Email Marketing for Your Jewelry-Making Business
Although email may seem outdated compared to more dynamic forms of online communication, such as social media and SMS texts, studies have shown that email campaigns are far more likely to convert customers than those on social media. Investing the time to create and maintain an email newsletter can help you build a strong client base and build lasting relationships with your customers.
What goes in an email?
Think about what will hold your customers’ attention. It is easy to write and send an email a couple times a month, but it is much more difficult to keep people interested in what you have to say.
Keep your customers updated about your business. Let them know about new products, happenings within the company, sales and special discounts. The more details you provide, the more likely readers are to come back for more.
Consider adding PDF files—easily read by any digital device—to provide your customers with images and in-store ads. Emails with attachments will load more quickly than emails filled with images. Alternatively, consider providing links to PDF documents hosted on your website within your emails to mitigate the risk of them being flagged as spam.
If you don't have the time to craft extensive emails or you feel that customers aren't likely to read through the whole email, you might want to think about taking the teaser approach instead. This means writing just a brief message in your routine emails that redirects consumers to your website or store location if they have further interest in what you have to say. Teasers are an effective way to maintain interest in your beading business.
Forbes.com reports that another way to keep people focused on your emails rather than sending them to the spam folder is to personalize them. This doesn't just mean inputting a subscriber's name—it can also translate into including sales that are personalized to their interests. Doing so can show clients that you truly care about their business and improve your customer retention rate.
Email Software
While managing your own list of contacts and sending emails manually is an option, it's both beneficial and prudent to leverage reliable email marketing software. Email software offers more than just the ability to send emails—it streamlines various aspects of your email campaigns. It efficiently organizes your mailing list, allowing for targeted segmentation tailored to specific campaign objectives. With automated email capabilities, you can schedule emails based on your preferences and customer interactions. Personalization is simplified, as email software incorporates clients' names and preferences into the email content. Additionally, robust analytics provided by email software empower you to make informed, data-driven decisions for future campaigns. Moreover, email software aids in ensuring compliance with email marketing regulations, as detailed later in this article.
The realm of email marketing companies is vast, offering a multitude of options for businesses of all sizes. Among these, MailChimp stands out for its intuitive interface and exceptional versatility, which explains its position as one of the leading email marketing providers. Boasting AI-driven tools for content development, personalization and analytics, MailChimp offers a comprehensive suite of features to enhance marketing campaigns. Its pricing plans cater to various budgets, ranging from free to several hundred dollars per month.
Alternatively, Constant Contact specializes in catering to the needs of small businesses, providing a range of services tailored to their requirements. From customizable templates for media creation to seamless social media integration, automation and advanced database segmentation, Constant Contact offers robust solutions for under a hundred dollars per month.
These examples represent just a glimpse of the diverse landscape of email marketing companies available. It's essential to conduct thorough research to identify the provider that aligns best with your specific needs and objectives. By exploring your options, you can make an informed decision that sets the stage for successful email marketing endeavors for your business.
Your Email List
You’ve got your system in place, but where do you get a list of contacts? Your first go-to will be your existing customers, but make sure they have the opportunity to opt out of receiving your marketing emails. Not everyone appreciates regular contact from businesses advertising their goods and services, so a little courtesy will go a long way toward maintaining those relationships.
Maximize the visibility of your mailing list by promoting it at every opportunity. Displaying your email address prominently on your website is an effective method to attract a substantial number of contacts. Additionally, maintain a clipboard and sign-up sheet at your business location to encourage further engagement and drive additional traffic.
Many businesses entice customers to subscribe to their email lists by offering perks, such as discount coupons or codes toward the subscriber’s next purchase, early access to sales, free shipping or exclusive online content accessible solely to subscribers. Other rewards for subscribers could include annual “birthday” discounts, loyalty programs rewarding frequent purchasers or referral programs, where customers earn extra discounts by referring others to subscribe to the mailing list.
Watch the Analytics
Whether you're sending emails manually or utilizing an email marketing service, it's crucial to monitor your analytics closely. When investing time and resources into email marketing, ensuring their effectiveness is paramount. Continuously evaluate what strategies yield the best results and allocate more resources accordingly. Likewise, be prepared to discard elements of your email program that fail to meet your objectives. While email marketing can be highly effective, adopting a "set it and forget it" approach will diminish your efforts.
Don’t Get Labeled “Spam”
Courtesy of Handmade Business
There are a couple of ways you can make sure that your business emails aren't automatically deleted or sent to a spam folder. First and foremost, you must comply with rules and regulations under the CAN-SPAM Act. Established by the Federal Trade Commission, these regulations are designed to prevent businesses from exploiting consumers and safeguard email communication integrity.
The CAN-SPAM Act prohibits businesses from using false subject lines or incorrect headers to entice recipients to open emails. Advertisements must accurately represent the products or services being promoted, include a physical address and provide recipients with a clear opportunity to opt out of future emails. For further details on CAN-SPAM compliance, please refer to the FTC website.
