How to create targeted emails that land leads
Whether you’re introducing a new product or announcing a special offer, targeted emails are a great way to drive qualified traffic and leads to your website and move customers through the buyer’s journey. However, a thoughtful approach is required to maximize ROI and reach prospects.
To ensure that targeted emails are the right fit for your upcoming campaign, ask yourself these three questions:
1. What is the goal of this targeted email?
If you’re looking to promote a product, generate or nurture leads or drive thought leadership, targeted emails can help you achieve those goals. With the right content and messaging, this tactic will improve brand awareness, build credibility, and bring you one step closer to closing a deal.
2. How will I make our message soar?
When it comes to targeted emails, a hard sell doesn’t cut it. Since business-to-business (B2B) purchases are made on a much larger scale than business-to-consumer purchases, B2B buyers are focused on making the most informed purchase possible and partnering with companies that know the ins and outs of an industry.
When developing messaging for a targeted email, think about how you can position your brand as a trusted partner and educator rather than just a seller. Consider including an educational article, infographic, video or market research to support your message and add value to it. After reading your email, prospects should feel confident turning to your company for the solutions they need.
3. How does this targeted email fit into my campaign’s overall goals?
Solely relying on targeted emails to achieve your campaign’s goals will lead to underwhelming results. To guarantee your message reaches key prospects in a variety of places, employ a balanced tactical mix, and use targeted emails to complement other tactics.
Once you’ve determined that targeted emails are the right fit for your campaign, the next step is to develop eye-catching content. By tapping into some key best practices, you can increase open rates and ensure your message reaches the right people.
Develop a stellar recipient list
Sometimes bigger isn’t always better. Putting your message in front of a more narrowly targeted audience via a segmented send can increase open rates and ensure your message gets in front of the right people. Let Sosland Publishing’s digital media experts help you target your message to an audience that’s ready to hear it with demographic targeting.
Optimize subject lines
- Use actionable language to create a sense of urgency, drive curiosity, convey authority or solve a problem.
- Ask a question that is intriguing enough for the reader to want to know the answer.
- Use numbers, statistics or lists to make your message appear more specific, digestible or educational.
- Convince the recipient to open your email by using who, what, when, where, why or how.
Craft clear, engaging copy
The copy inside your targeted email needs to be powerful but to the point. Recipients don’t read emails like they would read a magazine article. They prefer digestible bits of information that can be quickly scanned. Keep your copy between 50 and 125 words, and use bulleted lists to break up key information. Maintaining this wordcount will help keep your email focused and relevant to readers.
Spark interest with images
Images used in your targeted email should support your message and easily tie into your brand’s identity. Try to use one or two original images that reflect your company and its distinct offerings. Keep in mind that key copy and your call-to-action (CTA) should not be embedded in images, because they may not display in certain circumstances.
Create a clickable CTA
A distinct CTA is essential to getting readers out of their inbox and on to your landing page. CTAs need to be easy to find and actionable. To make CTAs stand out from other text and images, use a large, standalone button that contrasts with the email’s design and consider repeating the CTA to give users another opportunity to click. Most importantly, draw readers in by using strong action-oriented verbs that will guide them to their destination.
While an eye-catching subject line and a striking CTA create the foundation for a compelling message, targeted email best practices are always evolving. Connect with a Sosland Publishing media expert for the latest tips and resources on email marketing to ensure your message resonates and reaches the right audience.