The Evolution of Email: 5 Starter Tips for Modern Marketing

The Evolution and Essentials of Email Marketing

Email marketing has undergone a remarkable transformation since its inception. Initially, businesses relied on plain-text newsletters to disseminate company news, product updates, or event information. These generic, one-size-fits-all emails lacked personalization, but marked the advent of a cost-effective direct marketing era. Enabling companies to reach a wide audience efficiently.​

A Brief History of Email Marketing

• 1971: Ray Tomlinson sent the first electronic message, marking the birth of email communication. ​
• 1978: Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation, sent the first mass email to 400 recipients via ARPANET, resulting in $13 million in sales and earning him the title "Father of Spam." ​
• 1990s: The rise of the internet led to the proliferation of promotional emails, necessitating regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 to protect consumers from unsolicited messages.​
• 2000s: Advancements in technology introduced automation tools, enabling scheduled sends, drip campaigns, and behavior-triggered emails, increasing efficiency.​
• Present Day: Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed email marketing, allowing for personalized content generation, predictive analytics, and precise audience segmentation

The emergence of segmentation and personalization has allowed marketers to tailor content based on demographics, purchase history, and user behavior, leading to increased engagement and conversion rates. The introduction of automation tools further revolutionized the field by facilitating drip campaigns and trigger-based emails, ensuring timely and relevant communication without manual intervention.

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in a new frontier. Enabling hyper-personalized content and predictive analytics that resonate deeply with individual recipients, and enhance open and click-through rates.

For those new to bulk email marketing, here are some fundamental tips to get started:

1. Build a Quality Email List

Why it's important: Developing an organically grown email list ensures that your subscribers are genuinely interested in your content, leading to higher engagement rates.​

Checklist:

✅​Create Opt-In Forms: Place sign-up forms on your website, social media platforms, and at events to encourage voluntary subscriptions.​

✅Write Clear Disclaimers that identify exactly what subscribers are signing up for.

✅​Offer Incentives: Provide value, such as exclusive content or discounts, to entice users to subscribe.​

✅​Use Double Opt-In: Implement a confirmation step to verify subscribers' email addresses and intentions.​

❌​Don't Purchase Email Lists: Buying email lists can lead to low engagement and harm your sender reputation.

2. Choose the Right Email Marketing Platform

Why it's important: Selecting a platform that aligns with your business needs ensures efficient campaign management and scalability.​

Checklist:

✅Assess Features: Look for automation, segmentation, and analytics capabilities.​

✅Consider Usability: Ensure the platform is user-friendly and matches your team's technical skills.​

✅Evaluate Pricing: Choose a platform that fits within your budget while meeting your requirements.​

❌ Don't Select Based Solely on Cost: Opting for the cheapest option without considering features can limit your campaign's effectiveness.

Mailchimp

Pros ✅

• User-Friendly Interface: Mailchimp offers an intuitive design, making it accessible for beginners.​
• Comprehensive Analytics: Provides detailed insights to help optimize campaigns.​
• Free Tier Available: Allows small businesses to start without initial costs.

Cons ❌

• Scaling Costs: Expenses can increase significantly as your contact list grows.​
• Limited Customization on Lower Tiers: Some advanced features require higher-priced plans.​
• Subscriber Counting: Charges may include unsubscribed or inactive contacts.​

ActiveCampaign

Pros ✅

• Advanced Automation: Offers sophisticated automation workflows for targeted campaigns.​
• Integrated CRM: Combines email marketing with customer relationship management.​
• Robust Segmentation: Allows precise audience targeting based on behavior and preferences.​

Cons ❌

• Learning Curve: The extensive features may be overwhelming for new users.​
• Higher Pricing: More expensive compared to some other platforms.​

Klaviyo

Pros ✅

• E-commerce Integration: Seamlessly integrates with platforms like Shopify.​
• Personalization: Delivers tailored content based on customer behavior.​
• Detailed Analytics: Provides in-depth performance metrics.​

Cons ❌

• Costly for Large Lists: Pricing can become steep as subscribers increase.
• Complex Setup: May require technical assistance for initial configuration.​

ConvertKit

Pros ✅

• Creator-Focused: Designed with content creators and bloggers in mind.​
• Simple Automation: Easy-to-use automation features for beginners.​
• Landing Pages: Includes tools to create landing pages without extra cost.​

Cons ❌

• Limited Templates: Fewer design options compared to competitors.​
• Basic Reporting: Lacks advanced analytics features.​

Flodesk

Pros ✅

• Aesthetic Designs: Emphasizes beautiful email templates.​
• Flat-Rate Pricing: Offers a single pricing plan regardless of list size.​
• User-Friendly: Simplifies the email creation process.​

Cons ❌

• Limited Features: Lacks some advanced functionalities like detailed segmentation.​
• Newer Platform: May not have as many integrations as established platforms.​

Constant Contact

Pros✅

• User-Friendly Interface: Constant Contact offers an intuitive and elegant user interface, making it accessible for beginners.
• Extensive Integrations: The platform supports a wide range of third-party integrations, enhancing its versatility. ​
• High Deliverability Rates: Constant Contact has consistently performed well in deliverability tests, ensuring emails reach recipients' inboxes. ​

Cons ❌

• Higher Pricing: The service can be relatively expensive, especially as the number of contacts increases.
• Limited Template Flexibility: Some users have found the email templates to lack flexibility, limiting customization options.
• Basic Automation Features: Compared to competitors, Constant Contact's automation capabilities are relatively basic, which may not meet the needs of advanced users.

3. Design Mobile-Friendly Emails

✅​Use Responsive Templates: Ensure emails adapt to various screen sizes.​

✅Optimize Images: Optimize images for faster loading without compromising quality, and include ALT text.​

✅Simplify Layout: Utilize single-column mobile designs and clear fonts for readability.

❌Add Text to Body Copy NOT in Images:  Embedding text within images can lead to accessibility issues and poor email rendering. Some email clients may block images or fail to display them properly. This practice can result in recipients missing crucial information.

4. Define Your Goals

✅Establish clear objectives for your email marketing strategy, such as increasing sales, boosting website traffic, or enhancing brand awareness. ​

✅Set S.M.A.R.T Goals:  Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (SMART). For example, aim to increase newsletter sign-ups, or increase subscriber retention rate, by 20% over the next three months.

✅Build an Email Template that aligns and promotes your goals and objectives.

❌ Don't Launch campaigns without specific goals, leading to unclear messaging and ineffective strategies.​

5. Ensure Compliance with Regulations:

✅ Familiarize yourself with email marketing laws such as the CAN-SPAM Act, to ensure your campaigns are compliant and maintain trust with your audience.

✅Provide Clear Unsubscribe Options:  Include an easily accessible opt-out mechanism in every email, allowing recipients to withdraw consent at any time.

❌Don't Overlook legal requirements which can result in penalties and damage your brand's reputation.

❌Don't Ignore International Regulations:  If your email campaigns reach recipients in different countries, familiarize yourself with and adhere to their specific email marketing laws, such as the GDPR in the European Union and CASL in Canada.