It’s one thing to have an engaged email list, which is already a huge feat, but the goal of email marketing is to convert those subscribers into actual customers. This is where businesses stumble when it comes to converting subscribers into shoppers. This is where the persuasive email content is lacking to prompt the proper change in someone to become a shopper. It takes a lot of deliberate thought to make these people shoppers.
Understanding Subscriber Intent to Drive Conversions
Not all email subscribers have buying intentions. Some are looking around doing some research, although some could be deeper down the buying funnel. Understanding where they are in the customer journey helps the business tailor email messaging to their purpose. An individual who just signed up for the newsletter might require generic information that details what the business entails. An individual who has opened several emails and navigated to the pricing section might need a discount code for a particular feature or longer expiration. By establishing an email list with such engagement and activity categories, the business can customize the communication to be relevant to what the subscriber has done up to that point and shifts them deeper down the conversion funnel.
Creating Value-Driven Email Content That Engages
The greatest error companies make is overwhelming their subscribers with sales pitches before establishing a trust factor and valuing such efforts. Email marketing is one of the few segments of marketing that has assured conversion rates; however, that does not mean it serves as a guaranteed avenue for sales. Companies need to consider what they would want if they were in the subscriber’s position and how they could educate and inform them about the company, the industry, or the company as an authority to help the subscriber learn more about their interests and needs. Because inevitably, when the time comes to send them promotional material, it’s going to come off as obnoxious and unwarranted.
Email marketing campaigns don’t have to sell prospective customers on a product right away. Instead, they should take what someone who has subscribed to the list wants and needs and provide it to them. If a brand is genuinely in the know, there’s a good chance that it can make a conversion down the line by cultivating a lead with educated content based on their need and intention with added value. For example, if a brand has the time to spare, insight, advice, or just news it wants to distribute about the industry in which it operates, it can become a thought leader in the space and that potential customer is much more likely to remember that value add when he or she is ready to buy.
This is where content marketing comes into play. Emails containing visually appealing blog posts, case studies, and stories of clients demonstrate expertise in the industry and long-term application of a product or service. Should a subscriber receive justification for how others have succeeded, it puts forth a good chance that this brand is an expert in the field of problem-solving. For instance, a case study hyperlink in the email of a software company could lead to how one of the company’s clients used its software to enhance productivity this would legitimize the company’s existence via quantitative results.
Yet another great way to gain authority and trust are free, value-add services that allow the customer to do it yourself. Whether it’s a downloadable e-book or whitepaper, a webinar, or even access to a how-to guide, subscribers remain busy and educated at their leisure about other companies and products and why this company’s product is the best solution for them. These tools serve as a teaser of what the company knows and can provide in the future to interested customers who may want to purchase something down the line and get assured in their educated minds before any purchase is made.
Furthermore, it’s not enough to just send the information; the companies are anticipated to try to engage on a personal level, too. If a company can see who, from their subscribers, opens what email, what link, what viewed product, etc., then the response can be adjusted. If someone on an email list opens every single email sent regarding one topic, that shows that they’re interested and a personal email about that white paper or some sort of offer in that category can go a long way. Not only will this additional information make the email more pertinent, but it will also drive engagement to convert.
Ultimately, it appears that the best way to convert email subscribers into buyers is to provide value, establish credibility, and make the brand relatable before hitting them over the head with “buy now.” If the email provides value in terms of education, entertainment, and is useful, it seems more plausible to make a purchase later on via email.
Using Persuasive Calls to Action to Encourage Purchases
Emails from control know that they have to make their reader do something. Whether it’s purchasing a product, booking an appointment, or registering for a free trial, a CTA is present, and this language makes the feat more achievable.
CTAs are supported by compelling language that implies urgency and why doing it now would be more advantageous than waiting until someone in the future. For example, “Learn More” does not compare to “Get 20% Off Today” or “Start Your Free Trial Today.” In addition, CTAs are often positioned in the email where they are sure to be seen and pressed.
Offering Exclusive Discounts and Incentives to Boost Sales
Purchase as a New Customer. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting a deal to incentivize a subscriber to spend more. Discount codes, new customer incentives, and time-sensitive opportunities convince subscribers to generate that first order.
For instance, a global email can be sent to all new subscribers that provides them with a special code to receive 20% off if they purchase within three days of receiving the email. Other opportunities can be veteran shipping for first orders, product package deals, or loyalty bucks post first order. This increases sales and makes a customer feel valued and want to return.
