4 min read –
It’s a legitimate question to ask, as the way we conduct business and communicate with clients seems to constantly change.
Face to face communication was all the rage 10 years ago, before email marketing became very popular. But what about now in 2021? Should you be spending time and resources on email campaigns? Well – spoiler alert – yes, email marketing is most definitely still worth it.
Let’s look at why by identifying the 5 current most important email marketing trends.
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Automation
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Personalisation
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Video
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Informational emails not selling emails
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Plain text emails
Automation
Automating your emails is a very simple process but it can have a massive effect on utilisation of resources, plus make it much easier to track engagement.
Ideally you should be sending between 1 and 4 emails per month. This is enough to stay on a potential customer’s radar and keep them engaged, but doesn’t barrage them with too many emails and so become a nuisance to them.
Using a simple automation tool such as Mailchimp allows you to schedule emails, and if necessary, adjust your campaign depending upon reader engagement. More sophisticated email automation packages allow you to set up ‘drip campaigns’ where you can organise automatic emails that are triggered by behaviours and actions.
Personalisation
It’s time to get personal! In 2020, according to research by SuperOffice, 89% of B2B emails were sent from a company email address rather than an individual’s address. This needs to change! You need to start building up trust and rapport and this starts with the email address you use.
By personalising your content, you immediately attract the attention of the recipient. Start your personalisation in the Subject line (how about “Simon, did you hear about this new technology?”) and continue it through the content with specific references to the recipient. This can be hard to do with a substantial list, so break the job down into manageable chunks.
Your ultimate personalisation of course can be achieved via a video, recorded specifically for the recipient. You can guarantee the vast majority of people will watch a video at least once when it starts with a direct approach to the recipient, for e.g. “Hi Simon, this video is just for you…”
Video
The buzz word of the last decade! We all know how powerful video can be as part of your marketing mix but incorporating it into your email marketing can really raise your game. With software such as Vidyard, or by using a specialist to edit a video together, you can ensure you tailor your video to your intended audience, tapping into a particular need or business issue.
The type of video you produce can vary according to the key message of the email. Sometimes a simple piece-to-camera is enough, whereas in other cases you may need to film something in your factory, offices or on location. The most important thing to remember is keep it simple and make it relevant.
The statistics on use of video in emails are very persuasive – open rates increased by 19%, click rates by 65% and a reduction in unsubscribe rates of 26%.
Informational emails
We’ve all heard the cry “not another bloody sales email”! You need to avoid this response by including content that informs and educates your audience. Don’t fill your emails with stories of how your company has done this and that, guaranteed to turn your readers off. Instead, you need to consider content that explores problems or issues that are generic and answers the questions that your target audience is asking.
Changing your content this way should increase your click-through and conversion rates and decrease the number of unsubscribes you get.
Plain text emails
Because images can still be a problem! Sending a plain-text email can be a guaranteed way to get your email through to its intended recipient, without it being intercepted by spam filters. Image-filled emails can often come across as too sales-oriented, and email providers often block them from downloading, thus creating an unsightly mess in the inbox.
Plain text emails also offer the benefit of making your audience feel more directly reached out to, especially if supported with personalisation such as their name and job role in the email. They are also perfect for email-reading tools, such as Cortana, which are becoming more and more popular.
Summary
The key trends for email marketing discussed above all point to it being a key tool for your B2B digital marketing strategy.
With an organically grown prospects list, you can target your intended audience with tailored content that appeals directly to them and measures the success or otherwise through genuine feedback.
With a bit of planning, and some creative content, email marketing can offer a B2B company a fabulous return for a limited input.