubscribe rates

There will always be a few people who choose to unsubscribe. The worldwide average unsubscribe rate is about 0.2%, but you’re doing fine if you can keep yours at or below 0.5%.

Here’s to use the email footer to combat a high unsubscribe rate:

  • Offer a preference center. A preference center allows subscribers to modify their email preferences instead of opting out completely.
  • Provide value. Use your footer to provide additional value to your subscribers. This could be in the form of useful links, social media buttons, or even a sneak peek into upcoming products or events.
  • Ensure easy unsubscription. Ironically, making it easy for users to unsubscribe lessens the chance they will, giving them a positive impression of your brand.

Enhance email deliverability

Across Constant Contact clients, the average bounce rate is 10.28%, meaning that almost 90% of emails should reach the audience’s inboxes.

Hit or exceed this benchmark with the aid of your email footer. Including necessary legal information in your footer helps you avoid spam filters and reports.

Invite your audience to add you to their list of known contacts to guarantee that your biggest fans will receive your marketing.

Maintain brand consistency across devices

Build trust and awareness. Consistent logos and other style elements should appear in your footer across all emails, reinforcing your brand identity on all devices and with every send.

The significance of email footers

Your footer can play a pivotal role in shaping your brand’s image, building trust with your audience, and ensuring your emails reach their intended recipients.

The best email footer examples end a message with invitations to engage and opportunities to manage email preferences. They impact your brand’s professional reputation with leads and customers.

Take control of yours with a fresh design or update. Cover the essentials, and decide what else to add to provide additional value to your audience.

For more tips on crucial email components, check out these related posts:

Since the invention of electronic mail (commonly known as email), people have been using the technology to send and receive important information from colleagues, humorous chain mail, and personal communications from friends and family.

Today, email is a major avenue for businesses to communicate with existing and potential customers. From welcome emails to reminders about abandoned carts, email keeps subscribers informed and engaged with the brands they love. 

What is email marketing?

Email marketing is a marketing strategy that uses emails to generate measurable returns for your business.

Marketing emails differ in a few ways from a typical email you might send to a relative or coworker.

First, a marketing email is sent to a current or prospective customer. Second, while personal emails are often just relaying information, the goal of a marketing email is always to drive subscriber actions that benefit the business, such as signing up for an event or clicking through to a product page.

You’ll achieve your business goals by delivering value to your readers, often through engaging content, coupons, and exclusive offers.

Finally, while you may send out a personal email and move on immediately, marketing emails should be measured to see if readers are opening them and taking the desired action(s).

Dave Charest lays down the basics of email marketing in this short video. Source: YouTube

Advantages/Benefits of email marketing

One of the top benefits of email marketing is that it helps you to keep in touch with your customers. Whether a simple “Thank you for subscribing,” a cheery “Welcome on board,” or a sincere Happy Birthday email, email is the easiest and most effective way to let your customers know you value them. Customers love it when a business treats them as individuals. 

That value should show in the emails you send, and the more value you provide to your customers, the more they’ll look forward to hearing from you. Getting them to engage with your call to action is more effortless when that happens.

Studies show that email marketing outperforms other digital marketing channels, including social media and paid search. 

1. Boost engagement & loyalty

Email marketing is a powerful tool for boosting engagement and customer loyalty. By delivering personalized content and targeted email marketing campaigns, businesses can capture and keep the attention of recipients — driving higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

In your search to boost engagement through email marketing, you’ll discover the best digital marketing tool to fit your needs includes the ability to automate email marketing campaigns. Automation allows your business to better tailor your customer’s experience with your marketing messages and gives you time back in your schedule. 

Whether your user is extending their subscription or buying a new product, you can leverage email drip campaigns to engage customers during the renewal or new purchase process. Whenever a user leaves an unpurchased product in their cart, use email automation to send an abandoned cart email and let them know the product is still available for purchase. 

2. Promote relevant content

Email marketing opens up a communication line with your subscribers, potential customers, and loyalists to receive content that keeps them up-to-date about what’s happening with your business. As you craft content, you’ll want to provide expert advice, promote a new product line, or share customer testimonials to lend credibility to your brand and reassure your clientele. 

Remember, data is a friend to both your subscribers and your business. When you know where a customer fits into your email cycle, sending them content that’ll interest them and keep them engaged is easy. Email campaigns become especially handy when you are running a small business and have to be strategic about how you spend your time. Try targeting user segments based on which aspects of your service subscribers use most, recent purchases, or behaviors.

3. Help increase brand awareness

Email marketing is a great way to develop your brand identity because it gives you a direct line to customers and potential customers while showcasing your voice, style, and mission. You’ll have an edge over your competitors once you create valuable content for the customer.

Email marketing can also help you gauge subscriber and customer sentiment toward your brand. Use a survey to ask for feedback. Are customers happy with the content you’re providing? Would they like to learn something different?

Once you know what interests them, you’ll know how to provide valuable email content.

4. Boost sales

Email marketing offers equal opportunity to incite impulse purchases and drive careful consideration. Whatever your target audience looks like, you can use email marketing to encourage a first-time buyer to click “add to cart” or a long-time shopper to stay true to your brand.

For new customers, you might consider: 

  1. Product overviews
  2. Expert opinions, awards, and customer testimonials
  3. Discounts and exclusive offers for first-time buyers

To shoot for a repeat customer, try: 

  1. Sending follow-up emails featuring products similar to the purchased product or products bought in tandem
  2. Exclusive content about how to style/use a product (e.g., recipes, design recommendations, etc.) 
  3. Create a special offer or discount for future purchases

What are the types of email marketing?

It’s important for businesses to choose the appropriate type of email marketing based on their goals, target audience, and the desired outcome of the campaign. Here are some common types:

  1. Promotional Emails: These emails promote specific products, services, or offers. They often include discounts, limited-time deals, or special promotions to encourage recipients to make a purchase.
Promotional email from DoorDash
This promotional email from DoorDash offers subscribers five free package deliveries. Image Source: DoorDash
  1. Welcome Emails: Sent to new subscribers or customers, welcome emails aim to introduce the brand, set expectations, and provide valuable information. They can include a warm greeting, a brief company overview, and a call to action to encourage further engagement.
  2. Newsletter Emails: Newsletters are regular emails sent to subscribers to provide updates, news, and valuable content. They can include industry insights, blog articles, product updates, or curated content to keep subscribers informed and engaged.
  3. Abandoned Cart Emails: These emails are triggered when a customer adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase. Abandoned cart emails aim to remind customers of their unfinished purchases, offer incentives, and encourage them to complete the transaction.
Abandoned cart email from PlayStation
This abandoned cart email from PlayStation encourages a potential customer to take action on an abandoned cart. Image Source: PlayStation
  1. Re-engagement Emails: Sent to inactive subscribers, re-engagement emails aim to win back their interest. They can include special offers, personalized recommendations, or surveys to understand their preferences better.
  2. Transactional Emails: These emails are triggered by specific actions or transactions, such as order confirmations, shipping notifications, or password resets. While primarily informative, transactional emails can also include personalized recommendations or cross-sell opportunities.
  3. Event Invitation Emails: Emails sent to invite subscribers to events, webinars, or workshops, these emails provide details about the event, registration links, and any special offers or incentives for attending.
  4. Feedback or Survey Emails: These emails are sent to gather feedback from customers or subscribers. They can include surveys, polls, or feedback forms to collect valuable insights and improve the customer experience.
Miro survey email
This email from Miro asks subscribers to participate in a survey to provide valuable feedback to help them improve their product. Image Source: Miro

Key email marketing stats and cost-effectiveness

Email marketing is relatively cheap. Whether you do it yourself or through an email marketing provider, marketing to hundreds of customers via email will cost you peanuts compared to other advertising channels.

With email marketing, you can send targeted emails based on what you know about your customers – such as likes, dislikes, content preferences, age, location, and buying patterns.

A few key stats

→ Email marketing has an average return of $36 for every dollar spent, so investing in email marketing can have some serious payoffs.

→ On average, abandoned cart emails have a 43.76% open rate, an 8.76% click-through rate, and a conversion rate of 10.7%

According to a 2022 Radicati Group study, there will be more than 4.48 billion email users by the end of 2024. In other words, over half of the people on this planet use email right now.

That sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But think about it: whenever you register with a new website or sign up for an account, you must have an email address. Yes, you can log in with a social media account like Facebook, but you still need an email address to sign up for Facebook.

Email is still the dominant form of communication, and smart businesses use email every day to turn prospects into customers.

What’s more, email results are easy to measure. Constant Contact customers have real-time access to metrics like open rates, clicks, bounces, forwards, social shares and more.

Expert tips to know about email marketing

1. Choose an email marketing service provider

If you’re serious about email marketing, you must work with an email marketing service provider. Working with a provider is the only way your business can leverage email marketing to deliver messages to large groups of contacts or subscribers effectively. You’ll also benefit from professional email templates, automation tools to help you expand, easy ways to manage and grow your email list, and tracking features showing how customers respond to your emails.

2. Gather contacts for your email marketing list

Most businesses have some existing contacts when they start a mailing list. Think of the customers and people you already have a business relationship with. Maybe they’re contacts you email regularly, or you could start with a few supportive friends and family members.

Don’t get discouraged, even if you’re building an email list completely from scratch. Start by putting a paper sign-up sheet near your register, adding an online sign-up form to your website, and encouraging your social media followers and loyal customers to sign up.

Whatever you do, don’t purchase an email list. Email marketing management is all about building and nurturing relationships; connecting with a smaller list of quality contacts is more impactful than blasting out emails to contacts who haven’t consented to receive marketing emails from your business. 

3. Set up your welcome email

The first email a new subscriber should receive is the welcome email. Use your welcome emails to help your business build a relationship with your audience. Connect them to your brand voice, provide valuable content, and offer exclusive deals to set the tone for future customer experiences. 

Consider automating your welcome emails. New subscribers will be added to your welcome email list and receive content in a timely manner. 

4. Write persuasive messages

This tends to be one of the scariest steps for business owners. You don’t want to sound too sales-y or push too hard to get potential customers to buy your products, but at the same time, you want to convert them into paying customers.

When thinking of email marketing campaign ideas, it helps to follow a repeatable process and break your message down into three crucial sections:

  1. Headline: What are you offering?
  2. Message Body: How will it help the reader?
  3. Call to action: What should they do next?

This simple three-step formula helps you stay focused so you can write more effective messages.

5. Use personalization in subject lines

The subject line of your email is one of the first impressions someone gets from your brand, especially when you’re sending them an email for the first time. Using what you already know about the customer should be your first priority while sending email marketing campaigns.

Your subject line should be short and snappy — around 40 characters.

You can draw attention by asking a compelling question, including a deadline to increase urgency, or teasing your message.

6. Focus on customers, not your products

Have you ever received a marketing email that didn’t feel relevant enough? Yeah, that can get a little annoying.

An email cluttered with products or information that doesn’t provide the subscriber with value will cause them to lose interest in your email marketing and unsubscribe from your email list if the issue persists. 

When you’re dividing your readers into segments, make sure to remember what stage of the customer lifecycle they’re in. For example, they’re a new customer or someone who’s left something behind in their cart.

A little extra effort when segmenting emails can go a long way.

7. Preview and test before you send

Make sure the content you’re sending is grammatically correct and free of styling errors. Use the preview function in your email marketing software to view your content, check links and promo codes, and send test emails. Catch errors when it counts so you can provide a high quality email experience for your subscribers. 

8. Track your results

Email marketing doesn’t end with a send. You will want to track your open rate, click-through rate, unsubscribe rates, etc., and work to improve over time.

You need to know which metrics will help you create a perfect email marketing strategy. These aren’t the only indicators of optimal email performance, but they’re a good start. Remember to A/B test different emails with different segments to see what works and what doesn’t.

Learning from these metrics can help you define your goals and answer important questions  like, “Are customers opening my emails?”, “Are they clicking?”, and “Do they care at all?” 

Knowing what works and what doesn’t help you save time, effort, and money.

Start sending your emails with confidence!

Create an email marketing strategy that fits within your budget and helps you to attract new customers. Take the first step by crafting a welcome email to introduce your brand and begin building a relationship with your subscribers. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How should I measure the success of my email marketing campaign? 

While you might be inclined to focus on open rates, it’s not the only metric to look to when you’re measuring the success of your email marketing campaigns. Look to click-through rates and conversions, in addition to open rates, to help you determine if your email marketing campaigns were successful. 

Learn more: Email Marketing Metrics: Measuring Success Beyond Open Rate

How do I make sure my marketing emails avoid ending up in the spam folder?

A couple of factors contribute to a high rate of email deliverability. From sender score to subject lines, you want to make sure your marketing emails are making it into the inbox and staying out of the spam folder. 

Learn more: What is Email Deliverability? 

What’s the best structure for a marketing email? 

Typically every great marketing email has the following elements:

  • A snappy subject line
  • Informative preheader text
  • An eye-catching header image or graphic
  • Company logo
  • Body text
  • Additional graphics or images
  • A call to action with a clickable link 

Find out more about the anatomy of an email on our blog and download our free ebook “How to Create the Perfect Email”.

Building meaningful collaborations with other businesses can help you achieve growth. A partner program is one of the most effective ways to collaborate with others and expand your reach. This strategy involves creating mutually beneficial relationships with other businesses to achieve shared goals and grow your audiences.

Combining your talents and resources with a partner company unlocks new opportunities. Together, you can give customers more value and tap into new markets. This article offers an in-depth look at partner programs and tips to help you get started. 

Introducing partner programs

A partner program is a formal relationship between two or more businesses. These companies agree to work together to achieve common goals. They also draw on each other’s knowledge, resources, and strengths. 

For example, suppose you sell RV accessories. You could ask RV dealerships to carry your accessories at their locations. In exchange, you’ll give them a small percentage of each sale. These collaborations let you reach clients who may not find your business on their own.  

Partner programs offer many benefits, including: 

  • Boosting sales 
  • Expanding into new markets 
  • Getting new revenue sources 
  • Growing your customer base 
  • Increasing leads 
  • Offering new product bundles 
  • Pooling knowledge and resources 
  • Raising brand awareness 

Partnering with another company can also help you grow your business faster. You can tap into their existing customer base instead of starting from scratch. Plus, you can rely on their expertise for a shorter learning curve. 

Types of partner programs 

There are four main types of partner programs. Some companies use all four kinds, but you may only need one or two, depending on your goals. 

1. Integration and technology partnerships

Clients often want all their technology to work together. Integration and technology partnerships can help you meet this demand. These programs combine products or services into one solution to create a more seamless user experience. 

Businesses typically partner with technology companies that offer complementary services. For example, the Salesforce partner program helps companies integrate their programs with the Salesforce platform. 

Salesforce partner program sign-up page
The Salesforce Partner Program is an example of an integration partnership. Image source: Salesforce

You may need to work with your partners to create shared databases, application programming interfaces (APIs), and other interfaces. These tools let you share data and build compatible systems. An experienced integration partner can guide you through this process. 

2. Channel partnerships

A channel partner sells your products and services on your behalf. They receive a cut of the profits for every sale they make. Some people refer to these partnerships as indirect sales. 

Channel partnerships let you expand into new markets with less investment. Your partner will advertise your products and services to their existing clients. That way, you can spend less on marketing. You also won’t need to set up new locations or hire new staff. Instead, you can rely on your partner’s existing resources. 

McDonald's commercial screenshot
A 2017 McDonald’s commercial advertises drinks from its strategic partner, Coca-Cola. Image source: McDonald’s


In 1955, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola formed one of the most famous channel partnerships. McDonald’s agreed to exclusively sell Coca-Cola beverages in all its restaurants. In exchange, Coca-Cola promised not to sell its products to McDonald’s competitors at lower prices. The fast food chain has also operated out of global Coca-Cola offices as it expanded to new regions. 

