7 Email Marketing Best Practices for eCommerce Websites

Is email marketing still effective? Email marketing has been around for decades now and isn’t going anywhere. People still respond to messages sent to their inbox as long as they aren’t spammy. When it comes to email marketing best practices for e-commerce websites, though, the strategies you use may need to vary to grab the attention of your customers.

According to the Content Marketing Institute, 87% of B2B marketing professionals use email to get content in the hands of their patrons. Email falls right behind social media as a preferred marketing tool.

Sending out emails users respond to is about more than just announcing the latest sale, though. You have to stay on top of your lists and employ a variety of strategies to keep traffic landing on your site and making purchases.

1. Develop a Personality

On an average day, people get bombarded with marketing materials. They see billboards as they drive to work, hear ads on the radio and receive emails galore. The only way you can stand out is to develop a brand personality and stick to it.

Think about some of your favorite brands. Perhaps there is a local restaurant that offers unique chef creations using local ingredients. Maybe you buy skin care from a company that sends out fun video skits every week. Your personality can be anything you want, but you must make it unique and interesting.

2. Give Them What They Want

Research shows around 83% of consumers prefer emails over other forms of communication. If people are more likely to enjoy receiving a promotional item from you, then it only makes sense to send it via email.

However, just because they share their contact information with you doesn’t mean they want worthless spam. You must offer some value in the content you send. Many brands develop a blog or send tips on how to overcome pain points their target audience has.

3. Personalize the Experience

People expect a more personalized experience than ever before. Many shop online now and they want to be greeted by name with information pertaining to them. It’s smart to segment your audience so any emails you send match up to the needs of your customers.

4. Time Your Message

Depending on where your target audience resides and their habits, there is a best time and day to send emails for maximum engagement. Pay attention to open rates, click-throughs, and shares. Many third-party mailing list providers also offer analytics to help you improve results over time.

5. Add an Abandoned Cart Series

A lot of sales are lost due to people abandoning their shopping carts and bouncing away. Reasons for not completing a sale are numerous. Perhaps the person got distracted, didn’t like the shipping costs, or just changed their mind.

Creating an abandoned cart email series gives you an opportunity to pull them back in and entice them to finish the purchase. Start by asking them if they forgot to place their order. Move to offers that might encourage them to buy, such as free shipping or a discount.

6. Create Value for Loyalty

Add special offers for your most loyal customers. People who already love your products will want to be part of the exclusive club. If you tie it to order size or frequency, you can encourage larger purchases from your current clients. Send out perks to this specialized group whenever new items arrive or you want to move old inventory.

7. Be Consistent

One of the top things you can do to drive email engagement is to send out consistent messages. Find a balance between irritating your customers and going silent. Send out a message on the same day at the same time once you figure out what works best with your audience. With a bit of practice, you’ll drive sales and keep your customers happy.

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