{"id":11213,"date":"2016-06-30T07:37:08","date_gmt":"2016-06-30T12:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=11213"},"modified":"2017-07-12T16:24:16","modified_gmt":"2017-07-12T21:24:16","slug":"small-business-email-marketing-automation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/small-business-email-marketing-automation\/","title":{"rendered":"How Small Businesses Can Master Email Marketing Automation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Email<\/p>\n

Communication is key for your small business.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the help of email, you can talk directly to your customers. But as your business grows, it becomes difficult to speak to every single consumer individually. <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s where email marketing automation steps in. It gives your team the opportunity to communicate with specific customers without the time-consuming aspect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, email is evolving with technology and consumer behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

'What is dead are those random email blasts you used to send to your entire customer list.\u00a0 <\/span>In these days of social – personalization, customization and automation are king. Your email marketing needs to keep up,'\u009d writes Krista Bunskoek<\/span><\/a>, a digital PR and content marketing consultant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Save your team time by targeting the right customer. Let\u2019s master email marketing automation together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of Email Marketing <\/span><\/h2>\n

People receive several emails throughout the day. Their inboxes are swamped with messages from family, friends, and businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the increase in messages, email marketing<\/a> still offers one of the best ROIs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Direct Marketing Association revealed that 'email marketing brings in about $40 for every $1 you spend<\/span><\/a>.'\u009d It\u2019s cost-effective and benefits your bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n

An Econsultancy study found that companies attribute 23% of their total sales<\/span><\/a> to email marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Email
Answer to “What proportion of your total sales can you attribute to the email marketing channel?”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over the years, email has become a staple in eCommerce culture. Social networks and mobile apps all require an email address to unlock online experiences. <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s good news for you. As the number of consumer email accounts grows, your team will have access to more diverse segments of the population.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another advantage of email marketing is the ability to target audiences right in their homes. <\/span><\/p>\n

'People are liable to ignore billboards, throw away print newsletters, and turn over the page without even glancing at newspaper ads. However, they are more likely to pay attention to an innovative, creative, and effective email, and to end up becoming customers,'\u009d says Travis Balinas<\/span><\/a>, Product Marketing Manager at OutboundEngine.<\/span><\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=”53% of people read email on their mobile devices. Are your emails optimized for mobile?” username=”hostgator”]<\/p>\n

Lastly, email is accessible almost everywhere.<\/span> Hubspot<\/span><\/a><\/span> reports that '53% of people read email on their mobile devices.'\u009d This allows your team to create personalized messages for the mobile consumer.<\/span><\/p>\n

From sales to audience reach, email marketing is an essential strategy for your small business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Email + Automation <\/span><\/h2>\n

Automation transforms the email marketing process. According to Silverpop, 'automated email campaigns have a 15% higher open rate<\/span><\/a> than regular emails and 79% higher click through rates.'\u009d<\/span><\/p>\n

Automated email workflows offer you the convenience of reaching more people in less time. Each workflow uses a series of\u00a0 <\/span>'if this, then that'\u009d triggers to match each customer with the correct email campaign. Therefore, the customer\u2019s behavior determines your next interaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Simple workflows may include one email after a customer registers for an online store account. Or they can become complex sequences as seen in the example below from <\/span>Online Marketing Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Email<\/p>\n

When creating workflows, think like your customers. Be mindful of their habits and whether the email content is relevant to their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Damian Trzebunia<\/a><\/span>, Product Marketing Manager at Bronto Software, recounts a bad experience with email marketing automation:<\/span><\/p>\n

'For the first time, [my favorite clothing retailer] asked for my email address at checkout. In the following 10 days, I received 9 emails (two on the same day). None of them were personalized. Most of them promoted women\u2019s items. Only one was remotely interesting 10% off and free shipping on your next order.'\u009d <\/span><\/p>\n

Always improve your workflows. A\/B test them. You want to create a highly optimized system that will impress customers and build your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=”#EmailMarketing automation is all about nurturing not selling. – @alyssarimmer #goodadvice” username=”hostgator”]<\/p>\n

'Marketing automation is all about nurturing not selling. We avoid the hard-sell approach in favor of content that is personalized, relevant, and aligns with what our customers and prospects are looking for,'\u009d states, Alyssa Rimmer<\/span><\/a>, Director of Marketing at New Breed Marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Email and automation belong in your marketing toolkit. But always consider the customer\u2019s needs first.<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of Campaigns<\/span><\/h2>\n

Email marketing automation provides the functionality to execute a good communications strategy. Try different workflows to achieve your desired results. Here are four workflows:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Welcome Workflow<\/i><\/span><\/h3>\n

Set up a series of welcome emails when a prospect converts into a customer. It\u2019s a practical way to start the customer relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your product requires training, use this workflow from Social Media Today<\/a> to introduce helpful resources.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Email<\/span><\/p>\n

Jordan Lore<\/a><\/span>, Content Marketing Specialist at Wishpond, offers a few more suggestions:<\/span><\/p>\n