3. Strategic partnerships

Strategic partnerships are long-term relationships between two companies working toward the same goal. These collaborations can take many forms depending on the partners’ strategies. For example, you could collaborate to develop products or marketing campaigns. Some companies also form community partner programs for charitable causes. 

In 2018, Nike partnered strategically with the nonprofit organization Girls Inc. This group offers services for girls ages six to 18 across the United States and Canada. Nike supports Girls Inc.’s Sporting Chance program to encourage girls to participate in sports and get active. 

4. Brand affiliates

Brand affiliates are individuals who promote your products or services. They typically post ads for your brand on their social media or websites. These ads have tracking links that let you see how many clients visit your website and buy something. You’ll pay a flat fee or commission for every sale or lead your affiliates net.

Affiliate marketing is more informal than channel partnerships. You may have dozens or hundreds of affiliates who share your products. However, they work independently and don’t help companies reach common goals. In other words, they’re short-term contractors, not long-term business partners. 

Tens of thousands of affiliates take part in the Amazon partner program. They share products and earn up to 10% commission from qualifying purchases.

Establishing a successful partner program 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to setting up a partner program. It’s important to tailor your approach to fit the goals and needs of you and your partners. Still, these basic steps can help you create a strong foundation. 

Find the right partners for business growth

In many ways, a partner program is like a marriage. You and your partner have a shared vision for your future and are committed to supporting each other. Your partner can also affect your finances and reputation. That’s why it’s essential to pick your collaborators carefully. 

Ask yourself these questions as you consider potential partners: 

  • Do we have compatible business goals and values? 
  • What is their customer base? 
  • Do they have a positive reputation? 
  • Has this company successfully collaborated with other partners before? 
  • Are they eager to invest time and money into your partnership? 
  • Are they financially stable? 
  • What resources do they have? 
  • Does their staff have strong communication and project management skills? 

Don’t hesitate to turn down partnerships that seem like the wrong fit. Like in marriage, it’s better to hold out for your ideal partner than get stuck in a bad relationship. 

Build win-win relationships

Like any good relationship, a partnership program should benefit both parties. That way, each partner will feel valued and invested in the success of the collaboration. 

Create a win-win scenario by working with your partner to develop shared goals. These goals should fit both businesses’ strategic priorities. 

Examples of shared goals include: 

  • Cross-sell products and services 
  • Improve the customer experience 
  • Expand into new markets 
  • Build brand awareness
  • Organize industry events together
  • Launch a shared marketing campaign 

Develop formal processes

Create formal processes at the beginning of your partnership so everyone is on the same page.

You can start by creating clear communication channels between your businesses. You could choose a point person for your partner to contact if they need information or help. You should also ask for regular progress reports to make sure everyone stays on track to meet your goals.

It’s also essential to standardize procedures and workflows. Work with your partner to create common guidelines and templates, such as standard contracts for new clients and data-sharing policies. 

Additionally, you may need to train your partner so they can represent your business effectively. For instance, you could give them brand guidelines to use in marketing. You could also create an online webinar to teach their sales team how to pitch your products.

Offer ongoing support 

Successful partnerships are long-term investments. You need to offer continuous support if you want your collaboration to thrive. It may be helpful to create a dedicated support team for your partner. You should also help your collaborator overcome challenges and offer resources as needed. 

Planning your partner program

These preliminary steps can help you plan successful collaborations after you’ve found partners. 

Optimize for common customer segments 

Account mapping helps you and your partner compare clients and opportunities. You can use this process to find overlapping customer segments. 

For example, suppose you and your partner have a large audience of teenage girls. You can target this demographic to cross-sell your products and increase sales. 

Define timeframes and revenue expectations

Partnership programs often don’t achieve overnight success. After all, it takes time to build meaningful relationships and develop shared processes. As a result, you may not see success for a year or longer. 

Work with your partner to define clear timeframes and milestones. You can also use predictive analytics software to set revenue expectations. These steps help make sure everyone has realistic expectations for the program. 

Secure executive buy-in 

Executive buy-in ensures you have the time you need to build relationships. Set clear expectations upfront and explain your timeline. You should also give frequent progress reports. These updates will help your leaders understand the value of your partnerships. 

Implementing partner management software 

Partner program software will help you reach your goals and improve your collaborations. 

Constant Contact offers many tools to streamline partnerships:

  • Our Enterprise Program lets you create consistent branding for your partnerships. You can also track performance with our data analytics tools. 
  • Our Business Partner Program lets partners earn revenue or give their clients discounted access to the platform. 
  • Our Agency Program simplifies client management for digital marketing agencies and freelancers. You can develop marketing campaigns, share revenue, and collect data.

Constant Contact’s email marketing automation software lets you communicate with your partners. For instance, you can send regular emails with updates and industry news. You can also create shared email lists to reach clients. 

Building and launching a partner program 

These simple steps can help you turn your partner program from an idea to a reality. 

Defined program structure and goals

Creating shared goals is the first step to developing a successful partnership. These goals could include: 

  • Boosting sales 
  • Generating new leads 
  • Improving customer satisfaction 
  • Building brand authority 
  • Making an impact on the community 
  • Integrating technology 

Your goals can help you determine the best structure for your program. If you want to integrate your software, you might work together to create a shared ecosystem. Or, you might prefer a channel partnership to reach new markets. 

Application processes and terms setting

Some companies allow other businesses to apply to become their partners. This process lets you choose from interested applicants instead of cold-calling potential collaborators. Add an application form to your website for contact information and other details. 

You should also create clear terms for your partners. Be sure to outline expectations, performance metrics, legal requirements, etc.  

Software selection and asset creation

Streamline your collaborations with partner program software. Look for a platform with the features you need. For example, data analytics tools will help you track your performance. 

You’ll also need to gather assets for your partners. These resources could include training programs and branding guidelines. 

Outbound partner search and partner support

Networking can help you find new partners. Consider attending industry conferences and other events to make connections. You could also browse LinkedIn and company websites for leads. 

Finally, you’ll need to support your partners. Offer onboarding so they can learn about your company’s expectations. You can also send regular emails with advice and updates. 

Ensuring a win-win scenario

Work with your partners to create strategies that benefit both of you. Focus on shared goals that help both companies grow. 

Additionally, it’s essential to provide value for your partner. For instance, you could pay a commission for sales from your referral partner program. Or you could promote their brand in your social media and email marketing campaigns.

Finally, you can use case studies as inspiration for your programs. The alliance between Barnes & Noble and Starbucks is one famous success story. Barnes & Noble lets the coffee chain operate inside many of its bookstores. Customers are more likely to read and buy books when they can sip coffee during their visit — meanwhile, Starbucks benefits from increased sales. 

Future directions in partner programs 

Partner programs can help you grow your reach and achieve your goals faster. There are several types of partnerships, including channel and strategic collaborations. Choosing the right structure will help you get the most out of your partnerships. 

Get started by selecting a partner who sells complementary products or services. For example, if you sell workout gear, you could partner with a gym franchise. If you run a small farm, you might collaborate with local restaurants. These partnerships can open new opportunities and connect you with new clients.

I have a love-hate relationship with automation. I do fear the eventual subjugation of humanity to digital overlords — who doesn’t? — but I also love having a personal robot workforce at my command.

One research powerhouse estimates that a fifth of current sales actions could be automated. I suggest we let the robots have those tasks. Quite frankly, they’re never your favorite part of the job.

Leveraging automation properly allows you to spend more of your resources and time on high-level, strategic initiatives for your organization and person-to-person connections. These are the areas where humans win.

The trick is learning to make sales automation work for you. It’s our best defense against the rise of the machine.

Sales automation 101

Sales automation empowers businesses to streamline their sales process, saving time and boosting productivity. It’s not about replacing the human touch in sales but enhancing it with technology.

What is sales automation?

Sales automation is the technology that automates time-consuming and repetitive tasks in the sales process. This can include things like:

  • Sending follow-up emails
  • Lead scoring
  • Scheduling meetings
  • Tracking customer interactions
  • Managing contact information
  • Generating analytics and reports
  • Personalizing outreach and marketing content

These tools free salespeople to focus on what they do best — building relationships and closing deals.

How sales automation works

First of all, sales automation software should be part of — or seamlessly integrate with — your existing customer relationship management (CRM) system so it can gather and consolidate valuable data from various sources.

The software takes over routine tasks by automating them based on pre-set rules or triggers. This eliminates the need for manual intervention and saves valuable time and effort.

As the software completes sales tasks, it continues to examine the gathered data and provides comprehensive analysis and insights. It can identify both larger trends and individual customer behaviors.

Armed with these insights, you can optimize your in-person sales process or even program the software to take automatic advantage of them.

What does sales automation look like?

Consider the case of a business that sells software-as-a-service (SaaS) products. In the traditional sales process, the sales team would have to manually sort through numerous leads, send individual follow-up emails, schedule appointments, and keep track of customer interactions.

Sales automation streamlines this process. When a potential customer fills out a form on the company’s website, the sales automation system can automatically score the lead based on the information they provide, such as their company size, industry, and the specific product of interest.

Depending on the lead score, the system could trigger an automatic follow-up email or schedule a meeting between the prospective customer and a sales representative. It tracks and logs interactions in your CRM, providing a clear and comprehensive view of the customer journey.

How sales automation differs from traditional sales methods

Sales process automation is a game-changer. It increases your efficiency and saves time. The software completes routine tasks faster and more accurately while providing data-driven insights. As a result, you can make stronger sales and marketing choices.

It also benefits customers by increasing the amount of personalization you can provide throughout the sales funnel. AI enables targeted marketing and sales offerings based on individual behaviors and preferences.

But the goal of sales automation isn’t to turn your business into a robotic operation. It’s about freeing up your team’s time to focus on building relationships and closing deals.

Why businesses are adopting sales automation solutions

35% of companies surveyed by IBM already use AI and automation solutions, and 42% are exploring the possibility.

Sales teams have embraced automation solutions to:

  • Increase productivity. Software can assume the responsibility for sales activities, allowing businesses to make the most of their digital resources and decide when human intervention is necessary.
  • Save time. Automation cuts down on the errors or delays associated with manual tasks.
  • Accelerate sales. Timely follow-ups, personalized communication, and streamlined sales processes lead to quicker conversions.
  • Secure more reliable data. A key advantage of sales automation is consistent data. No more jumbled numbers or missing information. Everything is organized and easily accessible.
  • Grow. By using the software’s valuable insights to optimize sales pipeline management, businesses position themselves to grow.
  • Scale. Sales automation is easily scalable in a way that manpower isn’t. As your business scales, automation software adapts to the increased volume without compromising quality.

Automation tools that use generative AI can even create new content like emails, call summaries, and sales reports. 90% of commercial leaders expect to utilize generative AI solutions “often” over the next two years, and those that currently invest are realizing 3% to 15% more revenue.

Types of sales automation

Successful sales managers often have deep tech stacks. In addition to sales marketing automation, which uses software to automate lead nurturing and follow-up, there are automated solutions to aid all parts of your sales cycles.

Prospecting

Prospecting is the initial stage of the sales process where you identify potential customers or leads. Sales automation can take a lot of the legwork out of this process.

Common prospecting methods include:

  • Cold calls
  • Email outreach
  • Social selling to social media connections
  • Networking events

Automated prospecting tools use AI to scan networks, gathering data about potential leads based on your specified criteria, such as job title or location.

Automated prospecting tools

If you’re tired of your current prospecting strategies, you might give one of these solutions a try:

  • LinkedIn Sales Navigator. This in-platform tool helps you find better prospects faster with features like advanced search and lead recommendations.
  • Kaspr. This is a freemium tool that helps you find the right contact information for people and organize prospects into lists. There’s an available LinkedIn extension.
  • Growbots. Growbots has a huge, proprietary database available to higher-level plans. It can provide you with new leads and contact them with automated cold emailing.
  • Uplead. Uplead also provides access to millions of business contacts worldwide, complete with verified email addresses. One of its selling points is access to intent data, which helps you identify when parties are most likely to buy.
Kaspr plugin screenshot
Kaspr is an easy-to-use plug-in that lets you get the most out of your LinkedIn, Sales Nav, Recruiter Lite, and more. Get accurate contact information for your most promising leads. Image source: Kaspr

Lead enrichment

Lead enrichment is the process of adding more detailed information to each lead. This could include data like a lead’s company size, industry, or even personal interests.

For instance, if you’re a B2B company selling eco-friendly office supplies, knowing a lead’s company size and their commitment to sustainability will help you tailor your pitch to their specific needs and values.

Automated lead enrichment tools

To help you build out lead and customer profiles, try one of these solutions:

  • FullContact. In addition to enriching your data, FullContact helps you recognize customers across platforms, creating a more holistic customer journey.
  • ZoomInfo. This tool provides in-depth information about potential leads that you can use to automate different sales flows. For example, you might want to reach out on social media or connect someone with a sales representative.
FullContact screenshot
FullContact helps you to organize and populate incredibly detailed profiles with ease. Find all the information you need to enrich your contact database and connect with more promising leads. Image source: FullContact

CRM data entry

CRM systems are crucial for tracking interactions with current and potential customers. Manual data entry into these systems can be both time-consuming and prone to errors, but keeping a CRM current is one of the most important tasks for a sales representative. In a typical week, top-performing sellers spend 18% more time than average-selling reps updating their CRM systems.

Automation tools can capture and input data from emails, calls, and social media into your CRM. This leaves your sales team free to focus on building relationships instead of wrestling with spreadsheets.

For example, a real estate agency could use these tools to automatically update client information after each interaction, making it so every agent has the most up-to-date information.

Automated CRM data entry tools

If data entry has the same negative effect on you as it does on me, check out one of these options:

  • Magical. Magical is a productivity app you can add to Google Chrome for free. It uses AI to fill out forms based on data from other open tabs.
  • Docparser. Docparser helps you mine business documents. It can extract data from Word, PDF, and image files. It then sends the data to your CRM of choice.
  • Parseur. Parseur is another AI data extraction tool. One of its niftier features is its custom ability to work with Google Alerts emails.
Parseur screenshot
Parseur allows you to develop templates for data extraction, telling the AI tool exactly what fields you want to extract from a document. Image source: Parseur

Meeting scheduling

Coordinating calendars to schedule meetings or calls can be a logistical nightmare, particularly when you need to interact with long lists of clients and leads. Automation tools streamline this process by allowing leads to book meetings directly into your calendar.

Let’s say you’re a business consultant. Sales automation lets you skip all the back-and-forth emails trying to find a mutually convenient time. Instead, your clients can see your availability and immediately book a time that works best for them.

Automated meeting scheduling tools

If you’re looking for a tool to act as the personal assistant for you or your team, try one of these:

  • Calendly. Calendly allows leads to book meetings directly into your calendar. You can also easily share availability and allow people to choose from times pasted on a web page or in an email.
  • Doodle. Doodle is a scheduling app best known for its easy group scheduling features. Easily create and distribute polls to find the perfect time to meet.
Calendly screenshot
Calendly makes it easy to share booking links and availability through multiple channels including social media and email. Image source: Calendly

Sales analytics

Finally, sales analytics is about using data to drive sales strategy. With sales automation, you can automatically track and analyze key metrics like conversion rates, deal size, and sales cycle length.

You can also coach human representatives with AI feedback on sales conversations. Then, it’s easy to identify the interaction strategies that result in a sale.

