• Before you reap the rewards of email marketing, you need to master the basics.
• Segmenting your audience, optimising for mobile and including a strong call-to-action are just a few basics to know.
• In this article, we look at eight must-know email marketing best practices to help you get the most out of your efforts.

Email remains one of the most cost-effective marketing channels for businesses around the world. It allows you to reach your audience in a fast, efficient and cost-effective manner.

But with so many emails hitting a customer’s Inbox each day, you’ll need to master the basics before you can reap the rewards.

Email Marketing Best Practices

Here are 8 tips to help you get the most out of your email marketing initiatives: 

1. Only send content people actually want
2. Segment your audiences
3. Create an eye-catching design
4. Design for mobile
5. Be concise and friendly
6. Include just one call to action
7. Make subscribing a snap
8. Analyze the metrics

1. Only send content people actually want

Each email you send should have a story to tell and a clear benefit for the recipient. Whether it’s announcing a new product or offering a promotion, plan your email with your customers’ needs in mind.

2. Segment your audiences

 It’s a tall order to be everything to everyone — segmenting your audiences will help immensely with point #1. Even having just two lists (one for customers and one for partners, for example) can help you deliver relevant and timely messages.

3. Create an eye-catching design

Your email design should follow the rules of great web design — simplicity, consistency and a focus on user interaction. Grab attention with images that pop. Break up your content as much as possible with headings, sub-headings and bullet points.

4. Design for mobile

According to Experian Marketing Services, a full 50% of email is now opened on mobile devices. Make sure that your designs are responsive and display correctly on phones and tablets. Popular applications like MailChimp and Campaign Monitor make it easy to preview how your email will look.

5. Be concise and friendly

Today’s customers don’t read much — they scan. So keep your headlines and body copy short, upbeat, professional and easy to absorb. You can point people to your website to learn more.

6. Include just one call to action

Your email has one goal: make people interested enough to click a button. With a single, clear call to action (CTA) as high as possible on the page, you’ll ensure that your recipients land in the next stage of your marketing funnel. Don’t distract them with less important links.

7. Make subscribing a snap

Post a signup form (keep it short!) on your home page, blog, Facebook page or wherever else your fans linger.

8. Analyze the metrics

An added bonus of email marketing? You don’t have to wait long for the results. After each campaign, take a close look at the results to see what worked – and what didn’t. Make it your mission to improve your open and click-through rates.  

Do you have any other tips? Share them in the comments below.