What are the 4 main types of email marketing?

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Acquisition

Acquisition emails focus on transforming subscribers into customers. These are the individuals who have given permission to be added to your mailing list but not yet clicked the purchase button. 

Collate an email of aesthetic images, attractive offers, and informative content about the benefits of your products. Incentives to purchase come from high quality products but also strong brand image and message. 

Targeted emails that include products that the subscriber has clicked on in the past can also be effective. This makes your email more personalised and is more likely to lead to a purchase as the email is more of a nudge as the reader has already expressed interest in the product. 

Top Tips

1. Don’t have misleading headlines in your emails. While you may get a higher open and click through rate initially, over-promising and under-delivering will only alienate potential customers and lead to unsubscriptions.
2. Offers for first time buyers can encourage a sale and adding a deadline for the offer will increase the number of purchases.
3. Make it easy to unsubscribe. Respect your subscribers’ autonomy by making it quick and easy to unsubscribe from email marketing. It isn’t worth damaging your business’ reputation by making subscribers jump through hoops.

‍Retention

Retention emails focus on customers who have been inactive for a while, and may need a reminder of why they should purchase from your business again. 

These types of marketing emails are really important as it costs a lot more to acquire customers than it does to retain them. Don’t waste the money and time that you spent acquiring subscribers by not capitalising on having access to their inbox. 

Retention emails should be sent to a smaller email list that consists of subscribers who have previously purchased your products but have not made a purchase in a while. This time frame will depend on what products you sell- individuals will purchase clothes more frequently than a sofa.

Email campaigns could include exclusive offers on a purchase, a suggested purchase that could be one of your bestsellers, or a reminder of the product they have previously purchased (if it is appropriate). This can encourage repeat customers and lead to long term loyalty.

Another category of retention emails feedback. Demonstrating that your business values its customers' opinions is one of the cornerstones of customer loyalty.  This can include customer service, website experience, or products themselves. 

Top Tips

1. Think about what works for your other customers. If you have information on their age, gender, or demographic, use marketing information about what is popular in these categories to give more personalised suggestions. 
2. Explain once again why your products really are the best. Be clear about the value of your products, images are very effective.
3. Listen to the feedback that you receive. A business that can adapt to suit its customers’ feedback and direction is a business that is future-ready. 

Newsletters

One of the most popular emails within an email marketing campaign are newsletters. These are informational emails that keep your subscriber base up to date with important changes in products, brand image, and milestones for your business. 

Make sure these emails add value to the reader’s inbox- too many emails that lack high quality content will be a surefire way to get an unsubscription rather than a purchase. Emails that inform customers how to get the most out of your products, announcements about products that are being developed, and company incentives that might include inclusivity or sustainability are popular.

Creating an informal tone that feels more like a letter, or a one-on-one conversation, can be engaging and personal. Building strong relationships with your subscribers will lead to long-term customer loyalty.

Top Tips

1. Keep your content engaging and relevant to your subscribers. A combination of images and text is most effective. 
2. Make sure that the message you are sending is unique. If the information could have come from any source, or isn’t relevant then the email is futile. 
3. Signpost to your social media pages clearly. The easier it is for customers to find your instagram, blog, website etc, the more likely they are to subscribe to your other platforms.

‍Promotional ‍

These emails are used to promote new products, special releases, offers, and your brand’s message. Promotional emails could reward repeat customers with exclusive offers, showcase new products or cross-sell other products from the business.

A promotional email marketing campaign could be a series of emails (3-6) sent over several weeks. They should have a clear call-to-action (CTA), that indicates the page you want the subscriber to view, or the products you want the subscriber to buy.

However, it is important not to bombard your subscribers with promotional emails as this can cause them to unsubscribe. There are exceptions, such as Black Friday or holiday periods, where spending is higher in general and therefore a higher volume of promotional emails may be accepted. 

Top Tips

1. Signing these emails off from a specific individual within the business can increase the click-through rate of promotional emails but make sure the more informal style is cohesive with your business image.
2. Put the promotion in the subject line. This grabs your customers attention and will make it more likely that they open the email. 
3. Focus on the value of the product you are selling. Distinguish promotional emails from other marketing emails by emphasising the benefits of your products and why the customer should purchase.

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