Automated sales analytics tools

Examine your biggest wins and opportunities for improvement with one of these tools:

  • Zoom. Zoom has become a common verb for video conferencing, but the company also offers AI sales solutions. Its conversation intelligence analyzes sales call transcripts and provides actionable feedback on the messages and tactics that work.
  • Gong. Gong incorporates functions for outreach, lead enrichment, and data entry, but it truly excels when it comes to analytics. Use it to project future engagement or evaluate your sales reports against available intelligence on your competitors.
Zoom screenshot
Zoom’s analytics break down your sales interactions. Did you strike the right balance between talking and listening? What was the overall tone of your communication? How much time was spent on value-adding, substantive conversation? Image source: Zoom

Benefits of sales automation

I’ve touched on some of these benefits already, but let’s get into some more detail. Below are the key gains automation can bring to sales leads and other representatives.

Increased efficiency and productivity

First up, sales automation is an incredible productivity booster. It saves individuals time (and headaches) associated with repetitive tasks. That way, you can dedicate yourself to more strategic, high-level initiatives.

Software is also better than humans at tasks such as data entry. The two biggest data challenges sellers face are incomplete data and inaccurate, out-of-date data.

Automation lets you perform simple actions with perfect consistency. It ensures every task is executed in the same way every time, reducing errors.

Moreover, no matter how speedy you might be, automation is faster. After all, it gets things done…automatically.

Improved sales performance

Automation is one of the best solutions for people wondering how to increase sales.

Turbocharge your sales performance by making data-driven decisions about your outreach. You can even adjust sales pitches in real time with thorough, current analytics.

Speed up your business’s replies, too. People now expect to hear back from a brand within a day or less, which is a hard deadline to meet during crunch times.

Writerbay recruitment message
Sales automation tools let you bring the same level of personalization to sales outreach on LinkedIn that human resources professionals use in this kind of cold message. Image source: Writerbay

Reduced costs

Automation reduces labor costs and the need for additional personnel. Plus, you’ll be able to utilize all of your resources more efficiently by keeping track of hours, inventory, and information.

You can also automate business operations that aren’t directly tied to sales. For example, today’s onboarding applications enable new employees to get up to speed efficiently and effectively.

Improved customer satisfaction

Automation ensures prompt follow-up emails and keeps your response time low, which leads to more engaged customers.

Today’s consumers increasingly demand personalized interactions with brands. Use detailed customer data to tailor your sales approach. A fitness company, for example, could personalize workout plans based on each client’s goals, or a coffee shop could recommend drinks based on previous orders.

Strategies for effective sales automation

To reap the full benefits of sales automation, you need to approach it strategically. Here are some tips for implementing an effective sales automation strategy.

Define your goals

First, determine what you want to achieve with sales automation. Are you looking to increase efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, or boost sales performance?

When setting objectives, make sure to set SMART goals that are:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Relevant
  • Time-bound

Setting clear, measurable goals to be accomplished during a specific time period allows you to track your progress more meaningfully.

Choose the right tools

Sales automation tools come in so many shapes and sizes that it’s important to carefully sift through them to find the right ones for you.

Your tools should align with your goals. Think about where you want your army of robot assistants to intervene in your current sales process, and pick software that answers the need.

Price and ease of use matter, too. Determine your budget and try to find tools with free versions or free trials. You’re much less likely to experience buyer’s remorse that way.

Personalize your outreach

Use historical data to personalize outreach to current clients and customers. For example, a clothing store could use purchase history data to recommend items that would suit each customer’s style.

You can also use identified interests and demographics to tweak your approach when interacting with leads. The more detailed a profile you have, the better.

Only send prospects content and offers likely to be of interest to them. For marketing campaigns, you can segment your audience based on shared characteristics.

Leverage sales automation in conjunction with your marketing strategies

Sales automation can elevate your business processes and improve your bottom line. That’s why it’s quickly becoming an operational necessity in today’s competitive business environment.

If you’re looking to get started with sales automation, the first step is to define your goals clearly. Is your priority to streamline processes, improve customer relations, or boost sales performance?

Then, you can get your sales and marketing automation working together to deliver more personalized outreach and perfectly timed pitches. Sales and marketing were made to go together — and so are their tools.

Remember, the goal isn’t to beat the robot army, but to harness it. Let automation turn you into a commander of sales forces. Then go forth and conquer.

Marketing and sales platform comparison guide from Constant Contact
Download our comparison guide to help you select the right marketing and sales automation platform for your business. Source: Constant Contact

It’s no secret that personalization has become central to marketing. I’m always happy to get a birthday coupon or product recommendations that fit my interests. However, it can be hard to build personal relationships with other companies. You might struggle to attract leads or connect with decision-makers.  

That’s where account-based marketing (ABM) comes in. This business-to-business (B2B) marketing strategy targets specific accounts. It lets you focus on reeling in a few big fish instead of trying to lure as many fish as possible into your net. That way, you can develop personal partnerships with high-value accounts. 

ABM may sound intimidating if you’re used to attracting leads organically. However, adding this strategy to your marketing toolkit can help you increase sales. This guide covers everything you need to know about ABM solutions. Read on to learn about ABM benefits, frameworks, and tools. 

Understanding account-based marketing (ABM)

What is account-based marketing? This strategy focuses on marketing to specific businesses. Marketers create tailored content for each account, such as personalized landing pages. They use this content to grab the attention of key decision-makers. 

Suppose your company sells menu software to hospitals. You could use market research to find hospital systems that don’t use this technology. Next, you’ll create personalized content for each account to highlight the value of your product. For example, you could host a private software demonstration for their key decision-makers. You could also share testimonials from similar hospitals that use your software. 

ABM is effective because it reverses the conventional marketing funnel. Traditionally, marketers created content for broad audiences to attract leads. For example, creating a blog post about a common pain point and hoping potential customers find it. But many of these leads don’t become paying customers. ABM streamlines marketing by targeting specific accounts from the get-go. 

Types of account-based marketing (ABM) solutions   

According to Momentum ITSMA, there are three types of ABM programs

  1. Programmatic ABM uses technology to personalize marketing for many accounts. Marketers aim to generate new leads and repurpose content for each account. Programmatic ABM often involves email marketing, direct mail, and blogs. 
  2. ABM Lite involves marketers creating lightly customized content for groups of similar accounts. This method focuses on developing relationships and identifying opportunities. Common tactics include email marketing, one-on-one meetings, and executive engagement plans. 
  3. Strategic ABM involves creating custom content for individual accounts. Each marketer focuses on building relationships with one to four accounts. Key tactics include private events, thought leadership content, and one-on-one meetings.

A brief history of ABM 

ABM is a relatively new marketing method dating back to the 1990s when B2B companies realized they needed to provide more personalized buying experiences. As a result, some businesses started to focus on one-to-one marketing techniques. But this approach didn’t catch on with most marketers at first. In fact, the term “account-based marketing” didn’t even appear in Google Trends until 2013.

Despite this slow start, ABM has exploded in popularity in recent years. It’s easy to see the appeal. This approach is one of the best ways to engage key decision-makers. It can also save money and time by allowing marketers to target specific accounts. 

Benefits of account-based marketing

Here are nine benefits of creating an account-based marketing (ABM) program.  

1. Align marketing and sales (“smarketing”)

Many businesses have separate marketing and sales departments. ABM lets you combine these areas to make the most impact. Marketers and sales professionals can work together to choose the best target accounts. They can also use their expertise to create the most effective content for each audience. 

2. Maximize relevance to high-value accounts

Companies may get dozens of sales calls and emails a month. Most of this content won’t be relevant to their challenges and needs. You can stand out from the crowd with value-based marketing. Focus on creating personal content that speaks to every account’s specific pain points and goals. 

3. Create consistent customer experiences

ABM lets you develop relevant and specific messaging for every account. This approach helps your marketing and sales teams collaborate more effectively. That way, customers have a consistent experience when interacting with your company.

4. Measure return on investment

Measuring the impact of traditional inbound marketing can be challenging. You might wonder if your emails and social media posts attract leads. Measuring ABM’s return on investment (ROI) is more straightforward. You only need to track a few metrics, such as account engagement and revenue. This immediate feedback also lets you adjust your approach quickly.

5. Streamline the sales cycle

Simplify your sales cycle with ABM. You won’t need to write dozens of blog posts or cold email every company in your industry. Instead, you can focus on a handful of accounts that may become paying customers. This process boosts efficiency and can lead to faster sales. 

6. Expand business through account relationships

ABM lets you build deep and meaningful relationships with every account. You’ll learn about their goals, pain points, and values. This personalized knowledge helps businesses see you as a long-term, trustworthy partner. They may even recommend your company to other accounts with similar needs. As your relationships flourish, so will your business.

7. Make more efficient use of your marketing budget

Because ABM prioritizes quality over quantity, you can maximize your marketing budget with this approach. You’ll invest your resources into crafting tailored content for several high-value accounts. This strategy costs less than mass-producing content for hundreds of leads. 

8. Create successful sales conversions

According to a Momentum ITSMA survey, 76% of marketers had a higher ROI when they used ABM than other methods. Target accounts are more likely to convert to sales when you personalize interactions. ABM also lets marketing and sales teams unite their talents, boosting their effectiveness. 

9. Improve the buying and customer experience

AMB takes the buying and customer experience to the next level. You give accounts customized and relevant content that fits their needs, delivering the most value and engagement. 

Account-based marketing framework and strategy

Creating an account-based marketing strategy doesn’t have to be stressful. Follow this simple framework to get started. 

Marketing-sales alignment

Bring together your sales and marketing teams to develop your ABM strategy. The teams should create common goals and ideal customer profiles. This planning phase ensures everyone is on the same page.

Account qualification

The sales and marketing team should work together to define a “high-value account.” This step will help you identify the best target accounts to begin your ABM strategy. Consider these factors: 

  • Revenue potential 
  • Spending patterns 
  • Opportunities to offer extra products and services in the future 
  • Relationships with competitors 

Go-to-market approach

Sketch out your go-to-market approach before you contact potential customers. This preliminary step lets you map out how a new account would move through your sales process. You can use this plan to find and fix problems beforehand. For example, you may notice that your plan doesn’t include a product demonstration and add that step. 

Securing organizational ABM alignment

Set yourself up for success by getting the full support of your organization. Get leaders on board by explaining the benefits of ABM and how it fits the company’s goals. You should also clearly communicate the strategy to everyone who interacts with accounts. This may include account managers, customer service representatives, and other client-facing employees. 

Building an ABM team

Start with a small ABM task force that includes marketers and salespeople. This team will develop outreach strategies and create personalized content. They’ll also build relationships with accounts. 

Researching and identifying target accounts

Conduct market research to find the best target accounts. Look for companies with pain points you can solve. You can also analyze your competitors to find gaps in the market. 

Additionally, you could review your existing leads for potential targets. Maybe a company has sent a representative to one of your webinars but hasn’t bought anything yet. They could be an excellent target for ABM. 

Research and rank prospects within target accounts

Depending on your market, you may find dozens of potential target accounts. Create a ranked list so you can focus on the best options. Consider revenue potential, scalability, and any pre-existing relationships you have with the companies. Then, choose one or two of the highest-ranking accounts to launch your ABM program. As you gain confidence, you can work your way down the list. 

Creating personalized content

Developing a steady stream of personalized content for your accounts is essential. Identify key decision-holders and brainstorm content that will add value to their lives. This content could include educational resources, case studies, personal emails, and more. 

You should also research the best ways to share content with your audience. Younger professionals may prefer a blend of social media and email marketing. Meanwhile, seasoned executives may enjoy listening to a thought leadership podcast. 

Measuring and analyzing ABM results

Analyzing these metrics can help you measure the success of your ABM strategy: 

  • Account-level engagement 
  • Revenue from target accounts 
  • Click-through rates 
  • Customer lifetime value 

Account-based marketing tactics

You can use many tactics to improve your B2B account-based marketing strategy, including: 

  • Customize your value proposition for each account
  • Create custom content to engage different stakeholders in an organization
  • Design personalized landing pages with custom content and calls-to-action
  • Use social media platforms to engage with target accounts 
  • Tailor paid advertisements for key decision-makers 
  • Organize exclusive conferences, webinars, and other events 
  • Craft targeted content for each account 

Essential ABM tools and technologies

An ABM platform can help you personalize content and build relationships. Look for tools that fit your budget and scale to your ABM program. 

Constant Contact is an affordable and comprehensive ABM solution. This platform helps users create email marketing campaigns, landing pages, and other content. It also has advanced features, such as behavior-based marketing automation.

You should also choose a customer relationship management (CRM) platform like Constant Contact. This software allows you to manage deals, organize contact information, and more.

Real-world examples of account-based marketing

HealthLink Dimensions advertisement created with Acclaro.
A HealthLink Dimensions advertisement targeting healthcare providers. Image source: Acclaro

Researching ABM success stories can help you develop your strategy and gain inspiration. Here are two case studies: 

  • HealthLink Dimensions: HealthLink Dimensions and Acclaro developed advertisements tailored to healthcare providers. Their ABM strategy grew HealthLink Dimensions’ new customer pipeline by 234%
  • Henkel: The adhesives manufacturer launched an ABM program targeting Cisco. They designed bespoke web platforms for Cisco accounts and contacted 800 decision-makers. This campaign led to four new sales opportunities.

LinkedIn’s role in account-based marketing

LinkedIn company targeting graphic
LinkedIn’s Company Targeting offers many benefits for B2B companies. Image source: LinkedIn 

LinkedIn can help you identify and connect with key decision-makers at target accounts. Additionally, the Company Targeting feature lets you run ABM campaigns. You can upload a list of target companies and design tailored advertisements. 

Challenges and considerations

B2B companies often struggle to adapt their ABM strategies for different sectors. For example, your marketing team might excel at picking target accounts and personalizing content. However, your customer service representatives may struggle to understand each account’s needs. Clear communication can help you bridge the gap between these sectors and align your team. 

It’s also challenging to personalize content for multiple accounts. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools can speed up content generation. You can also outsource some of the production to freelancers or content agencies. 

Future of ABM: Trends and predictions

Expect more exciting developments in account-based marketing as technology continues to develop. Marketers have already begun using AI-powered tools to generate and tailor content. As these platforms become more sophisticated, marketers can create hyper-personalized content. 

Additionally, companies will increasingly expand their ABM efforts across many channels. You could leverage email, social media, and in-person interactions at the same time. This multi-pronged approach can help you make the most significant impact. 

Elevate your business with ABM best practices

Account-based marketing has taken the B2B world by storm. This approach lets you focus on building relationships with high-value accounts. You can create highly personalized content demonstrating how you’ll meet their needs. It’s one of the best ways to establish trust and attract loyal customers. 

Try ABM by picking one target company. Identify a few key decision-makers and generate personal content for them. For instance, you could create an email newsletter addressing specific challenges they face. From there, you can slowly build your ABM campaign as you gain experience and pinpoint the most effective tactics.

presented by Constant Contact featured partner CharityHowTo

Nonprofit organizations face unique challenges– mainly time and resources– in their mission to make a positive impact on communities. With many nonprofit staff and volunteers coming from varying backgrounds and wearing different hats, ongoing training and education can make a huge difference– but those limited resources can hinder the ability to prioritize that education. 

By partnering with reputable educational sources, nonprofits can equip their staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate complexities, stay ahead of emerging trends, and deliver meaningful change. This empowers organizations to optimize operations, improve decision-making, enhance program outcomes, and attract top talent. 

Moreover, investing in staff development demonstrates a commitment to professional growth, boosting employee morale, productivity, and overall organizational success. By recognizing the importance of training and education, nonprofits can overcome obstacles and thrive in an ever-changing landscape, ultimately achieving their goals and making a lasting difference.

Here are a few ways we are trying to solve this problem at CharityHowTo, along with Constant Contact, and the benefits that nonprofits can achieve.

