If you're diving into the e-commerce world, you need to know about this secret weapon. Email marketing.
Email marketing for e-commerce stores is no joke. If it’s not near the top of your list of priorities, you need to shred that list and start again.
Some stores attribute up to 60% of their e-commerce store revenue to email marketing.
That’s huge.
And there’s no reason why you can’t join this elite group of e-commerce experts.
Start by pulling together your strategy today. Here are 6 simple (but not easy) actions you can take today.
No fluff, no jargon—just straightforward strategies to kickstart your success.
Let's go.
6 Steps for E-commerce Email Marketing Beginners
1. Get People to Join Up:
First, you need to build a list. Channel your website traffic into subscribers, and then you can start nurturing. Slap a subscription form on your site, sweeten the deal with exclusive offers, and watch your list grow. More subscribers mean more chances to convert.
- Action Point: Add a prominent subscription form to your website homepage or checkout page. Bonus points for adding a pop-up too.
- Why: Make it easy for visitors to join the club. Offer a juicy incentive like a discount or freebie for subscribing. You can also offer exclusivity or priority access if discounts aren’t your thing.
2. Know Your Audience, Segment Your List:
E-commerce isn't a one-size-fits-all game. Break down your audience into segments. Newbies, frequent shoppers, deal hunters—send them what they want. Personalised emails = happy customers. Get out there and make friends.
- Action Point: Use customer data to segment your email list. Set up 3 segments to begin with: engaged subscribers, unengaged subscribers, and frequent buyers.
- Why: Sending targeted content ensures you're speaking directly to your audience's interests, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversions. Send the right message at the right time, to the right people.
3. Content is King, Especially in Emails:
Don't bore your subscribers with constant sales pitches. Mix it up. How-to guides, customer stories, sneak peeks—keep it interesting. Valuable content builds relationships that last.
- Action Point: Plan a content calendar for your emails—mix product highlights with how-to guides or user-generated content. Start with a 3-month calendar.
- Why: Valuable content keeps subscribers interested and builds a community around your brand, fostering trust and loyalty. That means better engagement and more conversions.
4. Design Like a Pro:
Your email design doesn’t have to be fancy. What it needs to be is clean, mobile-friendly, and attention-grabbing. It should enhance the message, not take away from it. A click-worthy call-to-action doesn’t hurt either.
- Action Point: Create a clean, mobile-responsive email template. Ensure your visuals are on-brand and attention-grabbing. Don’t go over the top - remember the content is first priority.
- Why: A visually appealing email not only stands out in the inbox but also reflects positively on your brand, increasing the chances of conversion.
5. Set It and Forget It: Automation Magic:
Save time, make money. Setting up key automations means you can make money whilst you sleep (literally); automation keeps your customers engaged without lifting a finger. Again, it’s all about getting the right message to the right people, at the right time.
- Action Point: Set up automated emails for welcome sequences, abandoned cart reminders, and post-purchase follow-ups. These are the top ones you need in place today.
- Why: Automation ensures timely communication without you having to manually send emails, saving time and increasing customer engagement.
6. Test, Tweak, Triumph:
This is where you get your geek on: A/B testing. Subject lines, visuals, timing—test it all. Learn what works, ditch what doesn’t, and watch your open and click rates skyrocket.
- Action Point: Start A/B testing different elements of your emails - start with subject lines, email copy and calls-to-action.
- Why: Testing allows you to understand what resonates best with your audience, helping you refine your email strategy for optimal performance.
These elements make up the core of every e-commerce email marketing strategy. There are only 6 action points - what’s stopping you?
Once you have these foundations in place, you can start to develop and expand your email marketing efforts to reach those upper echelons.