We all have our favorites.
Favorite color, favorite shoes, favorite clothes, and favorite products.
We all have our reasons why those are our favorites. We have our reasons why we keep using them, or wearing them, or buying them.
Business owners bank on these reasons. They use it to fuel their advertising and marketing campaigns. They emphasize why customers should buy their product.
People say that great marketers give buyers a good reason to buy. The challenge lies in how business owners convey the message to draw in the customers.
What gets customers hooked on a product/service or brand?
Everyone has different reasons why they get hooked on specific products. They keep buying clothes in those colors because the shade looks good on them. They keep buying the same types of shoes because they’re comfortable.
Nowadays, it’s no longer just about the product. There are many other factors why customers get hooked.
They had a good experience with your product/service
Did you know that 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a better brand experience? Only one percent feel that vendors actually meet their expectations though.
Research shows that consumers crave experiences. They want the customer journeys that they enjoy. So what exactly makes up a great customer experience?
An Oracle survey shows consumers want friendly employees or customer service representatives. They also want the ability to find the information they need. Personalized experiences also make it to the list.
When customers are happy about their experiences, they get hooked.
They are attracted to advertising and marketing efforts
Advertising brings in potential customers. No wonder businesses invest in it. For example, in 2018, the APAC region contributed 39.7% to the global ad spend growth.
Spending on digital media is also projected to increase. With eCommerce businesses, advertising can bring in sales almost immediately.
Customers are also attracted to creative marketing campaigns, especially ones that use great content like graphics and videos. Nowadays, marketing has expanded into influencer marketing, experiential marketing, and even augmented reality!
They trust referrals and word-of-mouth
How many times did you buy something because a close friend of yours recommended it? Almost 80% buy new products when friends or family refer them.
When influencers or people you emulate believe in the product, most of the time you end up liking the products yourselves and eventually get hooked.
They see great feedback about your product or service
Customers tend to give feedback if they have a really great experience or a really bad one. Actually, Americans will tell an average of 15 people about a bad experience. They will only tell eleven about a good one.
Ecommerce businesses are booming all around the world. Customers can easily check star ratings and reviews online. Even though total strangers submit these, they have an effect on the purchase decision.
A survey shared that 88% of consumers trust online feedback like personal recommendations. This doesn’t apply only to first-time buyers, but to regular buyers as well.
They see your brand engage with them
Attracting new customers is important. Taking care of your existing ones and loyal ones is a whole different story. Customer engagement is the emotional attachment to a product, service, or brand. Usually, this is fostered through loyalty programs, exclusive events, and affiliate programs.
Gallup’s research finds that fully engaged customers are 23% more likely to spend on your business compared to average customers. They buy more, stay with your business longer, and provide you with more profit.
They like your content
Do you know what else gets customers hooked? It’s great content in email marketing.
In fact, all of the benefits we just discussed meet at a certain point. They all end up on using content with email marketing.
The truth is, when you pair great content with email marketing, your business is in for a treat.
How important is great content in email marketing?
So where does content fit in the whole email marketing scheme? Let us count the ways.
It can improve open rates
People receive a lot of emails on a daily basis, so how can you be sure that your email subscribers are opening them? Emails that can trigger an emotional response will most likely get opened.
Emails that get opened will have a higher chance of converting. You have to provide irresistible content exclusive in your emails, like free resources, guides, or ebooks.
Make sure that your subscribers know that they will be getting these only when they open your email.
Content can trigger emotions
Getting your emails opened is one thing, but getting your subscribers to buy is another. It all boils down to your content.
Intent-based marketing is a thing of the present. Demographics are limiting. Instead, email marketers now target based on intent.
For example, when a customer buys your product, they want to know how to use it. They want to know how to care for it properly. Sending them guides, tutorials, reminders, and follow-ups give them a great experience.
It attracts new traffic through shares
Sharing content is like giving online reviews or referrals. First-time visitors may find your content interesting and subscribe to your list.
When your subscribers find value in the content you provide, they will feel this need to share it. They can forward your e-newsletter or links to your blog articles.
It helps build better customer relationships
If your content is consistent and valuable, your subscribers will trust you. They will connect with your brand. They will be your loyal subscribers and customers.
A newsletter is a great example. You can use this to provide updates and announcements. Regular emails can also contain success stories or reviews from other customers. Your brand will be like a good friend–a constant presence in their inbox.
Evergreen content is timeless
Content that never decays is “evergreen.” It is content that always stays relevant. Breaking news and announcements are important but they will all fade in time.