CharityHowTo resources for your nonprofit 

At CharityHowTo, our mission is to make online ongoing education accessible. We aim to assist nonprofits in nonprofit management, marketing, and fundraising  without demanding significant time or financial resources. Through our experience and continuous feedback from nonprofits we collaborate with, we have discovered that these various educational tools and resources have proven helpful to nonprofit professionals:

Expert, educational courses: CharityHowTo offers a diverse range of courses taught by experienced instructors who are industry experts in the nonprofit sector. With dozens of topics and hundreds of courses, professionals can find relevant training to meet their specific goals, whether it’s career growth, fundraising, marketing, or other areas. The platform’s commitment to featuring instructors with real-world experience ensures that learners receive high-quality guidance and practical knowledge that can be applied directly to their work.

Education that fits your style and pace: We provide a learning experience that caters to your unique style through a combination of on-demand offerings and interactive learning. With our on-demand training programs, you have the flexibility to access content at your convenience, allowing you to learn at your own pace and fit it into your busy schedule. Additionally, the inclusion of live webinars, Q&A sessions, and workshops creates an interactive learning environment where you can engage directly with instructors and peers. This not only enhances the learning experience but also promotes knowledge-sharing and collaboration, ensuring that you get the most out of your professional development journey.

Certifications and credits: Official credits and certifications add credibility to nonprofit professionals’ expertise and commitment to ongoing learning. As a recognized provider of CFRE Continuing Education Credits, CharityHowTo allows professionals in the nonprofit sector to earn credits that demonstrate their dedication to staying up-to-date with industry best practices. This recognition not only enhances their professional profile but also validates their knowledge and skills.

In addition to these CFRE credits, we’ve also introduced certification programs in key areas such as grant writing, social media, marketing, and fundraising, and more. These programs provide professionals with the chance to gain specialized expertise and credentials in their chosen field, further enhancing their professional development and career prospects. Moreover, we offer a Certificate of Competency that helps our learners showcase their achievements as they progress through courses. This recognition of competency can be displayed on platforms like LinkedIn, providing professionals with tangible proof of their skills and knowledge and boosting the nonprofit’s brand and visibility. 

Technological innovation: While it’s important that nonprofit professionals stay innovative and up-to-date with cutting-edge technology, this can be a huge challenge given time and financial constraints. Through our partnership with NonprofitOS, we provide access to AI-powered content creation tools tailored specifically to the nonprofit sector. This empowers organizations to enhance the effectiveness of their communication and fundraising efforts by using cutting-edge technology, marrying efficiency and advancement. 

Live and On-Demand Nonprofit Software Demos: At NonprofitLibrary, a CharityHowTo partner, nonprofit professionals can view both live and on-demand nonprofits software demonstrations without getting on the sales and marketing list. These nonprofit tech companies of all sizes present live and streaming overviews of their platform, and if the nonprofit professional loves it they can opt-in to learn more.  The nonprofits registration information is never shared with the presenting company.  

The CharityHowTo Partners Network also offers additional resources and services through collaborations with other brands, further expanding the range of benefits available to nonprofit professionals.  At Nonprofit Apps, nonprofit professionals read about software, apps and reviews for all things tech in the nonprofit sector.   Finally, Nonprofit Discounts provides discounts and special offers for nonprofit organizations! 

Digital marketing education with Constant Contact

Of course, our email marketing partner, Constant Contact, also provides a number of educational resources and opportunities specifically aimed at helping nonprofits achieve marketing excellence, including: 

The Constant Contact blog: The Constant Contact blog offers thousands of articles on digital marketing best practices, including a large number specifically dedicated to nonprofit organizations. You can learn about everything from email segmentation to SMS text message marketing, all specific to the unique needs and challenges of nonprofits. 

Monthly webinars: Constant Contact’s monthly thought leadership webinars cover a wide range of topics, from building your email list to ensuring your emails get delivered each time. Plus, you can browse their library of on-demand webinars to see what you might have missed out on.

Live onboarding webinars: The Constant Contact team offers a large number of how-to webinars, demonstrating with step-by-step instructions and live experts how to get the most out of Constant Contact. Register for any one of multiple dates to learn how to create and send your first email, segment your email list, manage your events, and more.

Constant Contact Community: For Constant Contact customers, the Community is a great opportunity for customers to connect with one another, share marketing experience, and learn from the real-world experience of their peers. Plus, get nonprofit-specific advice, resources, and networking opportunities in the Constant Contact Nonprofit Group.

How continued education boosts your brand

In the competitive landscape of the nonprofit sector, building a strong brand is crucial for success. While many organizations are looking for ways to boost their brand visibility and reputation, training and education are often overlooked as opportunities to do just that. Here are a few of the ways that a well-trained and continually educated nonprofit staff can see benefits to their brand:

Staff credibility and reputation: The credibility and reputation of your nonprofit’s staff play a vital role in shaping your brand image. Investing in training and education programs for your employees not only enhances their skills and knowledge but also boosts their confidence and professionalism. Well-trained staff members are more likely to inspire trust and credibility among donors, partners, and the community at large. By showcasing the expertise and dedication of your team, you can establish your nonprofit as a reliable and reputable organization.

Social media awareness and visibility: In today’s digital age, social media has become a powerful tool for brand building. Training your staff on effective social media strategies can significantly increase your nonprofit’s online presence and visibility. By leveraging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you can engage with your target audience, share impactful stories, and promote your mission. Well-trained staff members can create compelling content, interact with followers, and effectively manage your nonprofit’s social media accounts, ultimately strengthening your brand’s online reputation. Plus, touting your staff’s ongoing educational efforts makes for great social media content!

Strategic thinking and performance: Training and education programs can foster strategic thinking among your staff, enabling them to make informed decisions and drive your nonprofit’s performance. By equipping your team with the necessary skills and knowledge, you empower them to identify opportunities, overcome challenges, and develop innovative solutions. Strategic thinking not only enhances your organization’s efficiency but also positions your nonprofit as a thought leader in your field. This reputation for strategic excellence can attract donors, partners, and volunteers who align with your mission and vision.

Investing in and taking advantage of available training and education opportunities purpose-built for nonprofit professionals can boost your nonprofit’s brand– and bottom line. By building your staff’s credibility and knowledge, you can establish your organization as a trusted and influential force in the nonprofit sector. Training your staff not only enhances their skills but also empowers them to effectively communicate your mission, engage with stakeholders, and drive meaningful change. Embrace the power of training and education to elevate your nonprofit’s brand and make a lasting impact on the communities you serve.

About CharityHowTo

CharityHowTo is the premier online learning center for nonprofit professionals around the world. Our nonprofit webinar topics include virtual events, social media, grant writing, Nonprofit marketing, board management, online fundraising, and much more. 

CharityHowTo is deeply committed to providing affordable and accessible education and professional development opportunities. They understand the financial constraints faced by individuals and organizations in the nonprofit sector. To address this, CharityHowTo offers significant savings for members through their membership program, making their courses and workshops more accessible to a wider audience. Additionally, The CharityHowTo Small Nonprofit Discount Program enables applicants to save up to 50% on everything including membership, online classes and online workshops, and their relationship with Nonprofit Discounts helps to further nonprofit organizations’ savings and better utilize their budgets.

For any successful business, client management is not an option — it’s a priority. McKinsey & Company found that across industries, customer experience leaders experience double the growth compared to their peers.

Client management refers to managing customer and client relationships for a business organization. Successful client management results in happy, loyal customers who return to the company whenever they need its products or services.

Typically, the people in charge of client management within an organization work in sales, customer service, or marketing roles. Client managers oversee, build, develop, and strengthen relationships with customers. They design and implement customer relationship development strategies to connect with the organization’s clients over the long term. 

With effective client management, you not only ensure your clients are happy but also deepen those relationships to help your business grow.

The importance of effective client management

Client management is imperative for any company that wants to build a reliable, dedicated customer base. When you develop strong relationships with clients, they’re less likely to turn to your competitors when they need products or services you sell. Instead, they’ll stick with your organization, boosting your revenue and allowing you to meet financial objectives. 

Satisfied customers will tell their friends, colleagues, and family about their experience with your organization, getting you more clients and generating additional sales. Plus, you’ll develop a positive reputation within your industry.

Core principles of client management

To develop solid client relationships, you must first understand your customer’s needs. When you know what your clients want from your organization, you can develop a comprehensive management strategy.

Setting realistic expectations

Not all clients will stick with your company for the long term. That’s true for any organization. There are some aspects of a customer’s decision-making process you can’t control, no matter how hard you work to strengthen relationships or meet a client’s needs.

For instance, assume you sell toddler clothing through an e-commerce website. Your clients are adults with young children. Once their kids outgrow the clothes you sell, they’ll stop buying from you. They no longer require your products, but that doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate your business. With effective client management, however, you can get them to refer your business to other new parents they know.

It’s essential to set an attainable goal for your client retention and management efforts. While 100% retention probably isn’t realistic, 50% might be. Reasonable expectations depend on your business model and industry. You might set initial benchmarks and work toward meeting them.

Value of honesty and transparency

Customers value honesty and authenticity. A Harris Poll survey found that 82% of customers want a brand’s values to match theirs.

It’s essential to reach them where it counts — in their minds and hearts. Try to avoid spammy messages and cold calls that frustrate buyers and turn them away from your company. Instead, keep their needs in mind and ensure your messages provide something they value, like:

  • Helpful information
  • Enjoyable content
  • Product updates
  • Company news
  • Sales or discount coupons

Consistent and fast communication

Whenever a customer contacts your company directly, they usually have a pressing need they want you to address. Have a system in place so you can always respond to customer inquiries quickly and efficiently. For example, you might set up a dedicated customer service line or a team to reply to incoming client emails. Promptly responding to client requests will help you sustain customer relationships.

Understanding your client’s needs

Think about prior positive experiences with your customers. What did you provide them that made them happy with their purchase? Did they love the products or services you offered? Did you help them through the buying process, ensuring they found a suitable item to address their needs? Were your follow-ups sincere and helpful?

When you know what your customers want, it’s easier to identify ways to meet their needs. Of course, every client is different, so consider segmenting your customer base according to various factors, like:

  • Demographics
  • Location
  • Interests
  • Purchase history

That way, you can identify differing customer needs across your audience.

Read now: Best Practices for Email List Segmentation

Building trust with your clients

Find ways to demonstrate your company’s trustworthiness and credibility. Doing so will make establishing connections with your customers more straightforward, which you can build on over time. For instance, you might showcase prior customer testimonials or reviews to show how much previous clients enjoyed your products. When new clients see that others enjoy your services, they’ll be more likely to trust what you offer.

Measuring success in client management

Establish key productivity indicators (KPIs) to evaluate your client management efforts. Some examples of CRM metrics include:

  • Email click-through rates
  • Sales conversions
  • Customer service ratings
  • Funnel drop-off rates

You can set benchmark client management KPIs and track your results against your goals. 

Focusing on long-term goals

While accomplishing short-term objectives is great, it’s also a good idea to set some long-term goals for your client management efforts. Define what’s important to your company and work to meet your target over the next year, five years, or ten years. For example, you might aim to increase client retention by 10% or attain a number of five-star customer reviews. 

Read now: Achievable Goal-Setting Tips for Marketing Agencies

Client management skills

Certain qualities can help you achieve your customer management objectives. 

Universal skills for successful client management skills

No matter what industry your company is in, there are a few ubiquitous traits that are beneficial for client management. 

Active listening and responsiveness

Customers want you to hear and understand their needs. Listen to what they tell you rather than assuming you know what they want. Take notes of their concerns and pain points, and truly engage in the conversation. Ask questions if you’re unsure of what they’re saying. 

Keep in mind that when a customer communicates directly with your company, they expect a quick response. Set processes in place to answer client phone calls, emails, and other messages within a short timeframe.

Problem-solving and creativity

When addressing a customer’s inquiries, put your problem-solving and creativity skills to work. Understand their issue and identify ways to resolve it without friction. 

For instance, say your client placed an order with your local shop, but it arrived late. They call you and express their dissatisfaction. If your store is within a reasonable distance, you could assign a team member to hand-deliver the item immediately and provide them a gift or special discount for the inconvenience. That would help you repair any damage to your client relationship and encourage them to return next time they need your products.

Negotiation and patience

Not every customer encounter will be pleasant. Sometimes, clients may express frustration, make impolite comments, or treat you poorly despite your best efforts to meet their needs. If you’re dealing with a difficult customer, maintain your cool and keep your client management goals in mind. Try to negotiate with them or explain your policies so they understand. 

Strategies for managing client relationships

Here are a few ways you can build and develop strong client relationships.

Strategic communication and follow-ups

Any time a customer browses your store or inquires about your services, use it as an opportunity to communicate with them. If they’ve signed up for your email or SMS subscription list, send them a quick follow-up message encouraging them to take further action or letting them know you’re here for them if they have additional inquiries.

For example, look at this welcome email from The Washington Post. It encourages the subscriber to sign up for daily news updates and follow favorite columns to stay on top of what’s going on in the world. 

Washington Post welcome email
A welcome email from The Washington Post introducing the recipient to other features and updates that might interest them. Image Source: The Washington Post

Read now: How to Write a Welcome Email: A Comprehensive Guide

Methods to collect and act on client feedback 

Once a client purchases from you, it’s crucial to get their feedback. Customer insights help you understand where you’re meeting client needs and where you can improve.

Take a look at this email from Adobe. It asks the recipient to complete a short survey about their creative and digital activities to help Adobe improve its current product and services. In exchange for completing the survey, the recipient gets entered into a drawing for a gift card. The email accomplishes two things: it helps Adobe learn more about customer needs and offers clients a potential reward for providing feedback. 

Adobe’s message encourages clients to complete a product survey for feedback that can be used to improve products and services. Image Source: Adobe

Read now: Customer Feedback: How to Get It and How to Use It

Maintaining a positive attitude with clients

Sometimes, customers will express frustration with their experience. Perhaps the customer service wasn’t up to par, or their purchased product didn’t meet their expectations. Or, maybe you need to notify clients of a closure or product discontinuation. Whatever the reason, it’s essential to maintain positivity in your communications and address their concerns. 

Take this example from Water Country USA. During an inclement weather event, they closed for the day but emailed clients, informing them of ticket refund options and apologizing.

Water Country USA email notification about inclement weather and park closure
This Water Country USA email notifying clients of a closure due to inclement weather keeps a positive tone and advises clients of their ticket options. Image Source: Water Country USA

Client management tools

You can use various client relationship management tools to up your game.

The role of automation and software in client management

As your client base grows, it becomes more challenging to stay on top of one-on-one communications. You can’t be everywhere at once and may have other responsibilities. That’s where marketing automation tools can help.

You can purchase software to automate transactional emails and texts. For instance, you might set up automatic emails for shipping updates or client feedback surveys. You can schedule them to send whenever a client takes a particular action with your company, like when they make a purchase.

Using client management systems effectively

Client management systems allow you to oversee your customer interactions in one place. Some include multiple tools like customer relationship management (CRM) software and project management features. You can use them to establish your client management structure, track communications, and evaluate client management results. 

If you manage contacts for a small business, look for free client management software options. While free software will likely have minimal features, it can help you establish a baseline for future client management strategies. 

Integration with CRM systems for holistic management

CRM systems connect directly with your client management software, allowing you to manage customer interactions and streamline communication processes. Constant Contact’s CRM integrates with multiple systems you might already use, including social media and e-commerce platforms and tools like Salesforce, Gmail, and SurveyMonkey. Plus, you can use it to manage your client contacts, customer accounts, and ongoing sales deals.

Handling client segmentation and real-time analytics

As you initiate your client management strategies, use client segmentation to categorize your customers according to their:

  • Demographics
  • Buying behaviors
  • Purchase history
  • Other information

That way, you can design client management processes that speak to your customer’s specific needs. 

It’s also important to establish KPIs to monitor your client management efforts. Most client relations management software systems include real-time analytic options, which you can review whenever you like.

