Email marketing is a lot like personal relationships. It can start off strong, with everyone excited about what’s coming next. But after a little bit of time, it can start to feel a bit repetitive (or even worse, boring) and you might be tempted to look around for something new.
The growing popularity of social media over the last decade even convinced some companies to move dollars away from hard-working email marketing efforts to focus on platforms that gave them more freedom to develop sexier content executions. Some of us were starting to think that email would be pushed aside.
Thankfully, like a lot of long-term relationships, email stood the test of time, and today remains one of the most effective communication channels out there for generating leads, building customer loyalty, and encouraging word of mouth. Even better, when you pair it with all of those sexy social channels, the integrated efforts can be extraordinary.
But when people let you into their inboxes, you owe it to them to deliver content that’s relevant, informative and engaging. Successful customer relationships can be nurtured with regular communication. But that communication must convey the following sentiments:
Trust
The first step is creating high-quality content that is shared in a consistent way. Confidence in your brand will grow stronger over time if you build subject matter authority in your niche with relevant, well produced and timely information.
Respect
Always be completely honest and transparent with your audience. When you first connect, tell them how you intend to communicate with them, what you will send, and how often. And don’t forget to make people feel like they’re a part of your community.
Loyalty
Your most loyal customers deserve your loyalty in return. They deserve extra special attention because they’re likely your biggest advocates. And it’s the little things that will make a big difference here – remember birthdays and anniversaries, provide exclusive access to special content and regularly invite these customers to share their thoughts with you so that you can continue to improve their experience.
