A recent article by SCORE argues that marketing through email remains one of the most effective methods, even as social media marketing grows in popularity. The article cites an industry finding that for every $1 invested in email marketing, businesses see an approximate $49 return on investment. This method is affordable for small businesses with limited digital marketing budgets, and it doesn’t require special equipment, but email marketing is most impactful when executed correctly. SCORE shared some tips: 

Test run
This might seem obvious, but it’s important to test emails before hitting the send button. Running a test not only allows for any edits to the format or copy of the email, but it also ensures the email isn’t sent to spam. SCORE suggests asking a few colleagues to sign up for a test email list, so you can send the email and ask for feedback. Things to look for include professional format, easy-to-read content and readability on a mobile device. 

Email list maintenance
SCORE says regularly “growing and cleaning” your email list is crucial to boosting leads. Businesses should incentivize potential new subscribers with “lead magnets,” such as access to a free eBook, case studies, coupons or discount codes, and webinars. Clean your list by removing inactive subscribers and flagging spam accounts. 

Optimize and streamline
“Optimizing your emails through client segmentation is a great way to increase your lead conversion rate,” says SCORE, which recommends segmenting your audience by location, new subscribers and loyal customers. This will allow you to build targeted campaigns specific to the preferences of each group. 

Call to action
Capitalizing on email marketing leads requires calls to action (CTAs), which are “written or visual directives” that lead subscribers to make a purchase and become customers.