Overcoming client management challenges

It’s not uncommon to encounter a few obstacles when managing client relations. Here are a few to look out for:

  • Misunderstanding client needs: Sometimes, you may think you understand a client’s needs, but there’s a miscommunication. Remember to actively listen to your customer’s inquiries and ask questions for clarification.
  • Not using client management software: Trying to manage client relationships with a spreadsheet or pen and paper might work for a new company with a handful of customers. However, especially as you grow and scale your company, client management software will keep interactions organized and accessible to your team.

If you experience customer difficulties, remain patient and discuss the issue. Most clients will recognize your efforts and work with you if they see you’re trying to address their problem.

Improving client management practices

As you implement your client management processes, look for ways to enhance your efforts.

  • Regularly collect client feedback: Your customers will provide honest feedback if you ask them for it. Use their opinions to help improve your products, services, or business operations.
  • Teach your team client relationship management skills: Employees who regularly interact with customers may benefit from developing client management skills. Consider hiring an outside provider who can teach the skills you want your team to learn.
    • Tip: Human resource team members who communicate with potential new hires and internal employees may also benefit from developing client management skills.
  • Continuous improvement: Regularly look for ways to enhance your client management efforts in your marketing channels. Notice how other companies handle client management and use them for inspiration in your strategies.

The future of client management

Technological advancements will likely change the client management landscape in the future. Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to make their mark in client management software, and companies will find ways to anticipate client needs and improve customer service.

To stay ahead of the curve, understand the principles of client management and how they apply to your company. Then, implement practices to keep your customers happy and connected with your business!

Email is one of the most effective — and efficient — marketing channels available. With an average return on investment (ROI) of $36 for every dollar spent, it’s well worth the effort of building a subscriber list and developing email marketing campaigns. However, you must have email marketing leads before you can start sending sales emails.

An email marketing lead provides you with their email address and agrees to receive marketing emails from your brand. Usually, a lead is familiar with your organization and hopes to receive some benefit from subscribing to your list. 

When you’re beginning marketing, email marketing leads are essential to your campaign’s success. Without leads, you won’t have anyone to send your messages to, and you won’t see the benefits of email marketing you’re hoping for. 

Understanding different types of leads

There are several types of email marketing leads:

  • Marketing qualified leads (MQL): An MQL will likely become a customer. They’ve shown interest in your brand, such as joining your email list, browsing your website, or interacting with social media posts.
  • Sales qualified leads (SQL): An SQL demonstrates a strong interest in purchasing. They’re ready to talk to someone on your sales team about the next steps.
  • Service-qualified leads: A service-qualified lead is similar to an SQL. They’re ready to buy a service and talk with a sales rep.

Best practices for email lead generation

Consider these email marketing tips for lead generation.

Targeting the right customers

Start by outlining the attributes of your typical client, such as their demographics, interests, pain points, and shopping behavior. That information can help you design lead-generation efforts to match your target audience. 

Creating valuable opt-in offers

Sharing an email address is pretty personal. It’s not quite the same as a phone number or address, but it gives brands a means to contact customers directly. 

To diminish any hesitancy clients experience when sharing their email addresses, show them how they’ll benefit from subscribing with an opt-in offer. For instance, you might provide a discount coupon, access to a premium webinar, or a copy of your brand’s ebook.

Designing simple and effective opt-in forms

Keep your opt-in form simple and straight to the point. While you can use the opt-in form to get lots of details about your audience, overly complex forms can hurt your lead-generation efforts since they require more time and effort to complete.

At this stage, asking for the subscriber’s name, email address, and consent is enough. Once they subscribe, you can use emails to encourage them to update their preferences or share more about themselves.

Optimizing landing pages for conversions

Most marketing emails include some form of call to action (CTA), such as making a purchase, scheduling an appointment, or joining a webinar. Whatever your brand’s CTA is, include a unique link to a dedicated landing page. That way, you can track the conversions your email generates. 

To minimize any friction, optimize your landing page for easy navigation. You don’t want your client to work too hard to take the next step. Simple images, straightforward messaging, and visible links streamline the conversion process and improve results.

Employing lead scoring and email automation

Some customers will show strong interest in your products, while others will need more encouragement. To balance your marketing efforts, consider lead scoring

Lead Scoring refers to rating your leads according to their demonstrated buying interest. To start the process, identify the attributes of high-quality email marketing leads and less-quality ones and use them to rank your clients. Higher scorers might be ready to speak with your sales team, while lower scorers might require some nurturing before they buy. 

You can use email marketing automation tools to establish email sequences for each type of customer, whether highly qualified or early in the buyer’s journey. Automation saves lots of time and keeps communication rolling as your clients familiarize themselves with your brand.

Timing your emails for maximum engagement

You want subscribers to read your emails, so choosing the right send time is crucial. Opt for times when subscribers are likely to check their inbox — before work, at lunch, or in the early evening. Avoid sending emails in the middle of the night since clients may overlook your message. 

Read now: The Best Time to Send a Marketing Email: A Complete Guide

Personalize your messages to increase open rates

Find ways to personalize emails. That way, your email feels more authentic and genuine to customers. Use your customers’ data, such as their name, location, and prior purchase history, to craft personalized subject lines and content. 

Sharing relevant and valuable content

When your messages consistently provide compelling content, subscribers will read them. Search for ways to offer value for your audience, such as sharing a recent blog post, important industry news, a new product release, or a one-time discount. Varying your content may improve client engagement and open rates.

Read now: How to Use Automation to Make Emails More Relevant

Conducting A/B testing

Sometimes, consumers react differently to various email elements. For instance, a picture might generate fewer click-throughs than a video. 

To maximize campaign results, consider sending small audience segments slightly different emails to test their reaction. You can use the results to decide on a final message you can send to your entire subscriber list.

Read now: What is A/B Testing in Email Marketing?

Cleaning up your email list regularly

Removing invalid subscriber addresses is vital since they can negatively impact your sender’s reputation with email service providers. You’ll know an email address is no longer working if you receive a hard bounce notification. 

Also, remove any people who ask to unsubscribe immediately. You don’t want to risk any complaints. 

Read now: How to Clean Your Email List (and Why You Need Regular Scrubbing)

Avoiding “no-reply” email addresses 

A no-reply email address limits two-way communication between the sender and the recipient. Thus, it may hurt your marketing efforts since subscribers must take additional steps to reach you.

Instead of using a no-reply email address, choose a regular one with two-way communication. That way, your subscribers can reach you without hassle.

Read now: No-Reply Email: Why It’s Bad for Business & How to Avoid It

Segmenting emails according to subscriber behaviors

Identifying certain behaviors a subscriber exhibits, such as the pages they visit on your website, can help you personalize your email marketing messages to align with their interests.

Suppose a consumer subscribes to your email list after browsing a few products on your website. You might use their browsing activity to send a personalized welcome email that includes a discount on one of the products they looked at, encouraging a sale.

Read now: Email List Segmentation From A (as in Age) to Z (as in Zip Code)

Optimizing emails for mobile users

Many people use smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices to check their email. Use a responsive, flexible template that fits mobile devices and PCs to ensure your message remains readable across devices. That way, your subscribers can easily read your message and take action if they want to, even if they’re viewing it on a small screen.

Read now: What is a Mobile-Responsive Email Template? (And Why You Need One)

Designing emails for lead generation

To generate email marketing leads, keep these considerations in mind when writing emails.

Writing compelling subject lines

Recipients won’t open your email unless they have a reason to, so you’ll need to use your subject line to grab their attention. You might create a sense of urgency with a limited-time deal or include the recipient’s name for greater personalization. 

Read now: 12 Tips for Creating the Best Email Subject Lines (with Examples)

Ensuring email brevity

The average subscriber won’t spend hours scrutinizing your message. They might look at it briefly before moving on to their next email. So, save the detailed info for an in-depth guide or article. Use email for short messages your readers can quickly understand. 

Take a look at this email from Spotify. Note that it’s short and divides the text into multiple paragraphs for easy reading on mobile devices. 

Spotify email encouraging a product plan
Spotify’s email is concise and easy to skim through. Image Source: Spotify

Utilizing imagery and social integration

Images, graphics, and videos capture the reader’s attention. You can use them to spruce up your message, showcase products, or break up text. Consider using imagery to help your message stand out from other brands.

If you have social media accounts, you can link to them from your email. That way, subscribers can click on them to follow your brand on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, or other platforms.

This email from Amtrak uses train imagery to capture the reader’s attention. At the bottom, readers can click on the social profile links to visit Amtrak’s accounts. 

Amtrak book now email
Amtrak’s email includes pictures and links to social media accounts. Source: Amtrak

Effective call-to-action (CTA) placement

Your email should include a clear CTA that’s easy to act on. Make sure it’s visible and tells the reader what to do — shop now, learn more, book an appointment, or some other activity. 

This email from The New York Times places the CTA right in the middle of the message and uses clear language telling the reader what to do — view the offer now. 

New York Times upgrade email
The New York Times uses strategic CTA placement to encourage readers to take action. Image Source: The New York Times

Use of software in email lead generation

Software tools are available to streamline email lead generation processes and enhance results.

Template builders and email automation platforms

Designing an email is super easy with the correct email marketing software. Constant Contact includes dozens of fully customizable templates to share your message. It can also automate emails, allowing you to schedule messages in advance, set up drip campaigns, and trigger emails based on a subscriber’s actions.

Spell check and grammar check tools

Before sending an email, check it for spelling or grammar errors. Grammarly offers a free spelling and grammar tool that catches mistakes.

Email tracking software

You’ve sent your email — now what? Hopefully, you have a tracking tool to monitor open rates, click-throughs, and conversions. Constant Contact includes extensive analytics options to review your campaign results.

How to generate leads for email marketing

You can attract new subscribers to your email list in a few simple ways.

  • Identify and target your audience: Create buyer personas that reflect your typical customers. Then, encourage people with similar attributes to sign up.
  • Create irresistible offers and content: The more unique and valuable your content is, the more likely your subscribers are to read it!
  • Utilize email ads for lead capture: Some email service providers allow you to place ads directly in a consumer’s inbox. If you’re willing to spend a few bucks, it can help grow your subscriber list. Just pay attention to your cost per lead for email marketing.

The role of email automation

Lean on email automation tools to enhance your processes and save time. Schedule your emails in advance through automation tools. You can use the tools for email sequences or drip campaigns.

AI can help you with basic email tasks, like creating subject lines. You can incorporate dynamic content for greater personalization among your audience.

Brands with multiple marketing channels also benefit from a customer relationship management (CRM) system that tracks client interactions and saves them in one place.

Additional lead generation techniques

There are several other ways you can generate email marketing leads.

  • Outbound email lead generation: Did a client request something from you but neglect to sign up for your email list? Include a CTA in your reply message encouraging them to join.
  • Signup forms in outgoing emails: An interactive email signup form within an outgoing message streamlines the process so the recipient can join without taking multiple steps.
  • Social media: Use your social media accounts to promote your email list — an easy way to get free email marketing leads.

Measuring and analyzing email lead generation success

As your email campaign gains steam, use analytics to set benchmarks and measure results.

  • Key performance indicators (KPIs): Open rates, click-throughs, and conversions provide data you can use to evaluate performance.
  • Email analytics: If your analytics don’t meet your expectations, identify ways to improve your campaign. A/B testing can help you test different message elements to enhance results.
  • Email marketing benchmarks: Some industries see higher open rates and conversions than others. You can review Constant Contact’s average industry rates to compare. 

Advanced email marketing techniques

You can try several advanced email marketing methods when you’re ready to take your campaign to the next level.

  • Personalization strategies: As you gather more information about your subscribers, use it to add a personal touch to your messages.
  • AMP emails: An AMP email includes interactive elements, like sign-up forms, appointment bookings, and other features, so readers don’t need to click on a link to take action. With AMP, you can significantly increase conversion rates.
  • Email gamification: Games and contests encourage subscriber engagement with your brand.
  • Transactional emails: Use transactional emails anytime a customer takes a specific action with your organization, like resetting their account password or purchasing. This is a great email marketing B2B lead generation strategy.

Start your email lead generation efforts today

Email lead generation helps you build an attentive audience you can turn into paying customers. To attract quality leads, identify the characteristics of your target clients and cater to them. Encourage signups through your website, physical store, and social media accounts. As you perfect your campaign strategy, you can try more advanced tactics.

Email funnels are integral to any email marketing strategy. An email funnel is a sequence of emails designed to nurture subscribers through all stages of the customer journey, including awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty, and retention. 

A well-crafted email marketing strategy builds strong customer relationships and is vital to your sales strategy. In this article, we’ll show you the parts of email funnels and identify a few techniques to take your brand’s email marketing campaign to the next level.

Understanding the email funnel structure

There are five different stages in comprehensive email funnels. Each stage coincides with where the consumer is in their familiarity with your company and their purchase decision. Here is what to know about each stage and a few email funnel examples to illustrate them in practice.

1. Awareness

The awareness stage is your subscriber’s initial introduction to your brand. They’ve just signed up for your email list, and they’re seeking more information about your products and services. They want to know how your offerings can provide value. 

In this stage, emails are generally informative. They can include basic information about your brand, like your values or vision. You can share helpful content, including how-to guides, blog posts, or articles demonstrating credibility and authority. The focus of your email isn’t closing a deal or making a sale but introducing your customer to your company.

Take a look at this welcome email from Harris Teeter. It thanks the consumer for registering and introduces a few perks they can use with their new account.

This welcome email from Harris Teeter identifies a few features available with an account. Image source: Harris Teeter

2. Consideration

During the consideration stage of the customer journey, your subscriber debates whether to buy your product. They’re looking at all aspects of a purchase — price point, quality, and features. They may compare your offerings with similar products from a competitor.

You can use emails to walk your subscribers through the consideration stage and position your products as the optimal choice. You might include customer testimonials, case studies, unique product features, and competitor comparisons. 

In this email from Express, the retailer highlights a few of its top-selling pants and selected customer reviews to encourage the recipient to browse its online shop.

This email highlights a few selected products and includes client reviews. Image source: Express

3. Conversion

A conversion email nudges a subscriber into taking a specific action, like booking an appointment or making a purchase. It may include incentives like discounts, free shipping, or gifts for extra motivation. Some conversion emails create a sense of urgency among subscribers with limited-time deals or countdown offers.

This conversion email from DSW highlights a sale of up to 60% off and includes a countdown timer to encourage the recipient to take advantage of the deal quickly.

This DSW email showcases a limited sale with a countdown timer. Image source: DSW

4. Loyalty

Once a customer buys from your brand, you can turn them into a repeat buyer with loyalty emails. A loyalty email offers recipients exclusive benefits, such as reward points or engaging content. It seeks to increase customer engagement and continuing interactions with your brand. 

This loyalty email from Wyndham Rewards highlights special savings on future stays for its program members. It also includes a call-to-action for members to learn about offers, discounts, and loyalty points.

This Wyndham Rewards loyalty email offers discounts to members who book a hotel stay. Image source: Wyndham Rewards

5. Retention

Once subscribers move to the end of the customer journey, your goal is to retain them. You want to keep them interested in your brand’s offerings to maximize your lifetime customer value. By this time, you’ll have some insights into your customer’s buying behavior, demographics, and interests that you can use to personalize your messages.

Amazon is known for its personalized recommendations. In this retention email, Amazon promotes exclusive Kindle books based on the recipient’s prior purchases.

This Amazon email uses personalization to recommend special deals on Kindle books. Image source: Amazon

Planning and building your email funnels

You can follow these seven steps to get your email marketing funnels off to a running start.

