How to create electronic direct mail
Creating electronic direct mail (EDM) involves designing and sending targeted, personalized messages to a specific audience via email. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create effective EDM:
- Define your goal: Determine the purpose of your EDM. Are you promoting a new product, announcing a sale, or sharing news? This will help you focus your message and design.
- Choose an email marketing platform: Select a reliable email marketing platform like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or Klaviyo. These platforms offer templates, automation tools, and analytics to help you create and send effective EDMs.
- Design your email: Use a template or design your email from scratch. Keep it simple, visually appealing, and easy to read. Use a clear subject line, concise body text, and relevant images or graphics.
- Segment your audience: Divide your email list into segments based on demographics, behavior, or preferences. This ensures your message reaches the right people and increases engagement.
- Write engaging content: Craft a compelling subject line and body text that resonates with your audience. Use a conversational tone, and include a clear call-to-action (CTA) to encourage engagement.
- Add personalization: Use the recipient's name, tailor the content based on their interests or behavior, or use dynamic content blocks to make your email more personalized.
- Include a strong CTA: Use a prominent CTA button or link to encourage the recipient to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or downloading an e-book.
- Optimize for mobile: Ensure your email is optimized for mobile devices, as most people check their emails on their smartphones. Use a responsive design, and keep the content concise and easy to read.
- Test and refine: Test your EDM by sending it to a small group of subscribers and refining it based on the results. Analyze the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to identify areas for improvement.
- Send and track: Send your EDM to your targeted audience and track its performance using analytics tools. Monitor the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to measure the effectiveness of your campaign.
Best practices for creating effective EDM:
- Keep your email concise and easy to read
- Use a clear and compelling subject line
- Use relevant and high-quality images or graphics
- Make sure your email is mobile-friendly
- Use a strong and prominent CTA
- Segment your audience to increase engagement
- Test and refine your EDM to improve its performance
Common types of EDM:
- Newsletters: Regular updates on news, promotions, or industry insights
- Promotional emails: Special offers, discounts, or limited-time deals
- Transactional emails: Automated emails triggered by a specific action, such as a purchase or sign-up
- Abandoned cart emails: Reminders to complete a purchase or follow up on a abandoned cart
- Welcome emails: Initial emails sent to new subscribers, introducing them to your brand and products
By following these steps and best practices, you can create effective EDM that resonates with your audience and drives engagement and conversions.