Email is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. But it’s also one of the easiest to misuse. Even experienced marketers who are masters at their craft can make mistakes with email marketing that could cause long-term damage to your conversion rates, customer relationships, and business growth potential.
It is hard to get people who have subscribed to your email list to buy from you, and you need to continue working on turning them into customers.
In this article, you’ll learn about mistakes that bloggers and marketers make with email marketing.
Ready? Let’s get started.
Getting Off on the Wrong Foot
When a new person subscribes to your email list, you have been given an opportunity. You need to get it right from the start – or risk losing that person forever.
People on your email subscribers list to buy from you first need trust in who you are and what value you can provide them. Since most people are very protective of their email inboxes, you need to work hard to gain your subscribers’ trust and permission before asking for anything in return.
Asking for too Much, Too Soon
It’s important to be clear about what you’re offering and why someone should sign up for your email list. However, don’t make the mistake of asking for too much information from your potential subscribers right off the bat.
When people are first starting out with their business or blog, they often make the mistake of asking for too much information from their subscribers. This can include requests for a person’s name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and more.
Not only is this overwhelming for potential subscribers, but it can also damage your relationship with them before it even begins.
Failing to Segment Your Email Lists
One of the biggest mistakes that bloggers and marketers make with email marketing is failing to segment their email lists.
When you fail to segment your email lists, you’re essentially treating all of your subscribers as one big group. This can lead to a number of problems, including:
– People not getting the content they want or need
– People feeling overwhelmed by the amount of content they receive
– People unsubscribing from your email list
The best way to avoid these problems is to segment your email lists into different groups based on factors such as interests, demographics, and buyer persona. This will help you deliver more relevant content to your subscribers and improve your conversion rates.
Not Having a Clear Call to Action
One of the most common mistakes that bloggers and marketers make with email marketing is not having a clear call to action.
A call to action (CTA) is instruction or request for a person to take a specific action. This could be anything from signing up for your email list, downloading a free eBook, or making a purchase.
You’re asking for trouble if you don’t have a clear CTA in your email marketing messages. Potential subscribers may not know what you want them to do, or they may not feel confident enough to take any action at all.
Make sure your calls to action are clear and easy to follow. And always test different variations to find out which one performs best.
Not Offering Value to Your Email List
If you want people on your email list to buy from you, they first need value. You can’t just send them promotional messages all of the time and expect them to continue giving their attention (and money) in return.
The easiest way to offer value is by sending your email subscribers regular information and content that they want – whether it’s how-to guides, expert advice, or something similar. The more useful you make the content, the better.
Not Looking, Professional
One of the quickest ways to turn people off from your email marketing messages is by not looking professional.
When you don’t take the time to create a professional-looking email template, it can look like you’re not serious about your business or blog. This can lead potential subscribers to believe that you’re not worth their time or attention.
To avoid this mistake, take the time to create a professional-looking email template that includes elements like:
– A clean design with easy-to-read fonts and colors
– Logos for your business or blog (if applicable)
Not Testing Your Email Content Before Sending It Out
One of the most important things you can do when it comes to email marketing is to test your content before you send it out.
This will give you the opportunity to identify and fix any issues that could result in high bounce rates, spam complaints, or other problems. Not only will this keep people from unsubscribing from your list prematurely, but it can also help improve their overall experience with your content.
Make sure you test different aspects of your email content, including the subject line, headline, body copy, and call to action. You may also want to test different variations to see which one performs best.
Using Cliche and Sales-Heavy Language
One of the easiest ways to lose people’s interest with your email marketing messages is by using cliche and sales-heavy language.
While it may be tempting to use phrases like, “Hurry now while supplies last!” or “Don’t wait – buy today!”, these types of statements are likely to turn off casual subscribers.
The best way to avoid this mistake is to use language that’s direct and conversational. This includes phrases like:
– “I recommend…” or, “Please let me know if you have any questions.”
– “How did it go?” or “Did I answer your question?”
These statements don’t sound salesy, and they help keep the conversation flowing.
Forgetting Your Mobile Users
According to a recent study, more than 80% of people open their email newsletters on some type of mobile device.
This means that if you’re not sending your emails in a way that’s optimized for the small screen (which is usually around five inches), there’s at least an 80% chance they won’t be able to access them properly.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your email template is responsive and that the content can be easily read on a mobile device. You’ll also want to include links for easy navigation, so people don’t have to zoom in or scroll around too much.
Make sure you update your emails regularly whenever new blog post content is available. If you stick with the same message for too long, people will stop caring, and you’ll lose their attention.