1. Identify your target audience

Your target audience comprises the consumers you consider most likely to buy your products and services. Identify the characteristics of your target audience, including their demographics, interests, needs, and pain points. This data can help you establish the outline of your funnel and the messaging to include.

2. Map out the customer journey within the funnel

Determine the steps and decisions your customers undergo before purchasing. Knowing the decision-making factors can help you pinpoint content that encourages your recipient to buy.

3. Create awareness and generate interest

Use other marketing channels to encourage clients to sign up for your email list. Website popups, in-store encouragement, and social media can help spread the word. Make sure customers understand what benefits they’ll receive from signing up.

4. Capture leads and nurture prospects

As customers begin receiving your emails, they may interact with your website, explore your blog, or take other actions. Use dedicated landing pages to monitor what interests them and create follow-up emails to engage them further.

5. Convert leads into customers

Sometimes, subscribers need an extra push to make a purchase. Use discounts, promotions, and other incentives to turn qualified leads into buyers.

6. Retain customers and encourage brand advocacy

As your clientele grows, increase your marketing campaign’s return on investment (ROI) by building customer retention strategies. Consider offering a rewards program and ask repeat clients for testimonials you can share with your audience.

7. Re-engage inactive subscribers

You may notice engagement decrease among your subscribers over time. If that happens, try reattracting their interest through personalized emails, one-time promotions, or other incentives.

Tips for a high-converting automated email funnel

The ultimate goal of most marketing email campaigns is revenue generation. Here are a few tips to boost conversions.

Segment your email list

Categorizing your subscriber list by different characteristics — such as demographics, location, purchase history, interests, and other factors — helps you target specific customer needs. Use segmentation to align your marketing content with each customer group.

Optimize email sending frequency

Your customers probably won’t open every message you send, especially if your content is repetitive or you send emails too frequently. Try to maintain a respectful sending frequency that keeps your brand top of mind without being overly spammy.

Deliver high-quality content

When your emails consistently provide value, your subscribers will read them. Ensure your messages include informative content that speaks directly to the recipient’s interests.

Choose the right marketing automation software

Email marketing automation software sends your messages according to your preferences. You can schedule a sales funnel email sequence at different times and trigger messages when a subscriber takes a specific action, like adding items to their shopping cart.

Keep your email list clean

Email service providers track your send score, which represents how often subscribers open and interact with your emails. To maintain your sending reputation, honor all unsubscribe requests immediately and monitor bounced emails. 

Read: How to Clean Your Email List (and Why You Need Regular Scrubbing)

Effective email marketing funnel strategies

Here are a few strategies to get results from your email marketing funnel.

  • Craft compelling content: Readers want value from your emails; otherwise, they’ll ignore them. Get creative in your messaging to enhance campaign results.
  • Personalize your messages: Find ways to personalize your content, such as making client-specific recommendations or including location-specific information.
  • Implement trigger-based emails: You can automate some emails based on a customer’s actions. For instance, you could send an automated receipt whenever a client buys something on your website.
  • Leverage social proof: People who are unaware of your brand want to know about other customers’ experiences. Include testimonials and positive customer reviews to build trust.
  • Address objections: If you know of specific hurdles to a customer’s purchase, discuss them in a targeted message.

Email types and content for funnels

You can include all kinds of messages in your email funnels. Consider these ideas for inspiration.

Nurture emails: building relationships

A nurture email seeks to learn more about a subscriber and move them through your customer journey. Use this email type to ask for subscriber preferences, schedule an introductory call, or provide informative content. 

Problem & solution emails: positioning your brand

Most people buy products or services to fix a problem they have. You can use a problem and solution email to discuss how your offerings can solve the subscriber’s issue.

The pitch: presenting your offer

In a pitch email, you showcase a product or service directly to your client. Including a discount or promotion can be the nudge they need to purchase.

The lift: increasing perceived value

Lift emails showcase your brand’s appeal. Use them to distinguish your organization from direct competitors.

Social proof emails: leveraging testimonials and reviews

A social proof email uses customer reviews and testimonials to demonstrate credibility and develop trust with new subscribers.

The objection killer: overcoming hesitation

Customers undergo a decision-making process before making a purchase. You can help them overcome any concerns by addressing them in an email.

The close: building urgency and offering a call-to-action

A close email uses urgency to encourage immediate action. Flash sales, limited products, and one-time discounts fall into this category. 

The last call: acknowledging scarcity and providing final reminders

A last-call email attracts any stragglers who haven’t yet converted. Use them to remind customers of sale end dates and product closeouts.

Email funnel optimization practices

You can use various tools to monitor your campaign’s performance and improve results.

Measuring funnel performance and KPIs

Email analytics help you review subscriber engagement and track your campaign’s ROI. Most email marketing software (including Constant Contact) include tools to record open rates, click-throughs, and conversions. Use your reporting dashboard to help you benchmark campaign performance and compare results.

Testing and refining email elements

If you include any interactive elements within your email, such as surveys, links, or videos, test their performance before sending your message. You want to ensure everything works properly before emailing your subscribers.

Integrating CRM with email funnels for enhanced results

Customer relationship management (CRM) software lets you integrate all your customer interactions across various channels in one place. You can use it to manage your subscriber list, pinpoint leads, and cross-reference client activity, making it easier to optimize emails to fit your client’s needs.

Tracking user behavior and conversions within emails

Sending a text-based email with no links or other interactive elements limits your ability to monitor your campaign’s performance. Instead, create dedicated landing pages specifically for your emails. That way, you can see how many people browse your offerings and take action.

Selecting tools for building and managing email funnels

Finding the best email marketing software is crucial. After all, you need the proper support and features to deliver results. Constant Contact has you covered. Our email marketing software includes customizable email templates, list management services, useful integrations, and a full analytics suite.

Common challenges and solutions in email funnel marketing 

As you begin your marketing efforts, you may encounter a few obstacles. Here are some typical challenges and how you can overcome them. 

Dealing with email funnel drop-offs

Ideally, every subscriber would open your emails, read your content, and take action. However, sometimes subscribers lose interest and stop interacting with your messages. Consider implementing a winback campaign to reengage customers before they unsubscribe. Offering a special incentive might be enough to recapture their attention.

Overcoming technical issues with email deliverability

If you notice deliverability issues — like emails going to spam or bouncing back — address them quickly. Review your subscriber list and remove any addresses with hard bounces that indicate the address isn’t active. The better your list quality, the less chance you’ll end up in readers’ spam boxes.

Rescuing disengaged subscribers

It can be frustrating when hard-won subscribers stop opening your emails or engaging with your content. To reengage them, set up a win-back email campaign to regain their interest. You might include a one-time deal or special offer to enhance results.

Understanding privacy and compliance considerations for email funnels

Most countries have privacy and other compliance regulations. Understanding and following the laws that apply to your organization is critical. An experienced attorney can identify applicable regulations and advise how to adhere to them.

Maximize your conversions with an email sales funnel

As you plan your email marketing funnel, consider the five stages most consumers go through in the customer journey and how they apply to your organization. This can help you develop an effective strategy that meets your brand’s unique needs. 

To learn more about email marketing, check out a few of Constant Contact’s blogs:

I admit it: I’m an indecisive customer. Pulling the trigger on a major purchase often takes me weeks or months. I might agonize over whether I need a new laptop (I definitely do) or wonder if I can trust an unfamiliar brand. And nothing scares me away faster than an aggressive sales pitch. 

My experiences aren’t unusual. In today’s advertisement-saturated world, knowing which brands are the real deal can be tricky. However, business owners can use many digital marketing strategies to build trust with potential customers. Email lead nurturing is one of the most effective and memorable ways to make an impact. 

An email nurture sequence uses personalized messages to strengthen your relationship with clients. You can send welcome emails, discounts, educational content, and more. The goal is simple: to keep leads interested and eventually convince them to make a sale.

This guide explores the benefits of nurture emails and best practices. We’ll also cover common challenges and strategies to help you get started. 

Understanding lead nurturing emails 

A lead nurturing campaign uses regular communication to engage potential customers. This process often involves a sequence of automated and personalized emails. These messages contain educational and entertaining content tailored to the individual lead. 

Email nurturing is a slow process that occurs over an extended period. A potential customer may not buy anything until they’ve received emails for a few weeks or months. And that’s okay. Nurture emails aim to build long-term, sustainable relationships with clients. They’re about winning over leads gradually, not making a quick, one-time sale. 

The advantages of lead nurturing 

Lead nurturing has many benefits, especially for business-to-business (B2B) and e-commerce companies. This approach: 

  • Builds trust and rapport with potential clients 
  • Helps you build a community of loyal followers 
  • Increases engagement 
  • Gives leads relevant and valuable content 
  • Boosts conversion rates and sales 

Nurture emails are also more affordable and less time-consuming than traditional marketing methods. You can send personalized emails to dozens of leads in an hour. That’s the same time it would take you to connect with one or two customers by phone or in person.

Developing a nurture email strategy

An email nurture campaign involves sending a sequence of engaging messages to leads. This strategy focuses on personalization and relationship-building, and while it may sound like a lot of work, starting your first email marketing campaign is actually quite simple.

Start by setting specific and measurable goals for your nurture campaign. Think about the result that you want to achieve with your emails. 

Possible goals include: 

  • Driving more traffic to your website
  • Increasing your sales by 10% 
  • Improving customer retention rates
  • Increasing click-through rates by 15%

Once you’ve established goals, work backward to create a sequence of emails that will help you reach them. Consider your target demographic and the type of content they find most engaging. 

Suppose your company sells women’s clothing. Teenage girls may enjoy watching educational videos about the latest fashion trends. Their mothers might prefer to get tips about how to style their clothes for the workplace. 

Develop a series of emails that meet your customers’ needs while aligning with your goals. If you want to increase engagement with teens, your sequence might look like this: 

  • A welcome email with a 20% off coupon 
  • A video about the season’s latest fashion trends 
  • An invitation to follow your brand on social media 
  • A personalized fashion quiz that gives product recommendations 
  • A thank you email after the client makes their first purchase 

The best nurture campaigns give customers several ways to interact with your brand, which can increase trust and loyalty. 

Email nurture campaign best practices 

Like any form of communication, email has specific etiquette and norms. Set yourself up for success by following these email marketing best practices

Provide valuable and expert content

No one wants an inbox filled with random or boring emails. Focus on creating meaningful content that improves your followers’ lives. For instance, you can suggest solutions to common challenges and educate them about your industry. This approach will make every email feel like a gift instead of an annoyance. 

Keep emails focused and to the point 

People spend an average of 10 seconds reading brand emails. That’s why keeping your nurture emails short and sweet is essential. Aim for 200 words or 20 lines of text per email for the best conversion rates. 

Personalize the experience 

Your clients have unique interests and needs. Make an impression by sending them emails that reflect this individuality. You can use surveys, web tracking, and other tools to gather data about your subscribers. This information lets you create personalized messages tailored to their preferences.

You can also create emails that get triggered by specific actions. For example, you can send clients a survey email after they buy a product. It’s also helpful to send follow-up emails to potential customers who abandon their virtual shopping carts. These simple messages can positively impact your relationships.

Use subject lines and CTAs effectively 

Your email subject lines should hook readers and make them curious to read the rest of your message. Keep these lines concise and action-oriented. Examples of strong subject lines include “Join us for a paw-tastic holiday party!” and “3 gift ideas for your Valentine’s date.” 

It’s also essential to create powerful calls to action (CTAs). Otherwise, your readers won’t engage with your brand beyond skimming your emails. Like the subject lines, keep your CTAs short and give specific directions. Effective CTAs include “Schedule a free demonstration” and Learn “more.” 

Keep your brand messaging consistent 

Nurture emails spotlight your brand’s unique personality and values. Be sure to use the same tone, logos, and other brand elements in all your communications. You may find creating a brand style guide helpful so that your entire marketing team can strike the right tone.

Find the right pace for your email nurturing campaign 

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of email nurturing, but you don’t want to flood your leads’ inboxes. Create a schedule so you send emails at a steady but not overwhelming pace. 

This frequency can vary by your audience’s preferences and stage in the buyer’s journey. You may send more frequent emails to new leads to spark interest. Meanwhile, established customers may only need sporadic messages to stay engaged. 

Read: The Best Time to Send a Marketing Email: A Complete Guide

Writing effective nurture emails 

New subscribers often click the unsubscribe button if your content doesn’t resonate. You may only have one or two chances to engage them with your nurture emails. That’s why it’s vital to structure these messages for impact. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to writing nurture emails. But effective emails have these basic components: 

  • A snappy subject line 
  • A personalized greeting 
  • Content centered on a single topic
  • A CTA
  • An unsubscribe button 

Nurturing emails also typically share knowledge with subscribers. You can include how-to guides, industry news, and other educational content. These materials establish your authority and give valuable insights to leads. 

Your message should also address a pain point for your audience. Consider how you can help them solve a challenge or answer a question. For example, a fitness company could share nutrition advice and workout tutorials. If you sell budgeting software, your nurture emails may include educational content about taxes. 

Finally, highlight your credibility by including social proof in your nurture emails. You could share client testimonials, user-generated content, and product reviews. This content builds confidence in your brand and helps leads picture how they could use your services. 

Measuring the success of an email nurture campaign 

Collecting metrics lets you analyze how your lead-nurturing emails perform. You can use this information to measure your campaign’s return on investment (ROI). This data also helps you improve your nurture emails over time. 

These email marketing metrics can provide insights into your campaign’s performance: 

  • Click rate: The percentage of users who click a link to your website 
  • Clicks: The number of hyperlinks users click in your emails 
  • Conversion rate: The percentage of users who perform a specific action 
  • Unsubscribe rate: The percentage of users who remove themselves from your mailing list 

Your goals can help you determine which metrics to focus on. If you want to improve sales, watch the conversion rate. If you aim to increase engagement, track clicks and the unsubscribe rate. 

Types of nurture emails

Marketers can use many types of emails to nurture leads toward the sale. Here are three lead nurturing email examples from different industries. 

1. Giveaway email 

Sniffspot lets dog owners rent private property to exercise their dogs. The company sent a nurture email announcing a giveaway for a $100 credit. The email also encourages the reader to follow the company on Instagram. 

Giveaway nurture email from Sniffspot
A giveaway email for prospective Sniffspot customers. Image source: Sniffspot 

2. Educational content 

ClearVoice sent freelance writers a nurture email with tips about setting competitive rates. The email includes a few paragraphs to introduce the topic and a CTA readers can click to view the full article. 

Nurture email offering tips to freelancers from ClearVoice
This email offers tips for freelance writers. Image source: ClearVoice 

3. Product recommendation 

The home decor chain At Home sent a nurture email announcing new arrivals. The email also includes personalized product recommendations. 

Personalized new arrivals nurture email campaign from At Home
This email offers personalized product recommendations for the recipient. Image source: At Home

Email marketing automation and customer journeys

Email nurturing lets you engage leads at different stages of the buyer journey. Welcome emails can introduce your brand to leads in the awareness stage. Customers in the consideration phase may get swayed by product demonstrations and reviews.

Automation tools make it easy to personalize and scale nurture campaigns. You can use this technology to create a series of emails triggered by specific events. 

You can also add dynamic content blocks that change based on the recipient’s preferences. These tools improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. 

Advanced tactics in nurture emails

Technological advancements can take your nurture campaigns to the next level. Constant Contact’s AI content generator creates subject lines, CTAs, and other text. Use this tool to make your emails as engaging as possible. You can also use email automation tools to send personalized emails. 

Additionally, you may try more advanced lead nurturing techniques as your campaign matures. For instance, lead scoring lets you rank potential customers by engagement level. This information lets you focus on the leads most likely to convert to paying customers. 

You can also expand your lead nurturing efforts to include social media marketing

Potential challenges and solutions

Even the most savvy marketers can run into pitfalls while developing nurture campaigns. Content creation challenges are one common obstacle. You may need more ideas or feel like your emails have gotten stale. AI content generation tools can help you brainstorm fresh topics. 

