Revolutionary Email Marketing Strategies for 2023

Email marketing has been a tried and true method for retailers to build and nurture customer relationships for decades. Despite the emergence of new marketing channels, email remains one of the most effective ways to engage with customers. In fact, 87% of marketers believe email is critical to their success, with 41% considering it the most effective channel.

If you’re a retailer looking to utilize email marketing to promote your business in 2023, this guide is for you. We’ll discuss key strategies and best practices to help you build a successful email marketing campaign.

Getting Started with Email Marketing for Retail

To get started with retail email marketing, follow these four steps:

Step 1: Choose the Right Email Marketing Software

Choosing the right email marketing software is crucial for the success of your campaign. Different software options have their own specialties and unique features. Some customer relationship management (CRM) software includes built-in email marketing tools, while others offer more dedicated software specifically designed for email marketing.

Consider the following questions when choosing the right software for your business:

1. Does my business need a whole CRM suite, or would an email service provider (ESP) suffice?
2. Would a platform with subscriber-based pricing be more cost-effective for my business?

Step 2: Build Your Email List

Building your email list is essential for a successful email marketing campaign. Start building your list as soon as possible, even if you haven’t finalized your email content plan. According to data from Litmus, most email signups occur on website homepages, social media pages, and other pages on your website.

Here are some effective ways to build your retail email list:

• Use email capture or signup forms on your website. Place these forms on pop-up windows, static pages, and blog posts.
• Utilize a point-of-sale (POS) system that captures email addresses. Even if you have a brick-and-mortar store, the demand for digital receipts is growing. POS systems like Square offer the option to capture emails for digital receipts.
• Ask for emails at checkout. Whether it’s in-store or through online opt-in checkboxes, simply ask customers if they’d like to join your email list at the point of purchase.

Step 3: Segment Your Email List Subscribers

Segmenting your email list allows you to group subscribers based on shared attributes. This segmentation enables you to send targeted and personalized messages to specific groups of subscribers.

There are two main ways to approach email list segmentation:

1. Create customer profiles and set customer personas, then manually organize your lists based on these groupings. This provides more control over who receives specific emails and when.
2. Use behavior-based automatic segmentation. Automated segmentation tools, like those offered by Sendinblue, can create lists based on factors such as landing page or call-to-action used, product category purchased, and more.

Automated segmentation allows you to send relevant messages to various groups of subscribers based on their behavior and preferences.

Step 4: Integrate Other Platforms & Marketing Channels

While email marketing is effective, it’s important to remember that it’s just one piece of the marketing puzzle. Integrating your email marketing efforts with other platforms and marketing channels can enhance your overall marketing strategy.

Consider the following integration options:

• Connect your POS system to capture emails and register customers in loyalty programs.
• Sync your email marketing with other advertising initiatives. Instead of solely promoting products and services, consider championing a nonprofit cause or other partnerships that allow for cross-promotion and the capture of new subscribers.
• Use your email list to build lookalike audiences on social media platforms. This allows you to refine your target audience and increase the chances of finding new customers through targeted ads.

By integrating email marketing with other platforms and channels, you can create a cohesive and effective marketing strategy.

Retail Email Marketing Tips & Best Practices

To make your retail email marketing strategy a success, consider the following tips and best practices:

Design With a Mobile-first Mindset

Designing your email campaigns with a mobile-first approach is crucial, as more and more people are opening emails on mobile devices. Keep the following best practices in mind for mobile-friendly email design:

• Keep your subject line under 30 characters to accommodate mobile displays.
• Utilize the email preheader to provide additional information and entice readers.
• Design your emails to feel like an app, with clear branding, scannable copy, easy-to-click buttons, and above-the-fold image placements.
• Optimize images and file sizes to ensure fast loading times on mobile devices.

Personalize Your Messages

Personalization is key to successful email marketing. Beyond simply addressing subscribers by name, consider incorporating purchase behavior personalization and recommended products into your email designs. By tailoring your messages to individual subscribers, you can create a more personalized and engaging experience.

Leverage Marketing Automation

Automating various email processes can save time, increase efficiency, and improve email effectiveness. Consider automating post-purchase email sequences to upsell or cross-sell other products, as well as gathering feedback. Transactional emails, such as order confirmations and shipping information, can also be automated to recover abandoned carts or re-engage inactive users. Welcome emails are another effective automation tactic, with high open and click-through rates.

Optimize Your Subject Lines

Subject lines play a crucial role in email open rates. Optimize your subject lines by understanding your customers and what will compel them to open your emails. Rather than focusing on specific character counts or using emojis, focus on crafting subject lines that resonate with your target audience.

Add Value to Your Content

To keep subscribers engaged and prevent them from unsubscribing, make sure your email content adds value to their lives. This can include entertainment, humor, educational content, or other forms of value based on your audience’s preferences. Use polls, feedback requests, or surveys to gather insights on what your audience wants.

Track Engagement

Regularly track and analyze email engagement metrics to gain insights into what types of emails resonate most with your subscribers. Metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and opt-outs can help you understand your audience’s preferences and inform future email variations.

Test Messages Before Sending

Quality assurance is essential to ensure your emails are error-free and render properly across devices. Establish a thorough QA process that checks links, images, copy, and overall rendering before sending out your email campaigns.

Make It Easy to Unsubscribe

Including an easy-to-find unsubscribe option in every email is not only a best practice but also a legal requirement under the CAN-SPAM Act. Make sure it’s simple for recipients to unsubscribe and respect their preferences.

Stay True to Your Brand

Consistency is key when it comes to branding. Ensure your emails align with your visual brand identity, using consistent colors, fonts, and design styles. Keep your brand voice consistent as well, adjusting the tone based on the content but maintaining a cohesive voice throughout.

Make Your Message Easy to Read

Design your emails with legibility in mind. Use clear and simple language, short sentences, and common words that are easy to understand. Ensure your font is large enough and offers enough contrast with the background. If using text over an image, consider adding a text box with transparency to ensure readability across devices.

Conclusion

Email marketing continues to be a powerful and cost-effective strategy for retailers to engage with customers and drive revenue. By following these email marketing strategies and best practices, you can create effective campaigns that resonate with your audience. Remember to integrate your email marketing efforts with other platforms and marketing channels for a holistic marketing approach. Stay consistent with your branding, personalize your messages, and always track and analyze engagement to optimize your email marketing strategy for success in 2023.