RLM BLOG
How to Elevate Your Email Marketing Skills
Beginning with the Basics
Before diving into the writing process, it’s imperative to find a healthy balance between a casual cadence, professional dialogue and industry-specific lingo. Of course, this balance shifts based on your business and customer base— so take some time to craft an exciting aesthetic that accurately represents your company identity. If you’re struggling to find inspiration, research how leading competitors engage with their audience and consider how to utilize a similar approach, but in a way that is unique to your brand.
Another way to prepare for campaigns is by creating customer lists for easy reference, then organizing them into different categories based on different products or services the customer has expressed interest in. A master contact-list is always a great starting point, but customers and partners will really appreciate the ablility to choose what type of messages they receive. For example, some people may want notifications for special sales, while some may only want to hear about the latest Youtube tutorial.
Setting Up a Solid Structure
Subject Line
Keep it short and sweet. The goal is to catch your audience’s attention before they scroll through the millions of other messages in their inbox that morning. As a good rule of thumb, try to limit this section to 10 words or less.
Intro
If this is your first email to the recipient(s), introduce yourself by providing your name, job title, and company. Addressing the readers and offering a personal introduction instead of immediately trying to sell them on something establishes credibility in a conversational way.
Body
Let’s add some meat to the bones. We’ve introduced the main idea, but now it’s time to dive into all the deets. An effective email body breaks down the information on a need-to-no basis, helping readers easily to identify the most important aspects of the message. It’s easy to get overly wordy, but remember people have pretty short attention spans (especially with emails or blogs), so the more concise, the better.
Closing
Time to wrap up the message with a nice bow. A strong closing usually involves a thank you, well wish, or sign off, along with listed sources relating to the topic like links to…
📹 Informational videos/blogs
📲 Store, contact, home, or product link
📍Google Maps to event or storefront
Including Exciting Visual Elements
No matter what type of digital marketing you’re pursuing, visuals are always an essential tool in catching the attention of a quick scroller and breaking up heavy text! Help your team stand out from other brands by using captivating photos, videos, and graphics.
Make sure to mix up your content with a variety of mediums, and that you fully understand the advantages of each type. Photos provide a great opportunity to feature products and spotlight employees, videos allow people to see your products or services in action, & infographics give buyers the bigger picture by combining engaging visuals with helpful analytics.
Not sure where to start? Source and incorporate media that is aesthetically & authentically on-brand, encompassing all of the key details mentioned in your message and can easily be shared by copying or saving the file. Using unique visual elements is what sets your brand apart from the rest, so avoid stock imaging as much as possible!
Learning the Industry Lingo
As we touched on previously— every email begins with a memorable hook to quickly grab the reader’s attention. The best way to do so is by staying updated on the latest lingo in the industry. Ensuring the referenced trends and language you’re using are timely, as well as relevant to your specific topic, is key. The last thing you want to do is come off as outdated or cringe-worthy! With that said, including this type of localized vocabulary gives you the opportunity to relate to your audience, share your personality, & add some flare.
Don’t be afraid to try out emojis either! Strategically sprinkling them throughout your message adds a little pizzazz, while also breaking up character-based text. Basically, these icons serve as a subtle and stylish organizational tool. Switch up the style of your subheaders or lists by replacing bullets with emojis (as seen in 2 sections above). If you choose to go this route, just make sure that the emojis are purposeful, not excessive or distracting to the main point.
Adding a Personalized Touch
Including a custom signature offers an opportunity to further establish a sense of personality and professionalism. Creating a company-wide template for employees would be a simple way to take the company’s digital communications to the next level. Small changes like these make it as easy as possible for the recipient to remember who exactly is trying to connect with them, while adding an additional touch of your brand’s identity. It’s all about making a good first impression. Need help setting up your e-signature? Here’s a quick-guide:
Outlook
1. Select “Settings” at the top of the page 2. Select “Mail” → Compose
3. Under “Email Signature,” type your signature (name, job title, company & contact information)
4. Customize the section using the available formatting options to change its appearance
5. Select Save when you're done
Gmail
1. Click on “Settings” → “See All Settings”
2. Scroll down the list of options until you see the “Signature” Section
3. Add your customized text (name, job title, company name, & contact information)
4. Upload an image of your logo below the text
5. Save changes at the bottom of the page
iCloud
1. Click on the grid icon on the top banner → select the “Mail” app
2. Click on the settings icon at the top of the Mailboxes list, then choose “Preferences”
3. Select “Composing,” then scroll down until you see “Add a signature”
4. Add your customized text (name, job title, company name, & contact information)
5. Click “Done” to save changes
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