Relying Too Heavily on Images
While images are an important part of any email marketing campaign, you don’t want to rely on them too heavily.
This is because many people’s email clients will block images from loading by default, which can cause your message to look like it’s not properly formatted.
To avoid this mistake, make sure you include a good mix of text and images in your email content. You may also want to consider using a service like Litmus to test how your email will look in different clients.
Not Making Website Signups a Priority
One of the best ways to increase your email subscriber list is by making website signups a priority.
This means adding a signup form to your homepage, as well as every other page on your website. You can also use pop-ups or embedded forms to make it easy for people to subscribe.
If you’re not currently doing this, you may want to consider doing so sooner rather than later. Not only will this help increase your list size, but it can also improve the overall experience for all of your visitors.
Making It Harder Than Necessary for People to Unsubscribe
People must be able to unsubscribe from your email marketing messages whenever they want.
This is because if they can’t easily unsubscribe, they’re more likely to mark your messages as spam or simply delete them without reading them.
To avoid this mistake, make sure you include an unsubscribe link in every email and that it’s easy for people to find. You may also want to consider adding an exit pop-up that asks people if they want to unsubscribe.
Starting Email Marketing Late in the Game
If you’re just starting your email marketing campaign, it’s important to note that building up a list of subscribers takes time.
This means that if you’re just starting out, you shouldn’t expect immediate results. It may take several months – or even years – before you have a sizable list of subscribers.
To avoid this mistake, be patient and keep at it. The results will come in time if you’re consistent with your efforts.
Playing the Numbers Game
It’s important to remember that email marketing isn’t always about the numbers.
This means that you shouldn’t focus on increasing your subscriber list size at all costs. Instead, you should focus on providing quality content that people will actually want to read.
If you do this, the number of subscribers will take care of itself.
Knowing When to Disconnect Automation Systems
It’s important not to connect your email automation systems with too many services.
This can cause problems if you’re using different platforms, resulting in lost or confusing leads. To avoid this mistake, only use one platform at a time and be careful about how you set up automation for better lead management.
Waiting For “Enough” Subscribers
It can take longer to build up an effective email marketing list.
This means that you shouldn’t wait for your list to be “big enough” before you start using it. If people are interested in what you have to offer, they’ll sign up regardless of how many other subscribers there are.
To avoid this mistake, start using your list as soon as you have a few subscribers and focus on growing it over time. This will help you get the most out of your email marketing campaigns.
Blasting the Same Email to All Subscribers
It’s important to remember that not everyone who subscribes to your email list is interested in the same thing.
This means that if you send out a generic email to your entire list, some people will unsubscribe because they don’t find it relevant to them. To avoid this mistake, segment your subscribers and send each group different emails based on their interests or demographics.
Letting the Haters Dictate Your Email Strategy
Not everyone is going to like your email marketing campaigns.
This means that you shouldn’t let negative comments or feedback prevent you from sending out emails to the rest of your subscribers. In fact, if anything, it should only make you more determined than ever before!
To avoid this mistake, learn how to deal with negativity and focus on the positive feedback that you receive. This will help you stay motivated and continue sending out high-quality emails.
Having the Wrong Mindset
One of the people’s biggest mistakes with email marketing is having the wrong mindset.
This means that they’re more focused on selling their products or services than providing value to their subscribers.
To avoid this mistake, focus on providing valuable content that will help your subscribers solve a problem or improve their lives. They’ll naturally want to buy your products or services if you do this.
Not Sending Out Emails Often Enough
One of the biggest mistakes people make with email marketing is not sending out emails often enough.
This means that they’re missing out on opportunities to connect with their subscribers and show them what they have to offer. To avoid this mistake, send an email at least once a week and make sure it’s relevant to your subscribers’ interests.
Not Tracking Results
One of the biggest mistakes people make with email marketing is not tracking results.
This means that they’re unable to determine whether or not their campaigns are successful and learn what works best for their audience. To avoid this mistake, track the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates of each email that you send. This will help you learn what works best for your audience so that future emails are even more successful.
Not Using the Available Technology
One of the biggest mistakes people make with email marketing is not using the available technology to their advantage.
This means that they’re unable to create automated campaigns, send personalized messages, or track results. Use the available technology to make your email marketing campaigns more efficient and effective to avoid this mistake.
Are You Ready to Increase Email Conversions?
Now that you know what to avoid, are you ready to start seeing better results from your email marketing campaigns? If so, make sure to avoid the common mistakes outlined in this post. By doing so, you’ll be able to improve your email conversions and see a positive return on your investment.
