Developing Content Strategy for Email Marketing with Fi Shailes @Fi_digitaldrum #vcbuzz

Not many people realize that but email marketing requires a good deal of content creation skill

You need to come up with an engaging copy, open-worthy subject line and click-inviting CTAs.

Most importantly, your email must be awesome enough for your subscribers to want to stick with you and even look forward to hearing from you again.

So how to create an effective content strategy for your email marketing? Let’s discuss!

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About Fi Shailes @Fi_digitaldrum

Fi Shailes @Fi_digitaldrum is a content writer and social media manager with tons of experience creating, editing and repurposing copy.

Since 2006, she has been creating and running campaigns for local government initiatives, charities, arts and music venues, and financial service institutions.

Fi also works as a social strategist at award-winning creative agency @twogether.

Check out Fi’s Medium column for Better Marketing.

Connect to Fi on LinkedIn!

Questions we discussed

Q1 How did you become a digital marketer? Please share your career story!

I’ll try to put it in a simple way! I worked my way up, starting as a junior marketer for venues. Then I worked in marketing for local councils. At this time, I was doing digital AND offline marketing.

But I guess it was at a time when ‘digital marketing’ wasn’t formally a thing so much.. My next move took me to a financial consultancy firm, where I ended up building up the digital/content marketing capability in a team where it didn’t exist formally.

A couple of years in, I realised that my strengths really lay in social and content. Since then, I’ve worked at a couple of agencies, and now I just specialise in strategy in my full-time role, and content & social media management in my freelance role.

Nice! How did you find courage to go solo? #vcbuzz
— Jessy Troy (@jessytroy) May 18, 2021

It kind of just happened that one day I decided to bite the bullet and build a website. I was itching to try freelancing, and I’ve been doing it part-time for just over five years now.

What a journey! Shares parallels to my own, except I still handle non-digital marketing too. Kudos on your achievements, Fi! #vcbuzz
— Jaime Shine ?️ (@jaimeshine) May 18, 2021

Q2 What makes a good email marketing subject?

I think the important thing is that it’s something your readers will find valuable. Sounds obvious, I know, but I think sometimes organisations can get caught up in what THEY’RE interested in and lose sight of readers’ needs and wants.

A2 The goal of the subject line is to get the recipient to OPEN the email…but you do have to deliver on what is in the subject line! #vcbuzz https://t.co/a2hNbhSwtG
— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) May 18, 2021

If we’re talking subject lines, it should be to the point or cryptic is ‘ok’ (but never misleading!) and ‘brand appropriate’. Using emojis can sometimes seem ‘friendlier’ too, if appropriate for your org.

A2: i belive email subject lines that are personalized by including a name boost open rates by 10-14% across industries #vcbuzz
— Salman Saleem (@salmanlashkari) May 18, 2021

Personalisation is a brilliant one. Not everyone employs this tactic, still!

Q2. What makes a good email marketing subject?
A2.
– short
– relevant
– compelling
– descriptive
– honest
– upbeat#vcbuzz https://t.co/SZK2CsdbQ1
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) May 18, 2021

#VCBuzz A2.2

You have to not only get their attention, but interest as well.
The closer you are to what is relevant/important to them, the fresher you are in their mind, the better the perceived value – the more likely to get the Actions you want (Open, Click/Call etc.)
— Lyndon NA (Darth Autocrat) (@darth_na) May 18, 2021

Q3 What are easily avoidable copy mistakes when it comes to email marketing?

There are many easily avoidable mistakes that relate to copy. Avoiding typos, using the right tone of voice, ensuring all the fields in your template is appropriately populated even! I sum up some common ones in this article, as it happens!

Q3. What are easily avoidable copy mistakes when it comes to email marketing?

A3.
– missing a clear Call to Action
– failing to align with readers' expectations
– lacking a professional presence
– being too cliche and/or sales pushy#vcbuzz
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) May 18, 2021

#VCBuzz A3.

