8 Email Marketing Challenges And How To Avoid Them

With email marketing granting some of the best returns to be found from any marketing method, this invaluable tool cannot be ignored by your business. In 2016, email marketing again surpassed even SEO in terms of profitably and return on investment, with three-quarters of all companies reporting an excellent ROI from their email marketing efforts. While in 2015, 53% of all UK based advertisers preferred email marketing over other forms of advertising. Over the years, email-based campaigns have established themselves as a cornerstone of internet marketing, and a must-have asset to any business. Here we take a look at eight challenges which are commonly associated with this lucrative practice, and give advice on how to overcome each pitfall before it arises.

Challenge 1: Subscribers Miss Your Message Due To Format Issues

Don't Let Viewers Miss Your Message Because of Multimedia or Compatibility

Not every recipient will be able to view the images, flash or other multimedia which you may choose to include in your mails. The extra detail may seem a worthy asset to your marketing, however intelligent copy is far more effective than visual messages which may not be seen. It is better to include a link to a video presentation, rather than embedding it in your mail. You should also test your email marketing campaign on multiple platforms to ensure that your marketing is conveyed in the way that you envisioned. Managed email marketing services help you to establish brand recognition and will devise the most impactful and lucrative strategy for your e-mails, ensuring compatibility on all devices. Don’t forget that 75% of Gmail’s users access their email on mobile devices! Cross-platform testing is essential.

Challenge 2: Subscriber Engagement Decay

Observe Your Metrics and Stay on Top of Your Demographics

A commonly associated challenge to email marketing is the projection that email recipients stop becoming responsive. Even though this is a major concern, across the board unsubscribe rates are typically lower than 0.2% in the UK. Whether the rest are engaged or not is dependent on your industry and marketing savvy. While keeping up engagement can be challenging, fresh ideas and a strong call to action will reward you with a steady stream of engaged subscribers. Email response decay is a problem which plagues many marketers, yet if you realise the full potential of your pipeline through active observation of analytics, keeping your subscribers engaged is much easier.

Challenge 3: Subscribers Lost Due To A Lack Of Communication Preferences

Diversify the Way That You Deliver Your Content

If you are worried that you may be losing out on potential subscribers, then you need to begin diversifying your content delivery. For example, multi-language translation services are abundant and affordably priced. Giving your readers the option of receiving your newsletter and updates in the language of their choice will allow you to put this worry to rest. It also opens up many lead generation possibilities as you have a broader audience to market to. Getting your content optimised for a foreign audience in a different language is far simpler than most would expect, and is a huge asset if you plan to market your services abroad, or to minority communities in the UK.

Challenge 4: Email Marketing Delivery Rate Issues

Build Your Own List and Stay on Top of the Law

While email delivery rates essentially come down to what you are sending and who you are sending it to, there are steps that you can take to ensure a delivery rate of well above 90%. Every email marketer must be aware of the EU Electronic Communications Directive of 2003 and the Data Protection Act (1998). In addition to staying compliant in regards to legal implications, it is also always far better to build your own email database rather than purchasing one. Delivery rates to your own subscribers is far higher and more reliable than delivery to recipients obtained from a third-party source. Building a subscriber list is easier and quicker than you might think, making data purchase an unnecessary expense. Chat with one of our marketing team about proven strategies that will work in your industry.

Challenge 5: Email Marketing May Alienate Certain Customers

Never Market the Same Message, or to the Same Audience

If every email that you send is a direct attempt to sell to your customers, then this will alienate your readers. Helpful information and industry advice is far better than “buy XYZ, it’s on promotion”. Alternate your content, not everyone wants an informative wall of text in every newsletter. Infographics, listicles, guides, reviews and current news are all great forms of content which you should switch up from time to time to keep you readers subscribed and engaged. Message segmentation is a great way to break up larger bodies of text while forming an insightful basis of information to share with your community. 58% of all marketers use varying levels of message segmentation, an increase from 2015. Be sure to structure your mails so that they create a lasting impact and encourage your readers to look forward to your next correspondence.

Challenge 6: Emails Are Most Often Skimmed Not Read, Making It Hard To Form An Impression

Take Extra Care in Devising a Hook Which Cannot Be Ignored

Industry research shows that you have roughly five seconds to grab the attention of your reader when he or she opens your mail. While many view this as a disadvantage, it actually allows for a great deal of fore planning and intelligent marketing. An unmissable hook should be attention grabbing, possibly catching your reader off-guard. Emotional or exclamatory statements work quite well, as do catchy phrases which capitalise on the value of what you are offering. View a marketing hook as your bait and carefully craft a subject line which will leave an impression on your recipient from among the clutter of their inbox.

Challange 7: Email Marketing Is Resource Intensive

Set Out with a Plan and Don’t Be Afraid to Outsource

Any marketing exercise needs carefully planning and a targeted and innovative approach. Fortunately, email allows for more than enough diversity to expand your reach and address new customer types. Yet attacking a new market is not always the easiest exercise. Take the time to lay out a plan and create your email newsletters or updates in advance. These basic designs should all be a part of your well-thought out blueprint. Always devise a solid plan of action for your email marketing campaign, taking into account who your customers are and what interests grab their attention. If you are looking for lower risk and a higher return on investment, you could consider a professional marketing agency such as JDR to work alongside you to implement a winning strategy.

Challenge 8: Email Marketing Takes A Considerable Investment

Adjust Your Campaign to Meet Multiple Goals and Reap a Steady ROI

In almost every scenario, an email marketing campaign experiences better customer acquisition rates when time is taken to understand the target audience first. Split-testing of email campaigns and detailed metrics over a period of months will reveal the most lucrative means of advertising. All of this takes time and a steady stream of small investments. An email marketing campaign can very quickly give you measurable results within a short time of launching your mails, although some leads will need nurturing over time. Always take the time to measure your performance and adjust your goals as your strategy develops. With some experience, you will soon find that your ROI remains easy to project, with a balanced rate of growth.

Email Marketing – Established & Proven

There are few customer and sales acquisition techniques which are as effective as email marketing. A managed email marketing service provider such as JDR can optimise a long or short-term campaign which meets both your expectations and budget. With over 60% of all companies trusting email marketing as their primary choice, there is no better way to begin growing your customer base for the coming year.