| Email marketing software has clearly proven itself as | | | | want to say, but please restrain yourself. The old |
| not only an important component of the marketing mix, | | | | marketing philosophy of "keep it simple" completely |
| but also as a pivotal medium for driving up sales. The | | | | applies to landing pages. By the time someone gets to |
| Direct Marketing Association recently conducted a | | | | your landing page, they've already opened your email |
| study that determined there is a return on investment | | | | and clicked on a link, so the last thing you want to do is |
| of almost $50 for every dollar spent on direct email | | | | make them work even more to find the information |
| marketing. While that statistic is definitely staggering, it | | | | they're looking for. |
| begs the questions: What key elements are important | | | | 2. The page is an Extension of The Link They Clicked |
| to convert emails into sales? And how do you use | | | | When someone clicks a link in your email marketing |
| your email marketing software to achieve that | | | | campaign, they should see information directly related |
| amazing ROI? | | | | to that link. If someone, for example, clicks on one of |
| The first goal is always to get people to open your | | | | your call to action statements about a particular |
| email marketing campaign. For the time being, however, | | | | product, the moment they get to your landing page, |
| let's assume you already have a captivated audience | | | | that product should be staring back at them. If |
| that has eagerly opened your message. Once opened, | | | | someone clicks a link and then finds themselves |
| we'll assume you have spent an adequate amount of | | | | looking at totally unrelated information, it takes less than |
| time creating compelling copy for your email campaign | | | | a second to close your website and, suddenly, you've |
| that clearly explains to your reader exactly what | | | | lost the sale. |
| you're offering. Now comes the important part, where | | | | 3. Don't Oversell Your Product and Scare Your |
| you want to take them from your email and onto your | | | | Customer Off |
| website where you can complete the sale. | | | | While this point does tie into the "less is more" |
| Many marketers will include big bold calls to action in | | | | philosophy, it does warrant its own section because all |
| their email marketing campaigns that explicitly direct the | | | | too often businesses will attempt to cram every teeny |
| recipient on what to do next. For example, phases like | | | | tiny bit of information onto a webpage. I refer to this as |
| "Click here now" or "Quick! Click To Buy Now. Limited | | | | 'overselling' because you are presenting the user with |
| Quantities Going Fast" are all good calls to action. | | | | so much more information than they need to make the |
| Other marketers however, take a more passive | | | | purchase. In fact, it's just hindering your ability to close |
| approach and write something a bit mellower, like | | | | the sale. We've all probably seen the sales pages on |
| "Learn More" or "Additional Information". Depending on | | | | the internet that seem to scroll endlessly, touting benefit |
| your audience and the product you are selling, you will | | | | after benefit about why a certain product is the |
| have to choose an appropriate method. But, if you find | | | | greatest product in the world. Those make for the |
| one doesn't work in your email marketing campaigns, | | | | worst kind of landing pages for your email marketing |
| then you can always switch to the other. | | | | campaigns because every time users have to scroll, |
| Just getting them to click is only the beginning of the | | | | they get more time to give up on the sale. |
| battle. One of the most important pieces of the puzzle | | | | Tell people what they need to know and then stop. If |
| that can make or break your sale and really drive | | | | you want to provide a link on your landing page for |
| home the effectiveness and ROI of your email | | | | detailed specifications, that's totally acceptable, but |
| marketing campaign is the page you bring the person | | | | don't make your page intimidating because it's trying to |
| to, also know as the "landing page". | | | | cram so much information into your customer's mind. |
| A landing page does not have to be your homepage. | | | | 4. Make It Obvious What You Want the User to Do |
| Most marketers have found that with email marketing, | | | | Next |
| much like search engine marketing, often times a | | | | If the goal of your landing page is to get someone to |
| custom landing page just for the specific campaign is | | | | click the 'buy now' button, then make sure that button |
| the most effective. This is not to say that your | | | | is very obvious. There is absolutely nothing wrong with |
| homepage is not a good source of information, but it | | | | having a big button on your page that clearly tells the |
| may be so cluttered with other distractions (like other | | | | customer 'I'm the next step', like 'Click here to buy now'. |
| products) that the user gets confused. | | | | If, however, your goal is to generate phone calls, then |
| A custom landing page for your email marketing | | | | make sure your phone number is prominently |
| campaigns should be directly related to the link that | | | | displayed. If people have to guess what the next |
| was clicked. For example, if the reader clicks a link | | | | desired action is, then they may guess wrong or, |
| talking about a certain type of widget you have for | | | | worse yet, not guess at all and just leave. |
| sale, then the landing page should focus almost | | | | With the above tips, you will be able to create well |
| exclusively on that widget. After all, intuitively we know | | | | crafted landing page that will help boost the ROI of |
| the user expressed interest in this widget, so why | | | | your email marketing campaigns. Lastly, make sure |
| would we take them anywhere else but to the | | | | you are using a quality email marketing software that |
| quickest route to close the sale for the widget? | | | | will track the clicks in your email marketing campaign |
| Good landing pages for email marketing campaigns | | | | so you can get instant feedback on the action, from |
| have a few common elements: | | | | the point users open your email, leading up to the point |
| 1. Less Is More | | | | they get dropped on your landing page. |
| You may have tons of products and many things you | | | | |