Join 25K+ business owners every Sunday at 5pm for actionable automation tips to kickstart your week.
4 Minutes
POST PUBLISH DATE
The last thing you want is for your customers to forget about you. That's precisely why sending email campaigns is so crucial. It's all about keeping the lines of communication open and ensuring your brand remains fresh in their minds.
In this blog, I'll walk you through, step by step, how to set up an email campaign using your email marketing software. By following these straightforward steps, you'll make sure your customers always remember who you are and what you have to offer.
Getting Your Email Campaigns Rolling: How to Stay on Your Audience's Radar
Keeping in touch with your leads, visitors, and customers is super important. We definitely don't want them to forget you exist. There's this story about a business that lost a customer to someone else because, believe it or not, after three silent years, the customer just forgot about them. This shows why it's crucial to keep the convo going. Sending emails regularly helps make sure your brand stays in your audience's thoughts.
So, let's get into how we set this all up. The first step is picking the platform you'll use, and I've got to say, MailerLite is my top pick. Whether you're thinking about MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact, or any others, they're all pretty similar. But MailerLite? It stands out to me. It's packed with awesome templates and is super straightforward, which is perfect when you're juggling running your business. It's all about making things as easy as pie.
Once you've logged into MailerLite, the first thing you'll want to do is find the "Campaigns" section. If you're new around here, this area will be empty, a clean slate ready for your first campaign. If you've been with MailerLite for a while, you might see some of your previous campaigns listed. Either way, the next step is to hit "Create." MailerLite offers a variety of options for your campaign, but before choosing, there's something important to consider.
When deciding what type of content to send in your emails, put yourself in your customers' shoes. Think about what kind of email you would appreciate receiving from your business. Is it something engaging and worth reading, or just another promotional message? This perspective is crucial when planning your campaigns. My advice? Lean towards offering educational content and value. Keep your emails concise and to the point. The goal of your email should be to entice recipients to take the next step—whether that's reading a blog post on your website, watching a video, or exploring a product. Remember, most people won't sit down to read lengthy emails, so keeping your message short and sweet is key. A helpful tip to remember: emails no longer than 250 words tend to have the best open and click rates.
Once you're in the right spot on MailerLite, deciding on the type of campaign you want to send is the next step. For many, a regular campaign is the go-to, especially for those sending out newsletter-style emails. These are straightforward, and if you're looking to engage your audience with updates, insights, or stories from your business, they're perfect. If you're curious about automated emails, which work wonders for follow-ups or series, remember there are resources to dive deeper into that topic. But for now, let's focus on setting up a regular campaign, which we'll simply call "Test" for demonstration purposes.
Crafting a compelling subject line is crucial—it's your first impression, your foot in the door. Think of it as the headline of your email: "Here is an email you should open" is direct, but let's make it irresistible. Adding personal touches, like the recipient's name and your business name, can make your emails feel more personal and relevant. Not everyone will remember your name or your business off the bat, so reintroducing yourself in every email is a smart move.
The preheader text is another tool in your arsenal, acting as a teaser for what's inside the email. It's what people see after the subject line when they're deciding whether to open the email. You can use this space to create a sense of urgency or highlight the value inside: "This email is important" or "Exclusive tips inside!" are examples of how you can grab attention. This technique is something I stress with coaching clients because it's a game-changer for boosting open rates. MailerLite provides a preview feature so you can see exactly how your subject line and preheader will look to recipients, allowing you to fine-tune them for maximum impact.
As we dive into the heart of your email campaign, it’s crucial to understand the two main formats you can use: plain text and newsletter. Plain text emails mimic a personal message you might send from your Gmail or Outlook. They’re straightforward, lacking images, links, or buttons, which makes them appear more personal and direct. On the other hand, newsletters are more visually engaging, with images, links, and buttons that can make the email pop but might feel less personal to some recipients.
I tend to lean towards and recommend using plain text emails, especially when you're aiming for a personal touch. Here’s why: plain text emails are more likely to land directly in the inbox, avoiding the dreaded spam folder. They often have higher open rates—sometimes double—that of newsletter-style emails. The simplicity and personal nature of a plain text email can make the recipient feel like you’re speaking directly to them, increasing the likelihood of a reply or a click-through. While newsletters have their place, especially for monthly updates or showcasing multiple products, starting with plain text emails can help establish a connection and encourage engagement.
