How to use email marketing to support your business goals

Email marketing is a low-cost marketing strategy that can deliver big rewards. Get it right, and you can drive brand awareness, increase customer loyalty and encourage repeat purchases. But get it wrong, and you could find your brand being blocked as spam. Our guide will help you hit the sweet spot to turn your customers and prospects into fans.

The key benefits of email marketing

For small and medium-sized businesses, email marketing is one of the most cost-effective and scalable ways to engage with both existing and potential customers. Unlike paid advertising or social media algorithms, email gives you direct access to your audience’s inbox – and their attention.

According to the Data & Marketing Association’s Consumer Email Tracker Report (2023), email marketing has an average ROI of £38 for every £1 spent, making it one of the highest-performing marketing channels for SMEs. The report found that email maintains a significant lead over other channels for both pre- and post-purchase communication, with consumers ranking email first for receiving marketing messages about:

• discounts, offers and sales (64%)
• new products/services (53%)
• advice, information and reviews (44%)

Whether you’re sending a monthly newsletter or launching a new product or service, email campaigns can help you:

• Build brand awareness by keeping your business top of mind
• Encourage repeat business by sharing offers, reminders or useful content
• Boost customer loyalty with personalised updates or exclusive benefits
• Drive new leads and enquiries through strategic calls to action

Email marketing is especially valuable for service-led businesses – such as consultants, accountants or design agencies – looking to build long-term client relationships and convert prospects gradually.

Before you start email marketing

You don’t need a big budget to start email marketing, but you do need the right tools and to stay compliant.

Start by choosing an email marketing platform. Tools like Mailchimp, MailerLite and Sender all offer free or low-cost plans, perfect for if you’re just starting out. These platforms help you design emails, automate campaigns and track performance.

But before hitting “send,” it’s important to consider data protection laws. Under GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), you must get clear, unambiguous consent from individuals to receive your emails. You also need to provide a clear way for them to unsubscribe at any time. Not following these rules could result in complaints, fines or damage to your business reputation – so it’s worth getting it right from day one.

Creating an effective email marketing strategy that will deliver returns on investment

Like any good marketing tactic, email campaigns work best when they’re rooted in a clear strategy. Ask yourself:

• What do you want to achieve? Is your focus on retaining current customers, converting prospects or building brand recognition?
• Who are you talking to? Your messaging should be tailored to your audience segments.
• How will you measure success? Key performance indicators (KPIs) might include open rates, click-throughs, or conversions such as enquiries or bookings.

It’s also crucial to make sure your emails reflect your wider brand tone and identity. Whether your voice is friendly and informal or professional and polished, consistency across all marketing channels – including email – builds trust and recognition.

Pitfalls to avoid with email marketing

Despite its strengths, email marketing comes with potential risks. Here are a few common pitfalls – and how to avoid them:

• Overloading inboxes: Sending too many emails too often can annoy your audience. Make sure every message provides value.
• Ignoring mobile users: Over 40% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Use responsive templates to ensure your content displays correctly across all devices.
• Generic messaging: Personalisation is key. Emails with a personalised subject line are 26% more likely to be opened (Campaign Monitor, 2023).
• Failing to segment your list: Not all your customers have the same needs. Use segmentation to send relevant messages to different groups based on behaviour, interests or purchase history.

Optimising your email marketing strategy

One of the advantages of email marketing is how easily it can be tracked and refined. Most email platforms offer real-time analytics on open rates, click-throughs, and conversions.

By reviewing your results regularly, you can spot what’s working – and what isn’t. For example:

• Low open rates? Try A/B testing your subject lines, i.e. writing two different subject lines and seeing what prompts more people to open your email
• High unsubscribe rates? Look at your frequency or content value – perhaps you’re sending too many emails, or maybe the content you’re sending isn’t adding value for your database
• Strong engagement? Identifying what your audience responds well to enables you to create more content like this to consolidate their engagement

Continual optimisation helps ensure that your strategy stays aligned with your goals and delivers the best possible return on investment.

Email marketing can be one of the most powerful tools in your SME’s marketing toolkit – when used with care, clarity and customer focus.

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