Evergreen content is timeless. This can be a how-to-guide. It can also be a detailed historical encounter or a compilation of success stories and best practices.
Your marketing can always reuse this content to re-engage your subscribers. Additionally, you can also make a good impression on new customers.
At the end of the day, with evergreen content, you don’t have to keep thinking of new valuable content because you already have a handful.
It encourages feedback and engagement
Feedback and engagement can get your customers hooked. Now, email marketing makes this very easy and efficient thanks to technology. But it is the way you create the content that will fuel the two-way communication between you and your subscribers.
Great content keeps your subscribers on their toes, hanging on to every word. The best way to do this is to user-generated content from previous and current customers.
You can ask buyers to share tips on how they use your product. Solicit stories from your customers on how your product was able to help them.
Content helps you reach out to your subscribers and start building a meaningful relationship.
Great content can better showcase your brand effectively
The truth is, there are still a lot of potential customers out there. They may not be aware of your brand or products yet. Email marketing can help you reach out to them.
How? By creating useful content that is helpful and valuable to your target market. The more valuable your content is, the more traction it will get.
There’s no better way to make a great impression and to introduce your brand.
Content is customizable depending on customers’ preferences
Segmentation and event-triggered automation will get the emails to get to your target subscribers’ inboxes. Content handles getting the conversions and making the sales. Technology can help in getting the data needed to create mind-blowing content. Subscribers will receive emails that will feel like they were written just for them.
When it comes to customizing, the sky is the limit. Be creative! Combine data gathered from demographics, buying behavior, and even internet usage.
Tips to create better content that delivers
Content is king. Imagine the possibilities if you combine it with your email marketing. However, here are a few things that you can start doing right now.
Revamp your headlines and welcome emails
Headlines and welcome emails are great opportunities to wow your subscribers. An email welcome series will help you establish a positive and engaging relationship from Day 1. Plus, according to Klaviyo, welcome series emails get 63% higher open rates and 86% higher click-through rates.
Some things to remember for an effective welcome series:
- Make your welcome series exciting, fun, and enthusiastic.
- Do not overwhelm your new subscribers.
- Spread it out over a few days.
- Always add a call-to-action.
- Give a gift like a coupon.
- Focus on clarity over catchiness.
Some things to remember when making a headline/subject line:
- Personalize!
- Make it brief but attention-grabbing
- Spark urgency or interest
- Use simple words
Restructure your call-to-actions
The really good emails have call-to-actions. The thing you should remember is that people usually just scan their emails. You want your calls to stand out and be identified right away.
Some marketers place their calls in interactive buttons in bright colors. However, this isn’t a solution for everyone. You should still learn how to craft your calls in plain text emails since they still perform best.
Remember these tips when you make your CTA:
- Use strong command verbs like “Buy,” “Shop,” “Subscribe” or “Order.”
- Make short but enthusiastic sentences
- Use exclamation points
- Test your CTAs
- Make them simple. Don’t include two CTAs in one email.
- Don’t be afraid to take the “Fear of Missing Out” angle
Avoid unintentional spamming
The bane of email marketers–being labeled as spam! You may not be a legitimate spammer, but you may be doing some things that can land you in the same cell. For example, you may be sending way too many emails. You may be sending the same message all over again.
Don’t worry. Here are some ways that you can avoid spamming your subscribers accidentally:
- Implement a double opt-in. This is when you require new subscribers to verify that they do want to receive emails from you.
- Offer the option to unsubscribe.
- Do not oversell because spam filters are sensitive to sales emails
- Keep your graphics and copy professionally made
Establish relevance
Some people say relevance is the key to email marketing success. Your content should always be something that will answer subscribers’ questions. Your emails should always be relatable or beneficial for them currently.
To achieve this, you can start with thinking like a customer. Next, focus on their problems and focus on where your product fits in this scenario. Keep things simple and remember to provide value for your subscribers.
Write in the second person voice
Use the pronouns “you,” “your,” and “yours.” By doing so, you keep the focus on the subscribers, and not on you or your products.
By using these words, you create a sense of interpersonal communication even if the message is delivered via email. It’s part of what helps in increasing customer engagement and feedback.
Remember, having a great email marketing strategy is only possible when you have the right content as well. As business owners and email marketers, it is very important for you to know how to deliver quality content that will produce results. When combined, they mesh perfectly together and can make an unforgettable digital campaign for the books.
Hook Your Subscribers Now!
Curious about how to combine content with your email marketing strategy? We can help you with that.