Some businesses struggle to segment their audiences. This can lead to some subscribers getting irrelevant emails. Overcome this issue by collecting more customer data. This information lets you segment users and send them tailored content. 

Finally, nurture emails may get caught in spam filters. Enhance deliverability by avoiding spammy language and optimizing your emails for mobile devices. 

Complementary guides and resources

Constant Contact offers hundreds of stylish templates you can use to create nurture email campaigns in your brand style. These templates make your campaigns look more professional and save you time. 

Forbes and Business News Daily also offer guides to help you develop an effective lead-nurturing strategy. Use these resources to expand your knowledge and learn new techniques.

Build stronger relationships with nurture email campaigns

Nurture emails let you develop more meaningful connections with leads. These campaigns are a courtship of sorts. The goal is to win over potential customers so they want to stick with your brand for the long haul. 

There are many kinds of nurturing emails. Some businesses focus on sharing educational content like how-to guides and instructional videos. Others dazzle prospective clients with case studies and testimonials. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content to find out what performs best.

You don’t have to launch a full email nurturing campaign right away. Start by segmenting your leads and sending one group a nurture email addressing a pain point. After that, you can continue to grow your nurture campaign — and your relationship with clients.

How to Create the Perfect Email ebook from Constant Contact
Download “How to Create the Perfect Email” to help you jumpstart your email nurture campaign.

It’s easy to think that your work is done once customers complete their purchases. In reality, brands can benefit hugely from keeping in touch with their customers after their purchases. The right post-purchase communication can be the start of a long, valuable relationship with the customer. Post-purchase emails, in particular, are a cost-effective and impactful way to further that relationship. 

Introduction to post-purchase emails

So, what are post-purchase emails? Post-purchase emails include a variety of different email marketing messages brands send to customers who have already completed at least one purchase. A message thanking the customer and showing your appreciation is one example of a post-purchase email. 

Typically, brands send post-purchase emails soon after the customer makes the purchase. For example, an order confirmation email should go out immediately to assure the customer that their purchase went through successfully and give them a chance to make any necessary changes. Waiting more than a few weeks to send your post-purchase follow-up email may make the message less effective since your brand is no longer fresh in the customer’s mind. 

The value of post-purchase emails

These post-purchase communications aim to build trust and customer loyalty, which will, in turn, increase customer lifetime value (CLV). CLV measures the total amount a company will generate from a customer over the entirety of their relationship. Customer A, who only ever buys one $50 product from a company has a CLV of $50, but Customer B, who buys one $50 product from the company every year for ten years, has a CLV of $500. 

But how do after-purchase emails factor into CLV? They aim to turn Customer A into Customer B, a loyal returning customer who creates more value for the brand. Compared to other marketing emails, these emails have open rates that are 17% higher. They also offer 90% more revenue per recipient than pre-purchase emails. Simply put, post-purchase emails are too valuable for brands to ignore as part of their email marketing strategy

Types of post-purchase emails

There are many different types of post-purchase emails you can send to customers depending on your goals and preferences. Here are some of the most common post-purchase email examples:

Order confirmation emails and brand reinforcement

Immediately after the customer completes a purchase, brands can send order confirmation emails. These emails typically contain a list of the products the customer purchased, their quantity and prices, the total sale amount, and other purchase details. 

Customers generally expect order confirmation emails and may become concerned that something is wrong with their order if they don’t get this message. Make sure to send an order confirmation to the customer as soon as possible to ensure they know their order is progressing properly. Also, include information for contacting customer support in case there are any issues. 

Nuggs post-purchase email
Nuggs uses this order confirmation email to not only confirm the customer’s purchase but also to showcase their humorous brand voice and personality. Image source: thegood.com

Shipping and delivery confirmation emails

Shipping and delivery confirmation emails are similar to order confirmation emails in that they are straightforward transactional emails brands send after purchase. Companies send a shipping confirmation once they ship the order and the package is on its way to the customer. Similarly, they send delivery confirmation emails once the package has arrived at the customer’s door. 

These after-purchase emails keep customers in the loop about what’s going on with their orders. They provide some peace of mind to customers and can head off concerns about when packages will be delivered. 

Engaging customers with educational content

As the expert on your products, you have valuable information you can share with customers who have already completed purchases. Tutorials on how to use the product, advice on how to get the most out of it, and answers to common questions all make great educational content to include in post-purchase emails. 

The information you share with customers in these messages will engage them and keep them thinking about your brand, two benefits of email marketing. You can also reduce support center requests by addressing frequent concerns or questions before they become problems. Leverage existing blog posts or other content you’ve already produced to reduce the workload in creating these educational after-purchase emails. 

Thank you emails and customer appreciation

It’s common to thank customers in the order or delivery confirmation emails, but a separate post-purchase thank you email is a great way to highlight your appreciation for your existing customers. In these thank-you emails, you can share some more information about your brand or the products the customer purchased to engage them. 

Some brands choose to include a token of their appreciation in this email such as a special discount or a surprise free gift. Even if you just send a heartfelt thanks to your customers, though, that can go a long way toward building strong customer loyalty. 

Loyalty and referral program emails

An after-purchase email is an ideal way to inform existing customers of loyalty or referral programs. Share the basic details of your program and the ways it benefits your customers to entice them to join.

If your customer loves the product, telling their friends and family about it helps everyone. Your business gets more customers, the family and friends get to purchase a great product, and the referring customer gets the benefits from the referral program. Loyalty and referral program emails provide additional incentives for customers to continue shopping from your company and to recommend your products to others. 

Review requests and feedback solicitation

Strong reviews and feedback from existing customers make an incredibly powerful tool in your marketing efforts to gain new customers. Ratings and reviews are one of the top factors customers use to evaluate products, and 93% of customers say the content of these reviews affects whether they buy specific products or services. Unfortunately, only between 5% and 10% of customers write reviews after purchase. Increase reviews on your products by sending review request emails after customers complete a purchase. 

Positive reviews provide strong social proof to prospective customers. Negative reviews are still useful, though, since they provide information you can use to improve the customer experience. Keep your feedback solicitation email short and consider offering an incentive for providing feedback to increase responses. 

review request post-purchase email from Yelp
This review request email template directs recipients to leave a quick review on Yelp to help the company deliver the best customer experience. Image source: Constant Contact 

Cross-sell and upsell opportunity emails

Once a customer has made a purchase, you can send highly targeted emails promoting cross-sell or upsell opportunities. Cross-selling involves selling the customer different but related products to the one they already purchased. These related products pair well together and add value to one another. Upselling is similar — it’s selling the customer a bigger or better version of what they already bought.

Your customers may not be aware of the other products in your catalog that would complement or augment their previous purchase. Cross-sell and upsell emails are a way to make them aware of those opportunities and hopefully increase a customer’s lifetime value. They’re some of the best email drip campaigns to promote your business.

User-generated content and community-building

Like reviews, user-generated content (UGC) of your products serves as strong social proof that entices other consumers to purchase from your brand. Increase UGC by reaching out to previous customers and requesting that they post about your products on social media sites. Customers sharing their stories about their experiences with your product seem more authentic and persuasive to viewers than in-house promotional content. 

Consider offering an incentive like a discount for customers who create content with your products. In the email, instruct them to use a certain hashtag so you can find the posts they create.  

Best practices for crafting post-purchase emails

Employ these practices to craft the best post-purchase emails:

  • Focus on your messaging: The way you phrase your post-purchase messages will have a significant impact on how successful those messages are. Keep the text short and direct while maintaining your established brand voice.
  • Create compelling subject lines: After-purchase emails will only help your business if customers actually open and engage with them. Boost your open rates by writing clear, intriguing subject lines, such as, “We’ve shipped your order!” for a shipping confirmation email. 
  • Time your messages wisely: Send order confirmation emails right away, but don’t bombard the customer with all the other types of after-purchase emails immediately. Review request emails, for example, should arrive after the customer has had enough time to use and understand the product. 
  • Segment customers for targeted messaging: The same after-purchase messaging may not be right for all your customers. Consider breaking your customers down into segments based on their purchasing behavior and creating different after-purchase emails for these separate groups. 
  • Personalize your emails: Customers open emails that are personalized 26% more often. Include the customer’s name or other relevant details to make your after-purchase emails more impactful. 
  • Use A/B testing: A/B testing involves sending out two different versions of an email to see which performs better. You can use this strategy to learn more about what makes some after-purchase emails more successful than others with your customers. 

How to create a post-purchase email workflow

Manually writing and sending messages to all your customers after they complete a purchase simply isn’t feasible. Instead, use a post-purchase email automation system to ensure your customers receive these important messages. 

Within email marketing software like Constant Contact, you can create automated email workflows for your post-purchase emails. You specify the action that triggers one of your pre-created post-purchase emails — such as placing an order — and that email will automatically go out to the customer when they complete that action. 

Create a new workflow for your after-purchase email in your email software. Then, select an applicable template for the email, adjust the content, and design to meet your needs. Ensure the software will fill in the personalized details about the customer, like their name and purchase information. Save these settings and send a test email to make sure this automated workflow works as intended. 

Constant Contact makes the process of creating a post-purchase email workflow simple. Sign up for free to see the platform in action and decide if it’s right for you.  

Post-purchase email benchmarks and metrics

Measure critical post-purchase email campaign benchmarks and metrics like you would with any other email marketing campaign. Keep an eye on metrics such as:

  • Open rate
  • Click-through rate
  • Conversion rate
  • Bounce rate
  • Response rate (when applicable)

Remember that you shouldn’t hold post-purchase emails to the same benchmarks as general marketing emails to prospective consumers. For example, your open rate on after-purchase emails should typically be higher than your general open rate. Monitoring these metrics will help you find any weaknesses in your after-purchase emails and improve them. 

Don’t miss out on the benefits of post-purchase emails

Post-purchase emails are powerful marketing tools that can greatly increase customer engagement, loyalty, and lifetime value. Some brands may find upselling and cross-selling emails more useful than referral program emails, for example, but after-purchase messages in general are almost always an effective strategy. 

By creating some automated post-purchase email workflows, you’ll stay in contact with existing customers and encourage them in several ways to make additional purchases. Put after-purchase emails into place for your business and see the difference it will make. 

Email marketing has come a long way since the 1990s. We’ve evolved from text-only, generic messages to personalized, image and video-enabled content that targets individual consumers. Today’s email marketing technology makes it possible to develop streamlined, effective campaigns that genuinely engage subscribers. 

Of course, email advertising techniques continue to progress. Staying on top of emerging trends in email marketing ensures brands continue to create relevant campaigns that resonate with their audiences and deliver results. In this article, we take a deep dive into new email strategies you can incorporate into your marketing toolbox.

Current email marketing trends                    

What’s the state of email marketing as we enter 2024? Here are a few email marketing stats to bring you up to speed:

Over the past few decades, we’ve seen trends in email marketing change tremendously. Gone are the days of no-frills, block-text emails with a few links and no pictures. 

Today’s marketing emails engage readers with hyperpersonalization, dynamic content, automation, and more. And technology continues to improve, providing marketers with a bevy of tools to capture customer attention.

Key email marketing trends to watch

Here are some of the latest trends in email marketing to look out for in 2024.

1. Personalization and hyper-personalization strategies

In the past, email personalization essentially meant including the recipient’s first name in the message or subject line. While marketers continue to use this tactic, far more advanced techniques are available, including dynamic content and segmentation. 

It’s possible to cater email content based on a subscriber’s demographics, location, browsing activity, etc. Personalized emails help brands solidify customer relationships and drill down into the details of what clients want.

2. Adoption of AI and machine learning in email campaigns

Today’s marketers take advantage of the many artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools available. AI content generation tools make it easy to draft effective subject lines, create realistic images, and refine copy. ML helps marketers understand consumer behavior and improve automation. Combined, these tools give savvy marketers an edge over their competitors.

3. Interactive and AMP emails transforming engagement

Some marketers include interactive elements in their emails, allowing customers to engage with content directly. For instance, a retailer might include buttons the subscriber can use to view a product in various colors or styles. 

Another one of the current trends in email marketing is accelerated mobile page (AMP) emails. Companies can insert surveys, forms, and other interactive elements using an AMP email, letting consumers take action directly within an email.

4. Privacy compliance and data security in email marketing

Concerns about personal privacy and data security continue to rise. While consumers recognize the value of — and want — personalization, there is such a thing as knowing too much about clients. 

Brands that seem overly familiar with their email recipients may be a turn-off to some customers, especially if there is no real-life personal connection or buying history. To meet client expectations, attentive companies do not push their subscribers’ personal boundaries.

5. Incorporation of user-generated content in emails

One of the more fascinating current trends in email marketing is user-generated content, such as testimonials, reviews, customer feedback, and surveys. User-generated content encourages subscribers to engage directly with brands, which, in turn, use the responses in strategic marketing campaigns.

6. Mobile-first email designs and content

Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices make it easy for consumers to view emails wherever they are. Forward-thinking brands keep email campaigns mobile-friendly, making sure every subscriber can take action no matter what device they’re using.

7. Email automation and its rising importance

Email marketing software makes it possible to automate many email processes once handled manually. Brands can establish email sequences, automatically integrate new subscribers to their mailing lists, and create drip campaigns triggered by user interactions. Using automation features saves marketers time and helps optimize client relationships.

8. Sustainable and ethical marketing practices

Today’s consumers recognize the importance of sustainability and expect organizations to do their part to minimize environmental harm. While email is more environmentally friendly than paper advertisements and direct mailers, consider adopting other sustainability practices, like selecting a green hosting provider or minimizing email data size.

Best practices for effective email marketing

Remember these best practices as you embark on your next email marketing campaign.

Tailoring campaigns to different segments

Your customers have different needs, so avoiding a one-size-fits-all marketing approach is best. Instead, incorporate the five T’s of email marketing to segment your subscribers:

  1. Target: Identify your target audience base and compose a message that speaks directly to their interests.
  2. Timing: To optimize your send strategy, consider your subscriber’s time zone and location. Read: When is the Best Time to Send a Marketing Email: The Complete Guide
  3. Testing: Use A/B testing to find the optimal combination of email elements to enhance campaign results.
  4. Tracking: Monitor performance using key email marketing metrics like open, conversion, and click-through rates.
  5. Trust: Build a strong brand reputation by honoring customer requests and delivering value through email.

Maximizing email deliverability

Your subscribers can’t take action on your email if they never receive it. Use these seven strategies to minimize undelivered emails.

  1. Avoid spammy phrases like “extra cash,” “free money,” and “pennies a day.”
  2. Automatically remove subscribers when you receive a hard bounce from their email address.
  3. Use company branding within your message copy and send address.
  4. Ask subscribers to set their email preferences.
  5. Tell new subscribers what they can expect from you when they sign up to receive your company’s emails.
  6. Encourage user engagement with links, surveys, and other interactive elements.
  7. Monitor subscriber complaints and address them immediately.

Designing for accessibility in email

Many people have disabilities that impact their ability to read or interact with emails. Consider using larger font sizes and optimal color contrast for subscribers with vision impairments. You might also avoid flashing graphics that can trigger seizures in some individuals.

Optimizing for various devices and email clients

A broad range of devices and email service providers (ESPs) are available to consumers, and it’s challenging to predict what combination of devices and ESPs your subscribers will use to read your email. Email marketing software can help you hone emails to fit any device and ESP, avoiding readability issues.

Challenges in modern email marketing

As you navigate your email marketing journey, it’s normal to encounter a few roadblocks. Here are a few to look out for.

