In business communication, we use email daily. Yet, when it comes to marketing, we see much more attention focused on social media, which has a conversion rate of less than half that of email marketing (4.29% vs. 1.81%), according to a recent analysis. What’s more, the average order value of an email is 3 times higher than that of social media - 81% of small and medium businesses still rely on email as their primary customer acquisition channel, and 80% for retention.

Email is the third most influential source of information for B2B audiences, behind colleague recommendations and industry thought leaders and generates around £29bn retail sales annually. The reason why email is such an important communication channel is that not everyone is ready to buy from you at this exact moment. Regular email communication keeps the relationship with your audience warm and allows you to regularly communicate so that when they are ready to move to the next stage, they know who you are and how you can help them.

Here are a few email campaign ideas to keep your subscribers interested and engaged:

1. Welcome email

Welcome emails are among the most open — with an over 50% open rate — so start there. This is the first email your subscriber receives after they submit their email and it’s the first impression your brand makes, so use this opportunity to impress your subscribers by sharing valuable information.

2. Newsletter

Regular newsletters highlighting the best of your content, relevant news or promotions are an excellent way to engage with your subscribers. Ideal if you are running a blog or have other insightful content to share. Regular means any frequency that works for you, as long as the gaps are even and short enough to keep you on your customers’ minds.

3. Promotional campaign

Another interesting fact – 72% of people prefer to receive promotional content through email, compared to 17% who prefer social media. So, no matter what the occasion, if you are running a special promotion, you should email people about it.

4. Feedback request

Ask your customers what they think about your products and services so you can improve and make their experience even better. It will help you to learn more about them and the potential issues they could be experiencing, and they will be reminded about your brand, as well as its future developments.

5. Content download campaign

Do you have an interesting whitepaper, report or e-book that your subscribers would enjoy? Email it and track the downloads. Then follow up with a relevant message and see if they want to talk more.

6. Business updates

Is your business undergoing changes that will impact your customers? Tell them! This is not just an effective way to keep your subscribers informed, but also a great opportunity to show the human side of your business and share the reasons behind the changes. People buy from people, so create the connection by making them part of your business.

7. Good news announcement

Have you been nominated for an award, spoken at an event, or featured in a magazine? Share the great news and showcase that it is not just you who thinks your brand is great! Including social proof and adding some positive testimonials also helps with the positive perception of your brand and builds trust.

8. New product or service launch

If you are about to launch a new product or service, make sure you create a campaign to build excitement about the launch before it happens. Anticipation increases interest and repetition will ensure that they are aware of what’s coming. The build-up and follow-up communication are just as important as the launch itself, and email will not only help you to spread the word but also track the level of interest based on your email campaign performance.

9. A personal message from the CEO

Sharing a personal message, lessons learnt or practical tips from the people driving the business is valuable for many reasons. Not only does it provide learning, but it brings an additional level of connection and empathy. It also provides a connection between the brand and the face(s) behind it, creating a stronger and more human link.

10. Abandoned cart reminder

It turns out that 45% of cart abandonment emails are opened, 21% are clicked on and an amazing 50% of users complete their purchases! You need a certain level of marketing automation to have in place to monitor your visitors’ behaviour and follow-up, but it’s an email that brings significant benefits.

At Squirrels&Bears we build your mailing list, and design and deliver segmented email campaigns, that are focused on transforming your email subscribers into customers and driving customer loyalty. To find out more, contact Petra Smith at petra@squirrelsandbears.com.

10 email campaign ideas to keep your subscribers engaged