Email marketing – is this an effective strategy for your business?

Although the first email was sent in 1971, email marketing endures because it works. Recent analysis shows that's still one of the best ways to build trust with your customers, with the average ROI to be over £38 for every £1 spent.

To achieve this sort of return you need to build a mutually valuable relationship with clients and potential clients on your database. Do this well and whenever a potential customer is ready to buy, they’re likely to buy from you. Do it badly and you risk driving them away.

Unfortunately, not a lot of brokers use email marketing consistently enough to benefit from it and increase their gross written premium (GWP).

Please use our clickable email marketing concept map to help to develop your strategy.

Eleven important features of your email marketing strategy

1. A customer recruitment and retention strategy within your plan.

   Consider including:

   • How you are going to build a relationship with every prospect on your database.
   • How you are going to maintain a mutually valuable relationship with your existing customers. And how you might use email marketing to encourage them to give you referrals.
   • How you could use it to convert lapsed customers.
   • How you could use email marketing within your cross sell strategy.
   • The sequential order and content of specified emails that are sent out to new clients.
     
     
2. A plan to grow your database

   Build your prospect database, develop relationship with them and you’ll expand your business.
   
   

3. Content that adds value to the relationship

   Plan how to create relevant, compelling and valuable content on your website and then use it within your email marketing strategy. The more valuable your content is, the quicker you will build a positive relationship with your audience.
   
   

4. Subject lines that grab the attention

   Each email title needs to catch the eye and spark the interest of your audience as they scan their inbox.
   
   

5. Personalisation

   Most email service providers give you the option to personalise each email with the recipient’s name.
   
   

6. Quality email distribution software

   Search for reviews online to ensure that your choice is cost effective and intuitive.
   
   

7. Mobile friendly

   Use a responsive email design to ensure that your emails are tablet and mobile friendly.
   
   

8. Video

   Using video within your email is a very powerful way to increase engagement with your audience.
   
   

9. Landing pages

   Anyone clicking on your email’s call-to-action should arrive on a dedicated landing page.
   
   

10. A copywriter

    Allow some of your budget to cover the cost of a freelance writer. If your audience struggles to read through your email then you aren’t going to achieve your objectives. Copywriters are expert communicators and you could be wise to employ a professional to edit and improve your work.
    
    

11. Campaign analysis

    Plan to track, analyse and adjust your campaign to maximise your ROI.