How many irrelevant emails do you receive in a day? Deleting messages we’re not interested in is a daily chore – and with 8.3 billion sent on average in the UK every day it’s a persistent problem we could do without.
That said, email marketing is a fantastic way for businesses of all sizes to build trust with their audience and increase sales, offering an ROI of $36 for every $1 invested. But how do you make sure your emails are valuable enough for a potential customer to read and act on, rather than delete unread?
Relax, they want to hear from you
I often hear from the marketing apprentices I train that their business owners are nervous about email marketing. They don’t want to bother people. There’s a genuine fear of reputational damage. But when a potential customer subscribes to your marketing list, it shows they are interested in what you have to say and, better still, are potentially predisposed to do business with you. In essence, they’ve given you permission to share your skills, products or services with them.
So relax, it’s ok to communicate with them.
But key to success with email marketing is to make sure your messages are as relevant as possible – and the best way to do that is by segmenting your audience.
Simple guide to email segmentation
Segmentation is the process of dividing email subscribers into smaller groups based on characteristics such as location, interests, stage of the sales process, and behaviour. This enables you to create content that is far more relevant than a blanket ‘send to all’ email which stands less chance of converting to sales.
Grouping contacts allows you the opportunity to speak clearly to specific pain points and address how you provide the solution with greater relevance. The result is a much-improved personalised customer experience, with messages tailored to individual interests. This all serves to build a valuable bond with your brand.
How do I segment my email list?
The ideal way to communicate with potential customers is with a bespoke message based on previous behaviour, needs and interests.
Plainly, that’s unrealistic. However, segmenting does mean crafting several messages instead of the one or two you might previously have put together. While the benefits are clear, they have to be weighed against time invested. So here are five tips to ensure effective segmentation:
Have a clear objective
First define what you aim to achieve with your emails. Are you looking to increase open rates, boost engagement, or drive sales for specific products? Your goals will guide which segments are most valuable. For example, if product usage is your focus, segmenting by user behaviour (frequency and type of usage) is more beneficial than by demographic criteria.
Analyse customer data
Utilise the data you already have on subscribers to identify meaningful ways to segment. Look at demographics (age, location, gender), past purchase behaviour, and engagement levels with previous emails. This analysis can reveal patterns and trends that help prioritise which segments will be most responsive and valuable.
Customer journey
Identifying new subscribers, active users and past customers can help you send more targeted and relevant messages. Tailor content to each stage – such as welcome emails for new subscribers, tips and additional product information for active users, and re-engagement offers for past customers.
Keep it manageable
It can be tempting to create a multitude of segments, but this can quickly become overwhelming and dilute efforts. Start with a few broad segments that you know differ significantly in needs or behaviour. As you refine your strategy and learn more from your results, you can consider more nuanced segmentation.
Review and refine
Segmentation is not a set-it-and-forget-it process. Regularly review performance of segments against marketing objectives. Use these insights to adjust your segments and strategy over time to ensure you’re not wasting time on segments that don’t contribute to your overall goals.
The extra work will be well worth it
Segmented emails should provide greater value to subscribers, leading to higher open and click-through rates and, ultimately, greater engagement and sales. Take the time to segment your audience and create strategic email campaigns that speak to specific needs to ensure your greatest return for your efforts.