When you're ready to create your email in MailerLite, you'll be met with a choice between different types of email formats. If you're leaning towards sending a plain text email, the interface simplifies to mimic the experience of composing an email in Gmail. This option strips away the frills, focusing on the message itself. Alternatively, MailerLite offers a range of pre-selected templates that can be used to create more visually engaging emails. These templates provide a good starting point for those looking to add a bit of flair to their communications.
For those opting to start with the rich text editor, you'll notice it's incredibly user-friendly. One of the first things you'll want to do is adjust the layout to full width and align the text to the left. This approach makes your email resemble the straightforwardness of a plain text email, rather than the centered, more formal look of a traditional newsletter. From there, you have the freedom to tweak the font styles, heading sizes, and button colors to match your brand's aesthetics. Importantly, ensure your physical address is included in the email to comply with email marketing regulations. The editing interface in MailerLite is intuitive, showing an edit box that makes customization simple and straightforward.
Moving on to MailerLite's Drag and Drop editor, this feature opens up a world of possibilities for those looking to send more visually rich, newsletter-style emails. Whether you're showcasing promotions, coupon codes, or addressing abandoned shopping carts, the Drag and Drop editor is incredibly versatile. MailerLite’s integration with your store can be a game-changer, especially for ecommerce sites. This functionality allows you to send targeted emails automatically, such as abandoned cart reminders, complete with images of the products that caught the eye of your potential customer.
The beauty of the Drag and Drop editor lies in its ease of use and flexibility. You can choose from multiple layout options, making it simple to create emails that align with your brand and message. Adjusting text, links, and images is straightforward, allowing you to craft engaging and interactive emails that resonate with your audience. This tool is particularly useful for creating content that demands attention and encourages action, enhancing your overall email marketing strategy.
In MailerLite's Drag and Drop editor, personalization and branding are key. Starting with settings, you have the opportunity to add your logo at the top of the email, ensuring immediate recognition. Adjusting the colors to match your brand enhances the visual appeal and creates a cohesive look. The ability to modify menu items and add links mirrors the navigational ease of a website, making your email an extension of your online presence. Don’t forget to include your social media links at the bottom, further connecting your subscribers to your broader online ecosystem.
The left-hand side houses a variety of blocks, each offering different functionalities that you can simply drag and drop into your email. This feature allows for immense flexibility in design and content layout. Whether you want to rearrange components for better flow or adjust images and text for clarity, everything is customizable. The tool enables you to edit text easily, ensure buttons link correctly, and even customize button colors to suit your brand’s palette. Remember, saving your finely tuned email as a template for future use is a smart practice, saving you time and maintaining consistency.
So, we've navigated through the basics of kicking off your email campaigns with MailerLite, touching on everything from choosing your email vibe to personalizing with the Drag and Drop editor. The core takeaway? It's crucial to maintain that steady, engaging line of communication with your audience. Whether you're aiming for a more personal, plain-text approach or spicing things up with visually rich newsletters, the end goal is the same: to keep your brand top of mind and cultivate a genuine connection with your subscribers.
Keeping your email strategy sharp and consistent is key to turning those casual browsers into loyal customers. With MailerLite's toolkit at your disposal, it's about more than just sending emails—it's about building a community around your brand. Stay authentic, tailor your messages to resonate with your audience, and watch as your email marketing efforts help pave the way for your business's success.
To keep your brand top of mind, aim to send email campaigns regularly, such as weekly or bi-weekly. Consistent communication helps ensure your audience remembers you and stays engaged with your content.
MailerLite is recommended because it offers user-friendly features, including a variety of templates, a Drag and Drop editor, and flexibility for both plain text and visually rich emails. It simplifies the process of creating effective email campaigns, making it ideal for busy business owners.
Keep your email campaigns under 250 words. This brevity ensures that your message is concise and engaging, which improves open and click rates by making it easier for recipients to read and act on your content.
Join 25K+ business owners every Sunday at 5pm for actionable automation tips to kickstart your week.
All Rights Reserved | Powered by AutomationLinks