Email marketing remains one of the highest-converting digital strategies available today. But, without clear direction, even the best tools and platforms fall short.
The key to driving results is taking a purpose-driven approach right from the start when planning your next campaign. Before drafting compelling copy or selecting eye-catching images, begin by defining the heart of your campaign – the concrete objectives informing every subsequent choice.
Use the steps outlined below when kickstarting your campaign planning to ensure cohesive messaging and effective calls to action tailored to meet defined goals for each phase of the customer journey.
Continue reading for actionable tips on strategic planning and creative execution.
The very first step to designing campaign emails and assets is clearly defining what you want the campaign to achieve.
Having distinct marketing goals in service of broader business objectives allows you to make intentional decisions rather than shooting blindly.
Key types of overarching campaign goals include:
• Generating interest and demand for a new product launch
• Increasing seasonal or event-specific sales
• Boosting customer re-engagement and retention
While reach and engagement metrics matter, the priority should be outcomes driving revenue and growth.
Rather than vague goals like “increase brand awareness”, identify tangible objectives tied to profitable customer action – get x signups per month, move y additional inventory, or secure z more renewals quarterly.
It’s critical to narrow initial objectives rather than attempting to broadly address every business goal at once.
For example, kicking off sales for a newly upgraded software platform takes a very different approach targeting different segments than a Halloween sale on decor items.
Use your CRM data to zero in on the highest potential areas for revenue growth based on customer lifecycle stage, then structure campaigns around shepherding audiences towards behaviors providing ROI.
Once campaign objectives are set, the next key planning step is gaining crystal clarity regarding who exactly you need to mobilize to achieve defined goals.
This requires thoughtfully and thoroughly analyzing existing customer and prospect data to segment audiences based on behaviors indicating readiness to convert.
Strategic list segmentation is what allows you to calibrate messaging to be highly personally relevant.
There are numerous ways to slice customer data to group similar contacts.
Here are some starting points:
• Purchase history – infrequent, moderate, or frequent buyers
• Customer lifecycle stage – prospects, new customers, repeat customers
• Purchase timeline – bought recently, hasn’t purchased in over 6 months
• Purchase category/products – buyers of accessories only vs full product suites
Avoid using overly simplistic filters like age and gender as the sole basis for personalization.
Interests, purchase patterns, and lifecycle stage reveal much more about motivations and potential to achieve campaign-specific conversions than surface-level demographics alone.
Additionally, resist the definition paralysis that often comes with granular segmentation models.
While you can continuously divide into micro-categories, determine the few core segments who can drive the bulk of desired objectives weighted by revenue potential.
Then use those categories as the foundation for shaping content and engagement strategies.
3 Key Audience Pitfalls:
With goals carved out, audiences clearly defined and segmented, what’s next? Start scripting out the narrative arc or storyline holding all the pieces together.
Essentially, plot how you want key segments to engage with the various emails and respond to calls-to-action as part of the holistic customer journey specific to campaign themes.
Narratives provide continuity helping virtually transport segmented subscribers into the worlds and experiences your products facilitate.
For example, seasonal retail campaigns often have an implied narrative of rediscovering joy, wonder or comfort during annual celebrations anchored by decor, gifts or traditions reflecting calendar themes.
Map out the emotional and rational touchpoints you want echoed across emails, content offers and promotions.
What feeling should openers aim to evoke?
How will key USPs and visuals reinforce what the brand represents to different lifecycle stage groups as they build familiarity?
Ultimately the narrative should guide audiences to take clear actions delivering ROI while elevating affinity for the reasons why your offerings hold value.
3 Key Narrative Elements to Anchor Messaging:
Character – Who is the viewer in their journey? Describe relevant customer personas.
Quest – What symbolic internal quest or external goal does the campaign speak to?
Guide – How will you guide segmented groups towards resolutions andnext steps?
With narrative defined, dedicate thought to precisely planning email content direction aligned to objectives for each target segment and timed email delivery.
Well executed intro emails warm up cold audiences with valuable content lowering barriers to purchase while offering loyal fans first access notifications on new inventory drops or events.
Buildup emails strategically move consumers closer to buying through social proof, scarcity and FOMO messaging, helping momentum crest perfectly to coincide with main product reveal or special promotion launch emails.
Followup emails redirect attention to most relevant products post-purchase to maximize LTV.
Match format – the ideal mix of graphic assets, copy length, etc. – to each lifecycle stage and campaign genre.
For example, intro emails targeted at unknown prospects may emphasize video over lengthy text given short attention spans. Whereas loyal purchasers tend to better receive insider updates and brand stories if delivered through illustrated, long-form newsletters they recognize.
3 Key Content Elements to Optimize:
Language Tone & Style – Adapt messaging and vernacular to align with audience maturity to increase comprehension and resonance. Provide thought leadership to retained customers eligible for high tier offers while using accessible language that inspires new shoppers.
Calls-to-Action – The number and type of CTAs should shift across the narrative arc, evolving from awareness building, to intent signaling, then conversion focused.
Supporting Media – Videos, gifs and graphics require strategic alignment with objectives for each email where they are embedded to avoid distraction from core propositions. Is animation better suited to attract prospect attention while static product images drive sales through showcasing details?
We’ve set the base to carefully plan when and how often to send messages, matching them with what our audience usually does. This helps get the responses we want. Use past data to figure out the best days and times for different groups. Make sure to keep a steady flow without overwhelming them…
General best practices include:
With content mapped to journey stages, pour focus into specific Calls-to-Actions (CTAs) aimed at our final goals. Don’t just use common CTAs like ‘Shop Now’ without explaining why. Link them to what we know about our audience and our email plans.”
Some examples:
Prospect Objective – Newsletter Registration
CTA – Join our mailing list for special subscriber early access and seasonal updates!
Lapsed Retention Objective – Reactivate inactive subscribers
CTA – We’ve missed you! Click here to renew with an exclusive 20% off discount for returning customers.
Mature Customer Objective – Upsell higher tiers
CTA – Upgrade now to unlock premium features and exclusive perks perfect for valued customers like you!
Make sure each Call-to-Action (CTA) fits with the message and style of what you wrote before. Test different CTAs to see which words, places, and times get the most people to take action.
Learn more about crafting CTAs here.
Well-planned email campaigns are more effective for making money than one-time efforts. Start making a difference with your emails by focusing on solutions. Set goals, understand your audience in detail, tell a story in your emails, and end with strong CTAs that meet their needs.
Instead of sticking with emails that don’t work well, use these methods to improve your messages, timing, and how you talk to different customers. This will help turn them into loyal buyers, improving your sales and customer loyalty.
