Did you know 9 out of 10 marketers use email marketing to organically distribute content? For the uninitiated, email marketing uses email to promote and sell products and services. Email marketing can also maintain relationships with current customers, because nurturing existing customers is much cheaper than acquiring newer ones. It is still one of the most cost-effective ways to market and sell your products and services.
It is no wonder that most marketers consider email marketing a big part of their marketing and sales strategy and are willing to spend big money if it means their messages will reach and be consumed by the right audiences. So let us see how you can automate this process to take your business to the next level.
What is email marketing automation?
Email marketing automation sends emails to customers (existing as well as potential customers) based on events, behaviors, and schedules. Now you don’t have to email blast all your subscribers with the same content. Email marketing automation allows you to create workflows and send more relevant and personal emails. And it is really useful.
For instance, you can control when your subscribers receive their emails (after they’ve agreed to a free trial or when they want to purchase) and what type of content they receive (personalized to their browsing habits, preferences, and actions). The campaigns run automatically, saving you time which you can use for other activities.
Drip feed email marketing Vs. Lead Nurturing
There are two types of email marketing automation. Drip feed email marketing and lead nurture. Drip feed emails are sent on a schedule at a particular time. Lead nurture emails are sent on special dates, after certain behaviors and actions, like abandoned shopping carts. Lead nurture emails are more targeted, whereas drip feed emails don’t have any particular trigger.
Drip feed emails are easy to create, whereas lead nurture emails require careful planning. The purpose of drip feed emails is to keep the customer engaged, while lead nurture emails trigger new conversations between the subscriber and the brand. Finally, drip feed emails are educational, while lead nurture emails are promotional.
Getting started with email marketing automation
Here, we will show you how to automate your email marketing plan. There are a series of steps you must take.
- Choose your automation tool
- Define the goals of your email marketing campaign
- Segment your subscriber list
- Decide how you will act and what is the schedule
- Create workflows
- Write and design good content for the emails
- Test your campaigns
Here is a list of some popular email marketing tools that can also be integrated to your WordPress website via plugins.
- MailChimp – MailChimp is a web-based email marketing service that allows businesses to manage their mailing lists, create and send newsletters and other email campaigns, and track the results of their efforts. The service is easy to use and provides a number of powerful features, including automated email campaigns, list management tools, detailed reports, and more.
- Active Campaign – Active Campaign is an email marketing and automation tool that helps businesses to stay in touch with their customers and prospects. It provides a range of features such as email templates, automation rules, and reporting tools. Active Campaign also integrates with a number of third-party applications, making it a versatile tool for businesses of all sizes.
- Drip – Drip is the marketing automation tool that helps businesses automate their marketing and sales processes. It allows businesses to create and manage their marketing campaigns, track customer engagement, and measure results. Additionally, Drip provides businesses with insights into their customers’ behavior, so they can understand what is working and what isn’t.
- SendFox – SendFox is a new email marketing service that promises to make email marketing easier and more effective. SendFox offers a simple, easy-to-use interface that makes it easy to create and send email campaigns. SendFox also includes powerful features like autoresponders, email templates, and contact management.
Conclusion
Email marketing automation saves time and effort, allows continuous process improvement, allows email personalization, reduces errors, allows segmentation of contacts, and allows you to enhance your digital marketing efforts.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can automate your email marketing on WordPress, feel free to contact us, and we can discuss how you can get the most bang for your buck.