adminAs an African freelancer in digital marketing, you know that platforms vanish and re-emerge when it comes to performance marketing. Even algorithms change, and engagement waxes low. However, there’s a marketing channel that has withstood the test of time and trends: email marketing.
If you’re a newbie, it can seem overwhelming; talk about the platforms, segmentation, click-through rates, open rates, and automations, and they can be a whole lot. This guide is designed to help you navigate email marketing, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional in digital marketing.
The Strength of Email Marketing
Unlike what many people believe, email marketing is not dead; rather, it’s evolving. Despite the rise of social media, email remains one of the most reliable, direct, and cost-effective ways to establish and nurture relationships with your audience.
With email marketing, you get direct access to your target audience, unlike other platforms.
Before we start, here are some basic terms that you will often see being used in email marketing:
- Open Rate: This is a percentage of people who open your email.
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): This is the number of people who click on a link in your email.
- Bounce Rate: These are emails that could not be delivered.
- Segmentation: This divides your list into multiple smaller groups based on behavior or demographics.
- A/B Testing: Sends two versions of an email and tries to figure out which one performs better.
- Autoresponder: Automated emails that get sent in response to user actions (like signing up).
Your Email Marketing Step-by-Step Guide
Starting as an email marketer may seem like a daunting task, but beginning with informed knowledge keeps things running smoothly.
1. Select the Most Suitable Email Marketing Platform
The very first step in starting email marketing is selecting the proper tool. Selecting the right email marketing tools will significantly impact the level of ease you experience during the transition. Having the most appropriate email marketing platform is a function of your objectives, list size, and finances. Here are some widely used options:
- Mailchimp
- ConvertKit
- Brevo (Sendinblue)
- ActiveCampaign
When choosing an email marketing tool, consider the ease of use, email templates, automation, ease of connecting to different sites or stores, and, of course, analytics tools.
2. Build and Grow Your Email List
You can’t engage in email marketing without emails! Before clients can trust you with their email marketing, how about you build your email list right from day one? Avoid purchasing email lists; this is not a good way to begin, as it can harm your deliverability and brand reputation.
3. Write the Perfect Email
When you do have subscribers, you’ll want to send your first email. Every single email you send should have a clear purpose and value to your readers. Mastering this on a personal level will help you perform well when you start with email marketing as an African freelancer.
4. Segment and Automate
As your subscriber list grows, not everyone must receive the same message. That’s where segmentation and automation come in.
Let your email segmentation list be on:
- New members
- Geography
- Purchase behavior
- Interests
- Engagement (e.g., last opened an email 30 days ago)
Tips: Many professionals have different email series, like the Welcome Series, an abandoned cart email, which is to encourage customers to complete a purchase, a birthday or milestone email
5. Track, Analyse & Improve
One of the joys of email marketing is that you can track everything. Most email marketing platforms include dashboards that allow you to view the CTR, conversion rates, open rates, and many other metrics.
Tips for Better Email Marketing Results
- Be consistent: To achieve better email marketing results, you need to establish a schedule and stick to it. This could be weekly or monthly.
- Write like a human: In your emails, one thing you must avoid is sounding too formal or robotic. Keep your tone as relatable as possible.
- Always add value: Do not sell; instead, educate, entertain, or inspire. Let your audience know that they are missing something.
- Make it easy to unsubscribe: It builds trust and keeps a healthy list.
- Clean your list: Regularly delete bounced and non-engaging emails.
Final Thoughts
In a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, Email marketing is a crucial component, and it plays a significant role. While social media can help your client gain visibility, digital marketing, combined with email marketing, actually drives sales. Email marketing builds leads, supports content marketing, and keeps your brand at the forefront of your target market’s mind.
To start in this career, your email marketing guide doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with one platform, one audience, and one campaign. As your confidence grows, so will your list, your skills, and of course your results. Build profitable relationships by joining communities that can help foster your email marketing journey.
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Paul Jattau