Once you've navigated the regulatory requirements of email marketing campaigns, you can confidently proceed with developing a strategy to attract new customers and engage loyal clients in your business. Additionally, most email marketing companies handle key aspects of email marketing on your behalf, including providing unsubscribe links, opt-in confirmation and email authentication, allowing you to focus on growing your business.
An A-B-C of Pro Tips
Courtesy of Stephanie Hintz at Handmade Business
A/B Test
Divide your email list in half for each new campaign. Send half with one subject line and half with another. See which group elicits a higher open rate and use that information to perfect writing future subject lines.
Create Segmented lists
Divide your email lists into categories, such as new prospects, current customers, expired subscribers, etc. Target your emails to each group and see your open rate increase.
Don't Buy Lists
Buying lists is typically not a cost-effective strategy to reach a larger audience. Plus, it can have a negative impact on your domain standing and the deliverability of your emails. Email marketing works best when messages are relevant and sent to authentic, interested parties.
Exclusive Offers
Exclusive offers are appealing because they offer the recipient a little something special for being a new or loyal customer. Advise them of any sales or shipping discounts they may receive if they order from that particular campaign.
From Lines Matter
Take heed of "where" your email was sent from. Often, where or who the email was sent from may be the determining factor in whether or not the recipient opens it. This should be something familiar to the reader, like a brand or your name as the designer.
Graphics Get Noticed
Charts, graphics, and infographics woven into the body of your email get attention. Here you can share data, explore processes of what you make and even identify what is the most popular style or color of the items you offer.
Halt Spam
Don't break spam laws, or else you could find yourself in hot water. The Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.org) outlines restrictions that apply to email marketing.
Images
Pictures say a thousand words, and in the fast-paced email world, adding a few images adds appeal and breaks up reading space. This should be one of the easiest things for a handmade business owner to do, since the nature of their work is typically highly visual.
Just Do It!
If you haven't started a regular email marketing program for your handmade business, now is the time to start. Even if you only reach out to your customers quarterly, reminding them you are still in the marketplace will increase your sales as well as brand awareness.
Kick It
A good lede, or introduction of your email message, will encourage the recipient to keep reading. A knock-out kicker, or ending, will build trust and make them want more.
Letters from the Owner
A letter from the handmade business owner—you—keeps your brand front and center before your targeted audience. Plus, it adds a more personal touch every now and then, especially if you have grown to include more staff or have gone wholesale.
Make it Theirs
Personalize each email to its recipient whenever possible. By calling your reader by their name, you are humanizing your brand and letting them know that they matter to you.
Nail the Subject Line
After working so hard on the body of your email, don't get careless and key in any subject line. Make it related to your message, so the reader will want to open the email and read it.
Optimize for Mobile
Did you know that over half of all emails are opened on a mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet or iPad? If your emails are not optimized for mobile, then more than half of your potential customers—and existing ones—can't easily read your emails.
Proofread
Always, always proofread each email several times before sending it out. Better yet, invite a second or third person in on the read. Just a tiny typographical error can make you appear less professional.
Quality Over Quantity
Focus on the quality of your content rather than the quantity. Quick, informative and engaging reads are what will keep more of your customers on your email list.
Resend
If you notice that a lot of emails did not get opened, are you sure they were actually delivered? If the recipient did receive it and just glossed over it due to unfamiliarity, you have nothing to lose by resending it. Just be sure you are not sending them to anyone who has opted out or that already opened that particular message.
Short and Sweet
It is a proven fact that short subject lines increase open rates. Don't give away the whole message here; keep some mystery under the hood.
Track Metrics
This is a must-do task! Track your performance metrics of each email marketing campaign you send out. This helps you better identify and understand your audience by analyzing how they respond to your message and brand.
Understand Your Audience
Knowing your audience is half the battle when it comes to effective email marketing. Focus groups, forums and surveys are ways you can become better acquainted with your audience.
VIP Treatment
Everyone wants to feel special, including your customers. Establish a VIP or loyalty club and offer special, lucrative rewards for participating.
Welcoming Words
Nobody likes static, purely informational emails. Welcome and invite your audience with a catchy or heartfelt greeting to build trust and likeability.
X-fer
In other words--transfer--your email marketing skills to other content marketing efforts. Use your skills to beef up your website content, print media and more.
YMMV
Your market may vary, or YMMV, means that your audience and outcomes may differ from others. While there is no magic equation as to what email marketing tips will definitively work for everyone, one thing is certain--perseverance and adaptation in the marketplace will carry you far.
Zones Decide
Consider the time zones of your recipients when sending your emails. In the United States, keep in mind you can experience up to a four-hour real-time difference between regions.
Now that you're well-versed in the intricacies of email marketing, take the leap and give it a try. Armed with dedication and strategic thinking, you'll not only expand your client base but also drive your sales to new heights. Remember, success in email marketing is within your reach with persistence and smart decision-making.
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