Leveraging Social Proof to Build Trust and Confidence
Trust is a big factor in purchase intentions and email marketing as a form of peer-generated advocacy can increase trust levels through social reciprocity. If someone sees that someone else with similar interests and backgrounds enjoys a brand and using said brand’s products and services brought something positive back in their direction, it’s more likely that they’ll trust that brand. Therefore, email marketing in the form of customer reviews, testimonials, and even case studies is a great form of real-life experiences that the brand can provide to assuage fears that would otherwise prevent a subscriber from purchasing anything.
User generated content customer images of the product, before and after images, extensive case studies reflect the authenticity of marketing efforts. If a prospective buyer sees that someone used the product/service and intentionally and successfully changed their life, perhaps they can envision doing the same for themselves. Thus, companies should foster this idea, offering reductions or incentives for honest access and feedback.
Besides client reviews, any industry awards or expert recommendations assist in establishing credibility. If a business has been acknowledged or nominated by other reputable businesses, featured in the press, or partners with reputable professionals, mentioning these in an email marketing campaign helps reduce the potential customer’s fear that this business is legitimate and worthy of anyone’s investment. Furthermore, a small ranking on a review site helps, too if someone barely ranks with a review site, it can still encourage someone reading a newsletter to become a client.
Another excellent way to solidify trust is with case studies highlighting how products/services solved problems or eased customer pain. Such in-depth stories are excellent forms of substantiating documentation of the empirically assessed value of a brand especially in B2B endeavors or high-ticket items where, due to the price, one often has to assess far more on the pro and con side before making a purchase decision. Even more enjoyable to read within the story are tangible results, such as X% increase in sales, X% decrease in hours of downtime, X% increase in employee/customer satisfaction.
Email marketing for trust isn’t a one-off engagement. Social proof, user-generated content, and consistent exposure to one’s expertise in a given niche and with products/brands are incremental via email marketing over time, creating a sustained atmosphere of trust and dependability with the subscriber community that ultimately converts and contributes to lifetime value.
Nurturing Leads with Automated Email Sequences
However, instead of a one-and-done scheduled marketing campaign that would encourage the sale, that’s not what companies are encouraged to do. There are automated email options that allow companies to continue nurturing their prospects. Through drip campaigns, they can teach and inform at a slow and steady pace, using objections and related content collected over time to reveal information at the right time in the sales cycle.
For example, a SaaS company can send a welcome email regarding must-have features to utilize on day one with access to their software and then drip emails devoted to concerns, how-to features, and time-sensitive offers. As long as they hear from the company over time in addition to what they desire, the company will remain on their radar and be able to convert much more easily.
Optimizing Email Timing and Frequency for Maximum Impact
When and how often to send is all part of engagement and conversions. If companies send too many, people unsubscribe. If they send too few, people forget who they are. For example, by finding the happy median based upon engagement statistics, companies can change their ways accordingly. They can A/B test different times of day to see when people are more likely to open and go from there. For example, some audiences are better in the AM; some audiences are better in the PM. Also, a great recommended practice is to send promotional emails once a week and value-based every three days to offer engagement without overwhelming the subscriber.
Analyzing Performance Metrics to Improve Conversion Strategies
The analytics measured for better email marketing would be open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. These statistics give an idea of what content and what offers are most appealing to subscribers. Use an Email Warm-Up Tool to ensure these emails actually reach the inbox, allowing marketers to gather accurate data on engagement rather than losing potential insights due to poor deliverability. For instance, if an email has high opens but low conversions, that means the CTA or the offer should be changed. If certain subject lines garner greater open rates than others, those can aid in creating future email titles. A campaign will flourish the more changes are made based on educated adjustments from statistical analysis.
Building Long-Term Customer Relationships Through Email
Email marketing is not simply to check up after the initial purchase; it’s a means of ongoing communication to bring the customer back. Where, for example, someone who signs up and makes a purchase needs follow-up emails about their purchase, too. An appropriate follow-up would be a thank you, a next purchase suggestion based on prior purchases, and access to a rewards program. This email marketing follow-up can also include a purchase survey and suggestions for ancillary products/services to what was purchased to enhance their experience. The more a brand can show its continued value to customers after they buy something, the more they will want to return and buy again.
Conclusion
The best way to convert email subscribers into customers is through an email-centric strategy with intention. Using segmentation of the email list, one can easily appeal based on intent and get across an educational piece of content or persuasive material. For instance, where typical CTAs would be discount codes, they could also be prompts for previously viewed items or items left in a shopping cart, especially if the follow-up is made via email. This is true for testimonials as well as user-generated content. The latter works well as follow-up communication after a purchase. The best way to know what works and what doesn’t is from assessing opens, clicks, and purchases from email, which anticipates future moves and creates a feedback loop. Therefore, email is one of the best means to create a buyer/seller relationship and facilitate purchases.