I see 2 distinct types of errors:
1) Content
2) Copy

Content Errors:
Missspellings
Typis
Incorrect nanes
grammar Poor
bad, punctuation'
(Sorry, couldn't resist :D)

All of these can be caught by tools – but careful planning and reviewing/editing goes a long way!
— Lyndon NA (Darth Autocrat) (@darth_na) May 18, 2021

A3: Don't stuff your email with industry jargon, company terms or language your audience won't easily understand. Speak directly to your audience (not at them), and make sure your emails are written in your brand's voice. #vcbuzz https://t.co/bmKoqmjgAD
— Jaime Shine ?️ (@jaimeshine) May 18, 2021

A3 It is so very easy to make a mistake and send it out. Create the campaign / write the email. Then walk away.

Come back later and proof it.

Then get someone else to proof it.

And have a plan about what to do when you STILL send it out with a mistake in it. 🙁 #vcbuzz https://t.co/SqMU9DSvL9
— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) May 18, 2021

I think it's a good idea to have one or two people read over it before sending; preferably two people that were not involved in writing it.

Fresh eyes are important. It's amazing how many of my own mistakes I can miss. Is there a name for that?

"Author blindness"?#vcbuzz
— Boyd Norwood – nozzle.io (@boydnorwood) May 18, 2021

#VCBuzz A3.3

Other things that are often a problem are:
Lacking personalisation
Wrong tone (overly personal, wrong language etc.)
Stupid code/automation issues ("Dear {name}")

People wouldn't produce Ads with such issues,
the same care/attention should be shown for email.
— Lyndon NA (Darth Autocrat) (@darth_na) May 18, 2021

Q4 How to craft a good copy for your email marketing campaign?

I think it’s really important to always put yourself in the mind of the intended end reader – are they time poor, so a shorter email is better? What tone of voice is going to resonate best? Really put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine, if you were opening what you’ve drafted, is it going to work? Really work? Making sure every piece of your copy is optimised is really important too; so making CTAs clear (note there should usually just be ONE main one in most cases!)

A4 Good email copy is:

* Not boring – try to grab their attention
* Concise – personally, I believe short emails work best.
* Get to the point quickly – ideally only ONE point.
* Include only 1 call to action.

I'm still on the fence about html w/ images vs text only.#vcbuzz https://t.co/6jE2NJAUXu
— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) May 18, 2021

No typos, making sure readability is there – looking at font size/formatting etc. All of these things are really important in addition to the actual words and what you’re trying to convey in your messaging. Above all – your readers want to see VALUE.

A4. So true! Once businesses are truly adhering to a consumer-centric philosophy, taking the reader's view is easier. #vcbuzz
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) May 18, 2021

Q5 Do you think email marketing is still an important marketing channel in 2021?

Yes I do. Whilst we have probably all experienced an extra barrage of incoming emails over the past year and a bit, I’m sure we’re still all ‘acting on’ the ones which have got most things right; relevant content, right tone, a CTA which makes sense to us, or is enticing, responsive for mobile devices etc.

Q5. Is email marketing an important marketing channel?

A5. Yes, depends on your audience. @CampaignMonitor found: 72% of people would rather receive marketing materials from brands through their email. 39% prefer email content that is info & value-rich vs promotional.#vcbuzz https://t.co/Gz5W8txPhn
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) May 18, 2021

A5: Yes, when email marketing campaign is executed correctly it is extremely cost-effective. It can help you win new customers as well as retain existing ones. Segmentation and personalization play a crucial role in deciding the fate of your ROI #vcbuzz
— Salman Saleem (@salmanlashkari) May 18, 2021

#VCBuzz A5.

100%.

Though email isn't as popular as it once was for personal use (shifts to things like social media, chat-apps etc.),
it's still popular/strong for business.

There's also the difference between prospecting campaigns and targeted ones (existing consumers etc.)
— Lyndon NA (Darth Autocrat) (@darth_na) May 18, 2021