Have you ever wondered how businesses seem to know just what you need and when you need it? From money-off on your birthday to summer appropriate offers, your email inbox can often look as tailored as a Savile Row suit. Intrigued? Let’s delve into the power of email automation.
What is it?
Let’s hack the mystery – email automation is simply a way to target customers and clients with personalised offers at an appropriate time. Instead of manually sending emails (for example, typing up a summer-focused offer on the first day of BST, to sending an email to a customer who has left something in their online basket), you can create a series of emails triggered by a set of actions or events. This saves you time (and effort), and also maximises engagements by delivering what the customer wants when they want it.
Goals
Define your goals. Are you looking for leads, sales, Instagram followers, or to spread brand awareness? Once you’ve set your goals, you will more easily be able to measure your success.
Get subscribers
Pop a sign-up link in your social bio, as well as websites and stores you may have. If you have a bricks and mortar premises, you can put a QR code on a sign near entrance, pay, and exit points to encourage people to subscribe.
Segment your audience
It may feel counterintuitive to send emails out to a specific segment of your entire audience, but this way you can be sure your targeting is spot on. Create segments according to interests and consumer behaviours (such as engaged shoppers).
Content is king!
Make sure the emails you send are engaging and persuasive. It’s better to send fewer emails with strong content than to churn them out at a faster pace and gather a load of unsubscribes.
Visualise your automation
Write down the customer journey and work out which emails to send and when. Establish the purpose of the email. Your emails need to offer the customer value and lead them to where you need them to be, often via an incentive. A strong call-to-action will need to be the focus of all messages.
Review
Finally, you need to take time to revisit your goals to make sure you are fulfilling them. If not, a little tweak here and there will set you on the right path. Although setting up automated emails may be time-consuming, it is a strategy that will save you time and effort in the long run.