If you’re a business owner actively looking to expand your reach, you’ve probably heard about “email automation” and “marketing automation.” But how do they fit into your marketing plan and help you grow your business? Knowing what these buzzwords are could save you time and money. So, let’s dive in!
Email automation builds customer relationships by combining the power of customer data, great content and software. It allows you to have continued presence in your clients’ and prospects’ inboxes without having to do all of the work yourself.
Usually, email automation involves sending relevant emails out on a timeline of your choosing, scheduling them in advance so you don’t have to sit there hitting the “send” button every day. Your customers get to read content that interests them and your name stays top of mind. In other words, email automation serves to nurture the customer relationships you already have so you can get more repeat and referral business.
Bonus Content: Grab a copy of our Email Marketing Roadmap.
Here are 5 reasons why you can’t do without it:
1. Email automation engages your customer.
Ever wonder if anyone saw your Tweet or Facebook post? When you use email, your campaign is going directly into their inbox. While using social media platforms is a great way to get your message across (and you absolutely should utilize it), most people are inundated with posts on a daily basis which means your offer may be lost in the media mix.
2. Your subject matters.
Everyone checks their email on a regular basis and even if a customer doesn’t open your email, your subject line can be enough to engage them.
If a customer recognizes your name and your subject line is to the point, even if the email is unopened, they will recognize who you are and what you do. You’ll still achieve your goal of staying visible. Never underestimate the true power of email marketing even outside of the inbox.
3. Automation makes segmenting easy.
Segmenting your email increases your click-through rate. How? When you segment you send out targeted emails to different kinds of customers, so everyone gets content that’s more relevant to them.
For example, if you are running a special offer for “new” customers, you can use automated email to extend the offer. At the same time, you can send a different offer to “existing” customers. The personalization of using segmented emails cultivates loyalty and when it comes to customers, isn’t that point?
4. Email is inexpensive.
Unlike direct mail pieces, email costs next to nothing to send. Most everyone has an email address and tracking whether or not an email has been opened or seen is easy with various analytical tools. Investing in automated email instead of typical marketing channels not only saves you time, it saves you money.
5. It does the work for you.
Remembering to send out appropriately timed emails is tough when you have other tasks. When you’ve set up an automated email campaign, you don’t think about when you should send the next email because you’ve already scheduled it, which gives you more time to focus on the new leads you generate.
If you’re a business owner looking to engage your loyal customers and gain new leads on a regular basis, there’s no reason not to use email automation. After all, everyone is in the business of saving time and money, so why not let email help lighten your load so you can get back to what really matters: making your customers happy through focusing on providing the best service possible.
Updated 9/26/17; Originally Published 6/2/2014
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