Email Marketing: A CXL Review
This class was surprisingly easy to follow. It was less in-depth training and more loaded with a quick how-to followed up with examples of what works. It was based on what the teacher knows works. For example, she shares how to keep photo like structure in an email to make it look nice without losing your information if you end up in in-boxes that do not load photos by default — 25% of email subscribers do not have photos on by default.
Not doing this correctly can also make your mail end up in the spam folder. Only 85% of emails end up in your main box. The teacher discusses how to help prevent that from happening, too. If you follow some good practices and don’t break the law, you should be good. The law is summed up in CAN-SPAM. Basically, people have to be able to unsubscribe and you have to follow that. Don’t be a creep and show up in their mailbox uninvited. This isn’t against the law but buying email lists is a huge no-no and a quick way to get you on that Spam list. Your email and the way it is set up is a huge red-flag to AI and scanners. You do not want to end up in the auto spam list or the “not even read ad sent” list. Email is a great lead gatherer and if you blow it, you might as well hang up the phone — dead air.
Making Sure it Works
You want to make sure that your email is set up in the Inbox to be read, too. For example, the preheader and snippet text gets more real estate than the subject line and can be your ‘in’ when people open up their inbox. That small section gives them an opportunity to scan — make them want you. Just like the inside, everything should follow KISS — Keep It Skimmable Silly. Emails are sales pages for people that opted in. They are already lukewarm. If done right, you will be popping bottles in the HOT-Tub, getting them comfortable and helping them stay interested in your product.
You also need to follow the metrics and clean up your list. Find out who is subscribed, dead air, engaging, not engaging. You’ll need a team, but getting emails set up based on data and metrics can be done. The teacher uses Spirit Air emails as examples a lot in her class. Spirit makes each email personal depending on where you are going when your flight is, and many other personalizations based on your preferences and purchases. The time of day to send emails is all on your customer base and your analytics.
The most effective wat make sure it works overall is, HAVE A PLAN based on solid data. And I mentioned this; Do Not Buy an email list. When it comes to videos, don’t embed them. Make them a hyperlink.
Monthly Sharing
You want to makes sure that you are not going below 1 email a month. I feel it should at least me an email a week. However, if you go under a month, you may suffer from those who opt-in losing interest. You want to entertain their needs by reminding them why they are signed up with you. Do not leave them hanging.
Also, No matter what they say, lightboxes asking for signups are effective. Don’t overdo it. But a planned pop up for an opt-in is highly effective even if everyone whines about how annoying they are. The data doesn’t lie — they work.
Another side note, pay attention to the clicks versus just those that opened your email. IF people are opening and not going anywhere, try and switch it up. Do a geographic zoned email. Find ways to get as personal as possible so people click through and don’t just throw out all that hard work.
Closing Up
There is a lot to your emails. If you can find someone to break down the data for you and that can apply your strategy based on your customers, it may be priceless. Emails are highly effective — $38 to every $1 spent and that is a hell of a number considering. It takes work and time to find the perfect email marketing campaign. But if you can master it, you will have a huge chunk of change coming in. It should not be overlooked.
CXL offers shell a lot of information. More than I was expecting. These classes are an extension, a level up for those that already know marketing. Going into these courses with no knowledge may be a bit confusing. I am not saying not to do it but definitely go in knowing it is not for the faint of heart. Pay attention. Use the classes in your daily routine. Get started so you can excel.