Understanding and overcoming spam filters

ESPs use spam filters to weed out spam messages from their client’s email inboxes. If an ESP decides your email is spam, your subscriber is far less likely to read it, negating all your marketing efforts. Encourage subscribers to add your email address to their personal contacts to avoid the spam box. Also, avoid using spammy terms in your subject line or messaging. 

Dealing with list attrition and maintaining engagement

Over time, you may see less engagement from your long-time subscribers. Incorporate interactive elements like videos, surveys, and how-to guides to keep them interested in your message. You can also create a winback campaign strategy to reattract disengaged subscribers.

Navigating the impact of privacy regulations

There are many global laws and regulations that may impact your email marketing efforts, including the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Consider working with a knowledgeable attorney who can explain which data privacy laws apply to your organization and how to comply with them.

Technology’s role in shaping email marketing

There are various tools available to streamline your email marketing campaigns. Customer relationship management (CRM) systems can help you manage all your marketing channels, including email, text messages, social media, and other client interactions. A CRM is essential for companies focused on managing customer relationships.

Other essential email marketing tools include analytics and A/B testing platforms. Analytics tools help you monitor your campaign’s performance from A to Z, including open rates, conversions, and click-throughs. You can set benchmarks and compare campaign performance over time. With A/B testing, you can test different elements of your marketing emails to determine which are most effective at delivering results.

User outreach and content strategies

As you design your email marketing campaigns, consider these strategies.

Effective approaches for B2B and B2C email campaigns

Some techniques you might consider in your business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) email campaigns include:

  • Using helpful content to establish credibility and authority with subscribers
  • Including personalization elements to target specific customer groups
  • Implementing interactive features within your email to encourage engagement
  • Deploying A/B testing to optimize emails
  • Using automation tools to streamline your email marketing processes

Creative content ideas for different types of audiences

The messaging of your marketing emails will depend on your goals and other factors, such as your industry and the types of products or services you offer. Consider varying your email content with these ideas:

  • Drip campaigns, including welcome emails and content designed to encourage reader engagement
  • Sales, discounts, and other promotions
  • New product announcements
  • Blog posts and how-to videos
  • Informational updates
  • Industry news
  • Customer surveys and testimonials

Email marketing automation tools and software

Email marketing automation can put your email marketing processes on autopilot, saving you time while optimizing your processes. 

Constant Contact’s automation tools include email workflows, which you can sequence to match the typical customer journey. Plus, you gain access to a variety of templates you can customize with your company’s branding and messaging. Other helpful features include AI content-generation options and extensive integration options.

Integrating email with multi-channel marketing

Many brands integrate their email marketing campaigns with other marketing channels, including social media, text messaging, and online advertisements. A dedicated CRM system that connects with your various marketing channels can help you manage your efforts all in one place, letting you create efficient multi-channel or omnichannel strategies.

For example, suppose you use social media, SMS text messages, and email marketing. You might:

  • Showcase products on social media platforms 
  • Use text messages to provide shipping updates
  • Alert customers of upcoming sales via email

Measuring email marketing effectiveness

Analytics provide crucial information concerning your campaign’s performance. A few metrics you can use to evaluate your email marketing efforts include:

  • Open rate: The percentage of people who open your email.
  • Click-throughs: The proportion of subscribers who click on a link within your email.
  • Conversion: The percentage of people who take a specific action on your email, like making a purchase or scheduling an appointment.

Consider A/B testing or increased email optimization. You can switch up minor message elements — such as your subject line or graphics — to see how it impacts your results and tweak your email accordingly.

Future of email marketing

What kind of future trends in email marketing can you expect? While the future is anyone’s guess, a few possibilities include:

  • Greater focus on experiential email marketing, such as immersive product demonstrations
  • More AI and automation features designed to improve the customer experience
  • Stronger emphasis on consumer privacy in the U.S. and worldwide

Technology is all about innovation — tools that improve society for producers and consumers. Going forward, it’s likely that technological advancements will continue streamlining the email marketing process while providing for greater personalization and automation.

Case studies and success stories

Curious to see some real-life examples of new trends in email marketing? Check out these emails from several top brands.

Hallmark: Mobile responsive email

Hallmark’s promotional email includes mobile-friendly features like clickable links and simple, eye-catching images:

Hallmark email sample for valentine's day
This Hallmark email includes clickable links and attractive images to generate consumer interest. Image source: Hallmark

Ann Taylor: Interactive elements

This promotional email from Ann Taylor includes an interactive, clickable moving banner.

Ann Taylor email with interactive banner
This Ann Taylor email includes an interactive moving banner that catches the reader’s eye. Image source: Ann Taylor

Hilton: User-generated content

Hilton Grand Vacation (HGV) includes client testimonials and reviews for several HGV options in various locations.

Hilton Grand Vacations email with client testimonials
Hilton Grand Vacations includes client testimonials in this promotional email. Image source: Hilton Grand Vacations

Resources and further learning about trends in email marketing

Plenty of material is available for brands seeking to develop effective marketing campaigns. Constant Contact offers numerous articles and blogs you can peruse, including:

You can also check out our podcast, Be a Marketer, or browse our on-demand library of webinars hosted by experienced digital marketers.

Take your email campaign to the next level with the latest trends in email marketing

Staying on top of email marketing trends helps you keep ahead of competitors and remain relevant to your audience. Try out some of the newest trends that appeal to you and see how your clients react. Chances are, they’ll love to see something fresh from your brand in their inboxes!

Constant Contact hints and tips newsletter signup link

I’m an easily distracted and indecisive shopper. I often put products in my online shopping cart but abandon them when I get a work call or the doorbell rings. At other times, I spend days comparing brands or debating if I really need another candle. (The answer is always yes.) And I rarely remember to check back if a product is out of stock. 

My shopping experiences aren’t unique. According to a 2022 SaleCycle report, 79.5% of customers abandon online shopping carts. Additionally, 43.8% of customers view product pages without buying anything. Over time, this results in a significant loss of revenue. 

Email remarketing helps business-to-business (B2B) companies re-engage customers and motivate them to complete actions. This technique involves tracking clients’ behavior and sending them targeted emails. Email remarketing might sound complicated, but it’s easy to get started. 

This guide covers everything you need to know about email remarketing. We’ll discuss the benefits of email remarketing, best practices, and marketing automation strategies. 

What is email remarketing? 

Marketing professionals often use the terms “email remarketing” and “email retargeting” interchangeably. But there are a few small differences between these concepts. 

Email remarketing uses email to re-engage existing customers. Marketers use cookies and other tools to track user behavior. This data allows them to send personalized messages based on client interactions. 

What does email remarketing look like in action? Let’s say a client subscribes to your payment processing software. You can send them a post-purchase email encouraging them to try an invoicing package. 

Some people use retargeting as a synonym for remarketing. Others use this term to refer to advertisements that re-engage website visitors. Companies can pay for Google email remarketing ads and other types of online advertising. 

B2B email remarketing moves customers through the sales funnel. You can send remarketing emails at any stage of the buyer journey. For example, abandoned cart emails can lure back clients at the beginning of the funnel. Meanwhile, cross-selling and upselling emails re-engage customers who have already bought products. 

Benefits of email remarketing

There are many benefits of email marketing and remarketing alike. Here are five reasons to add remarketing to your email marketing toolbox. 

Increased customer loyalty 

Customers have many brands competing for their attention. Email remarketing lets you stand out from the crowd and respond to your clients’ needs. It also enables you to reward customers with exclusive offers. 

Start by crafting personalized emails based on your customers’ behavior. Did a client buy a new manufacturing tool? Send them an email with product tips and recommendations for accessories. Did a customer spend 20 minutes browsing software packages on your website? Inspire them to come back with a 10% off coupon. 

These types of messages build customer loyalty and trust. Your clients will appreciate that you recognize their individuality. They’ll also feel like you value their business. 

Re-engaging your customers 

It’s normal to have inactive subscribers on your mailing list. Maybe a client has stopped opening your emails or hasn’t bought anything in a while. An email remarketing campaign can help you win them back. 

Analyze the past behavior of inactive users to find ways to spark their interest again. Say a customer once bought a subscription to your delivery service but didn’t renew it. Send them a renewal reminder or coupon. This simple strategy can revive your mailing list. 

Improve click-through rates

You spend hours perfecting your subject lines and calls-to-action (CTAs), but clients don’t click your links. Boost your click-through rates by sending reminders to customers who opened your emails. This strategy can help you re-engage clients who show interest but don’t click the first time. 

Drive more sales with targeted campaigns 

You can increase sales by sending clients targeted messages. Start by emailing product recommendations based on previous purchases. For example, clients who buy cameras may want accessories.

It’s also a good idea to send customers information about newer models of products they’ve bought. These emails could encourage them to upgrade. 

Reduce shopping cart abandonment 

Email marketing retargeting is one of the best ways to get shoppers to return to abandoned shopping carts. Marketing automation tools make it easy to send cart abandonment emails. This software gets triggered when a customer abandons their shopping cart. It automatically sends follow-up emails to encourage them to finish their purchase. 

Email remarketing best practices

Follow these email marketing best practices to create effective remarketing campaigns. 

Develop a remarketing strategy

Focus and optimize your efforts by creating an email retargeting strategy. Start by setting specific and measurable goals, such as: 

  • Build brand awareness 
  • Reduce abandoned shopping carts
  • Re-engage inactive users 
  • Collect customer feedback 
  • Get more clients to join your loyalty program 

Next, plan out actions you can take to reach these goals. If you want to build brand awareness, you could send targeted educational emails. To gather feedback, email post-purchase surveys to customers. 

Create actionable and engaging content

No one wants to get spammy or dull emails. Avoid this problem by researching your customers’ interests and tailoring your content accordingly. For example, people who buy electronics may want to learn about advanced technical features. Meanwhile, business leaders might be eager to discover the latest trends in their industry. 

You can also increase engagement by adding interactive elements. Create a quiz to help customers find the perfect product or poll them on their favorite features. These elements can make emails more dynamic and fun. 

Segment your audience for personalized messages

With email segmentation, you sort clients into groups based on shared characteristics. This method allows you to send targeted emails to specific audiences. It’s often more effective than blasting bulk messages to your whole mailing list. 

There are many ways to segment your mailing list. You could divide customers by: 

  • Demographics: Age, gender, education
  • Geographic location: City, state, and country 
  • Behavior: Purchasing habits, engagement level, frequency of visits 
  • Psychographics: Hobbies and interests
  • Communication preferences: Email, SMS, social media 
  • Lifestage: New subscribers, loyal customers, inactive users 

Research each segment’s pain points and preferences to create personalized emails. Let’s say your business sells educational courses, and you segment customers based on their industries. You can email recommendations for marketing courses to ecommerce and finance professionals.

Use eye-catching designs and engaging subject lines 

Hook readers right away with snappy subject lines. These headings should intrigue your audience and make them curious to read more. The best subject lines often tell a joke, give a command, or ask a question. 

Once your audience opens your emails, grab their attention with captivating designs. Use colors and fonts that reflect your brand. You can also add illustrations and photos to appeal to readers emotionally. Finally, use visual elements like arrows or colored boxes to highlight call-to-action buttons. 

Conduct A/B testing for optimized campaigns 

When conducting A/B testing, you create several versions of an email and send them to different groups. You might send a funny subject line to Group A and a serious one to Group B. Next, you’ll collect data to find out which email performs best. 

Follow privacy regulations

Some countries and states have passed laws that restrict email marketing. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act requires companies to let customers opt out of sharing data. Research relevant privacy laws to make sure your remarketing campaigns comply. 

Examples of successful email remarketing campaigns 

Companies in all industries have embraced email remarketing. Here are two successful case studies for inspiration. 

ParkMobile

ParkMobile email reminder about an incentive.
This email from ParkMobile reminds customers about a free gift. Source: ParkMobile

The parking company ParkMobile sent customers a reminder email about a thank-you gift. By encouraging the reader to claim their gift, ParkMobile invites leads and existing customers to try out their offerings.  

Semrush

Semrush remarketing campaign to lead subscribers to trial
An email from Semrush encourages leads to sign up for a free trial. Source: Semrush

To get leads on board, Semrush sent an invitation for a free trial of their marketing software. This email retargets prospective customers who haven’t purchased subscriptions yet. 

How to implement email remarketing

Follow these simple steps to incorporate remarketing into your email marketing strategy.

Build an email (and SMS) subscriber list

You can only remarket to customers who belong to your mailing list. Add sign-up forms to your website and invite your social media followers to join. You can also offer incentives for joining, such as coupons or exclusive content. 

Gather customer information 

There are many ways to collect customer data for remarketing. Cookies and tracking pixels let you watch how users interact with your website. You can also track purchase histories, email interactions, and social media engagement.  

Segment your audience

Use client data to create audience segments. Your goals can help you determine how to group customers. If you want to upsell clients, group them by purchase history. Segment your audience by geographic location if you want to promote local events. 

Set up email remarketing campaigns 

Choose an email platform that lets you create email remarketing campaigns. Constant Contact is one of the best options. This platform allows you to automatically send emails to customers based on triggers. For example, the service will send automated retargeting messages to customers who abandon shopping carts encouraging them to complete their purchase.

Design remarketing emails

The most engaging remarketing emails have clear and personalized CTAs. You should also use responsive templates that display remarketing emails for mobile users. Finally, create sequences of remarketing emails to guide clients through the sales funnel. 

Strategies for different retargeting scenarios

Here are a few popular uses for remarketing emails: 

  • Renewal reminders: Send clients friendly reminders to renew their subscriptions. 
  • Cart abandonment emails: Encourage customers to buy products they’ve left in their online shopping cart.
  • Replenishment updates: Let customers know when you restock products they want. 
  • Re-engagement messages: Motivate inactive users to re-engage with exclusive offers or recommendations. 
  • Product recommendations: Offer related products to active subscribers. 

Advanced remarketing techniques 

Take your remarketing to the next level with these advanced techniques. 

Add dynamic content

Platforms like Constant Contact let you add dynamic content blocks. This content automatically changes based on customer data and interactions. You can add dynamic product recommendations, subject lines, and other personalized elements. 

Retarget emails during holidays and sales events 

Use email retargeting to engage customers during special events. Start by segmenting customers based on their behavior or demographics. Next, send targeted emails promoting your products. 

Leverage integrations for data-driven remarketing

Integrate your email platform with other software to gain insights about your audience. Study your customers’ browsing behavior by using email and web analytics tools. You can also integrate social media platforms and customer relationship management software.  

Tools and software for email remarketing

There are many email remarketing resources. Email tracking software like Constant Contact lets you watch how your campaigns perform. You can track click-through rates, engagement metrics, mobile open rates, and more. This data can help you improve your email remarketing strategy. 

Spellcheck and grammar tools can help you avoid embarrassing errors. Grammarly and LanguageTool are two popular resources. 

Measuring the success of email remarketing

Key performance indicators (KPIs) let you analyze how your remarketing emails perform. Here are a few useful KPIs: 

  • Bounce rate: The number of emails that don’t get delivered to subscriber inboxes
  • Click-through rate: The number of people who click your CTA
  • Conversion rate: The number of users who complete an action 
  • Engagement lift: The increase in the number of active users 
  • Website visits: The number of people who interact with your website

Display campaign analytics in interactive dashboards to make them easier to understand. Dashboard tools like TapClicks integrate with email platforms to help you analyze data. You can use this information to improve your remarketing strategies. 

Engage your audience in new ways with email remarketing

With the right email remarketing strategy, B2B companies can deliver personalized content at the right time. Email remarketing can boost engagement, increase revenue, and strengthen brand-customer relationships.

Get started with email remarketing by setting clear goals and segmenting your audience. Next, use email software to build automated workflows. Start small with one or two remarketing messages, such as cart abandonment emails and renewal reminders. Once you get the hang of this method, you can develop full-fledged email remarketing campaigns.