Email is making a comeback in a major way. Not convinced yet? Consider the fact that over 205 billion emails are sent every single day and email is used by almost 3 billion people.
Email is a popular channel for communication and it’s one often missed by marketing. It’s the most refined and targeted strategy for B2B lead generation that exists. It’s doesn’t hurt that it’s super successful too.
In order to reap the benefits of this type of marketing, you have to know where to start. Developing a plan begins with understanding how email marketing works.
Landing Page
An optimized and engaging landing page is your first step prior to using email for lead generation. You have to build up your audience and gather their data before starting a campaign. After all, how will you email someone without their email address?
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Landing pages should state a clear value proposition. They must draw the reader in with content that doesn’t sell, but rather adds value. The idea is to give before receiving. It’s about creating social proof and collecting information. Once you find a lot of leads converting through your landing pages, you can then start a campaign.
Creative Content
If your message is canned, it will be deleted. Don’t even bother. Content should be educational and engaging. It should also address any pain points the consumer has and used benefit-based language instead of listing features. The content should thoroughly explain exactly how your product/service can solve specific problems.
Content that is interactive will get the most opened emails. Putting “Video Inside” or “Free Webinar” in the subject line is sure to grab a consumer’s attention. Adding useful tools or free apps also spurs further interaction.
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Drip Campaigns
A lead nurturing sequence is a way of using marketing automation and email to continuously involve potential leads in a sales funnel. People can opt out at any time but it’s also a means of indicating who is really interested in your brand. You can focus on the leads that continue to open emails and create further strategy.
Spammy or cold outreach (i.e. one without a landing page) will typically get you thrown in the trash bin. Drip campaigns can be customized through various templates, so you are always addressing people by their name. If you have a large list, it may be wise to create multiple campaigns to see which language and content works best. A/B testing is a great strategy through email marketing.
Tracking Metrics
In a recent study, 82% of B2B brands surveyed stated that email marketing was their prime lead generation tool. The only way to know if it is successful for your business is to use analytics and metrics to track efforts. If an email campaign has a low open rate, it may be time to retire it and create a new one. Sometimes changing the subject line in an email can make all the difference.
Open rates, subscriptions, and conversions are all good numbers to study when gauging your lead generation tactics. These metrics will help a team attribute marketing spend and predict future sales. The more closely you watch the numbers, the quicker you can make informed decisions about your business strategy.
The King of Digital Marketing
Email is more personal than any other form of marketing we currently have. The statistics consistently point to it being the most successful form of lead generation available. Consider these points:
- 72% of consumers prefer email as their primary source of business.
- Email has higher conversion rates than search and social media combined.
- People are twice as likely to subscribe to an email list than interact with you on Facebook.
- 61% of consumers enjoy receiving promotional emails on a weekly basis.
- When emails are personalized they receive transaction rates that are 6X higher than others.
The proof is there, and the list goes on. Every business should have an email campaign in their digital marketing plan. For as strong as social media is these days, it even outperforms that medium.
Don’t be shy. Email marketing is easy. Create great content, be authentic, and count your numbers and you should have a well-oiled lead gen machine that drives some serious ROI.
