Email marketing is an effective way to pull new and existing customers into your business. The goal is to not just send out mass communication and hope for success, but achieve a return on your investment. What you need to remember is marketplace saturation. How do you convey your message to the customer and explain the “why” of your company without losing the relevancy of your message? You must tell a story, create a narrative and naturally pull in the customer.
Creating a personalized story surrounding your email marketing campaign is more than just putting words in a message. Studies notice a higher click-through rate when emails address the recipient by the first name instead of in a blanket format. Images make emails more personal. Not only do images assist with conveying the message, customers respond to emails with images. Images also help paint pictures and fill in the blanks with messaging that can’t be conveyed through words.
Stand Out
There are millions of businesses online, several selling similar products and services. What makes you different? How do you stand out? One of the best ways to differentiate yourself is through compelling narrative. To offer a relevant, useful narrative, you have to provide solid information, provide data and discuss supporting facts. Discuss the business experience; speak of engaging the customer base and use emotion. Well-crafted words are memorable.
Build narrative around your particular angle. Make your business relevant to your customer base. Make your customer not just want your product/service; create a sense of need. After reading your email, your customers should want to respond.
Imagination
Unimaginative narrative does not tell a story. Be dynamic with word choice. Create vivid images with your words and phrases. Inject humor, when appropriate. Do not stay the course with traditional storytelling; push the envelope. Using imagination requires you think of your customer base. What images do your customers expect? Use video, audio and social media to create engagement.
Customer Interaction
A story is nothing without the engagement of the customer base. When your narrative enables interaction, you pull the customer into your story. They are no longer the bystander; the customer is now the central character in your story. When customers are a part of the conversation, they are willing to pull potential customers into the narrative with them. They want others to feel the same way, the passion and emotion. Customers in turn feel valued and understand the bigger picture of the company.
Crafting like an Author
The best storytellers in the business not only have a way with words, they have the ability to tell a cohesive story. Do not tell several stories without consistency. You must weave each story together, creating a central theme. Create a narrative around the vision of your business. Your narrative should discuss company goals as well as customers playing a part in the success of your business. Make the impact of your campaign relevant to the lives of your customer.
Never-ending Cycle
Creating an effective email marketing campaign means more than just sending out one email and expecting immediate return. You need to create a continuous cycle of thought provoking sentiments directed toward your customer base. Customers must be engaged on a constant basis.
Pulling customers into an effective email marketing campaign requires thoughtful narrative. You have to engage the customer, making them a part of the overall success of your business. Create a web of excitement and intrigue with the result being customer engagement and return on your marketing campaign.
