Email is considered to be the best tool when it comes to marketing for promotional products. Repeat business and increase in orders hinges on the amount of time you stay in front of your existing clients and share all the new ideas with them on a regular basis.
91% of distributors use email marketing however, most of the distributors find the biggest challenge in executing an email campaign that fetches returns. The reason being the dearth of know-how in planning an email campaign that actually works.
Hitting the send button doesn’t guarantee success. There are certain factors which are essential in planning an email marketing activity which can get you responses.
Send with a purpose
Defining goals for your email marketing strategy is the first step towards success. Sending stereotype emails every time will eventually bore your clients and they will prefer to opt out of your list. Set your content goals with the right mix of offers and useful information such as new launch & trending products in the market. Don’t just send away a list of products, instead share relevant products which suits their business and explain why it is the best for them.
Segment your database
In promotional products business, you don’t cater to just one type of industry. Your customers would be coming from a diverse range of industries. Slice and dice your contact database into different segments to send targeted emails. It is a proven method of achieving success in email marketing compared to untargeted sends. You can segment as per:
- Geography
- Industry
- Last product they inquired about
- Last product purchased
- Order size
How does it look on Mobile?
55% of all emails are now opened in mobile. Make your emails readable on any device your clients choose to open it. Emails that are difficult to read or interact with, on mobile or other handheld devices could be the biggest turn off for your readers. Using a responsive design (mobile friendly) ensures a successful email campaign due the optimal user experience it gives to your clients.
Design that appeals
A beautifully designed layout with clear images and a well-written copy are the perfect ingredients of a gorgeous looking email. Poorly designed emails can shroud the quality of your products and leave a bad impression. A beautiful design that gets the attention of your audience is a major factor contributing to your email marketing success
Call to action (CTA)
An effective CTA is imperative to drive your clients towards the goal you had set for the email campaign. Complete your email design with a highly visible CTA so that your recipients know the next step or action to take. The next step could be:
- Make a purchase
- Send an inquiry
- Register for an offer
- Bring them to specific pages of your website.
Define a publishing schedule
Prepare a monthly publishing schedule for your email campaigns. Never inundate your clients with an email every other day or as seldom as once in a few months. A publishing schedule will help you plan ahead and maintain a regular flow of emails that will keep them engaged. Sending an email twice a month would be ideal to get the maximum benefit without inviting the wrath of your clients unsubscribing from your list
Don’t miss Special Occasions
Festivals and special days are the best time to connect to your client with your offers. Most of the businesses will be looking to give out promotional products during this time. Sending theme based emails ensure that your products get the attention at the right time.
A killer subject line
The subject line is the hero of your email campaign. According to a report published by Radicati Group, an average of 131 emails is received by a person every day. With a standard subject line, the odds are high that your email will be sent to trash or marked spam only to be never opened. Draft a subject line that is enticing enough to be clicked. Few examples for you:
- [Product name] Promotion week. Save 20%
- An Exclusive Offer for You
- Last chance! Be sure to grab the best price on promotional items!
- Your choice of amazing Promo items under $50
The promotional products industry is competitive and with the gradual increase of online promotional products sellers, it has become even more critical to focus on your marketing efforts. Email marketing encompassing all the above factors could be your most powerful marketing channel yielding results.
