Emails That Get Opened? Yep, It’s Possible.
A component of marketing automation, email drip campaigns consist of a series of pre-written and auto-generated emails that are meant to strike at just the right time within the sales funnel. They are sent from the awareness stage all the way through the lead funnel until the lead is converted (and sometimes afterwards as well).
The reason they are often referred to as email “drip” campaigns is because the information, notifications, and updates are strategically “dripped” so as not to overwhelm the potential client. There are many benefits to approaching your email marketing by using these drip campaigns, and we’ve rounded up the most important ones below.
Benefits of Email Drip Campaigns
Email Drip Campaigns Are Surprisingly Customized
Okay, okay, so you already saw the part about them being pre-written. Here’s the thing, though. Not everyone gets the same email. The emails are dripped based on behavior. This leads to subscribers being put into different funnels and this targeting makes the emails feel more personalized. It’s like a snowball rolling downhill, but in the very best way, as the personal touch builds trust and leads to fewer people unsubscribing. In turn, this leads to higher conversion rates and more revenue.
You’re Subtly Retargeting
These are people who have already expressed interest in your products or services, so the segmented emails are simply reminding them that you are still there in order to keep the conversation going. Whether it’s subliminal or conscious, your brand will be at the top of their minds when it comes time to make the purchase. It’s remarketing at its finest.
Maximum Exposure for Minimal Effort
Quite frankly, marketing has to be about working smarter, not harder, as there are so many moving parts to any campaign. Because these subscribers are already interested, they are further down the sales funnel. Nurturing these leads with regular communication is like having a chance to subtly sell your products and services over a series of emails.
Any drip campaign worth its salt will also weed out those who are not responding, avoiding any wasted time on dead ends. Plus, this is a “fix it and forget it” technique, as once the emails are automated, your work is (mostly!) done.
Swift Welcome Emails Equate to a Super High Open Rate
If your subscriber has just signed up for more information, notifications, etc., getting an email right away increases their chances of opening it. In fact, an Experian report noted that a 58.7 percent open rate for welcome emails jumps to 88.3 percent if the email is sent immediately. That’s a pretty legit leap.
No One is Ever Totally Out of the Email Drip Loop
We should say that comes with the caveat that anyone can unsubscribe. But if some of your contacts have remained unengaged but haven’t unsubscribed, email drip campaigns can help to re-engage these prospects. In fact, you can create an entire campaign aimed at these folks along the vein of “Hey, we’d love to have you back!” or “Hey, we miss you!” On top of the gentle nudge you give them in the emails, you can promote things like social media accounts and other marketing channels.
You Can Capture Abandoned Carts
We’ve all abandoned carts at one point or another. We might have had buyer’s remorse but there are also many times we just get interrupted before being able to make the purchase. That latter group is who can retarget with the email drips. It’s not enough to simply send a reminder email with no substance, though. First and foremost, confirm that the item or promotion is still available. Remind them of what’s left in the cart in an engaging way that inspires confidence in your brand. If possible, offer a discount code to seal the deal. The research is behind you, as Hubspot recently noted that 72 percent of users who make a purchase returned to their cart within 24 hours (likely due to compelling emails!).
Best Practices for Email Drip Campaigns
Remember the Sales Funnel
When crafting the emails, keep in mind where this person is in the sales funnel. If they’ve just filled out a form and don’t know much about your brand, you’re not going to send a pitch-heavy email. This lead needs to be nurtured first by providing value added content so he or she can learn more about your brand.
Keep the Flow as Smooth as Possible
This goes hand in hand with number one, as you want your emails to be relevant to where the prospects are in the process. However, you don’t want to overwhelm them or come off as too aggressive, so never send more than one email drip per day. And make the content as smooth as possible by writing all the emails at once, as this helps to keep the tone and messaging consistent.
Segment Your Email Lists
You want to go beyond the names and email addresses and subscribers. Group them by location, interests, email preferences, and any other information you have to share more relevant content and get better results.
Tie in Your Other Marketing Channels
Remember that you want this person to learn more and more about your brand, so including links to newsletters, opportunities for ebook downloads, social media accounts, and the like in every email are crucial.
Good Email Writing is Paramount
There are some general writing tips that are great to keep in mind when crafting these emails. Brevity is your friend (at least at first). An engaging subject line is your BEST FRIEND. Short paragraphs can hang, too. But spelling and grammatical errors are not invited.
You might consider sharing a personal story somewhere within the email so it doesn’t come across as automated. You’ll also have a greater chance of connecting with the reader.
It’s also vital to avoid overly “salesy” or marketing language, as this will make your email more likely to get caught by the gatekeeper – aka the spam filter.
Make sure to end with a clear and compelling CTA so the reader knows what to do next. Make sure to add value to increase your chances of converting or getting closer to conversion. Some will even tell you to add a P.S., as it’s an informal way to tease the next email in the drip campaign.
Continuously Test Your Campaigns
As with any worthy marketing campaign, email drips need to be tested throughout to see what’s working and what isn’t. A/B testing will help you figure out where tweaks need to be made. Switch up variables such as subject lines and calls to action, as small changes can often make a big difference.
If you frankly find the idea of crafting emails to be a total drip, leave your campaign to us. Contact us to find out how we can launch it for your or integrate it into your current CRM.