Email Inbox is the first step to customer acquisition and retention. It makes sense because over 99% customers have reported checking their email ID at least once in a day. Emails have exceptional ROI. We all know that emails are the best digital marketing tool, but it is also important to understand – how can you make these returns systemic?
MailChimp helps you automate email campaigns and systematize your entire email marketing program. It helps you test ideas and then scale them, without having to worry about execution uncertainties. Not just this, most campaign options have readily available templates that can help you run a campaign within minutes.
How do you ensure you are getting the most out of your MailChimp subscription? We are glad you asked.
1. Audience Data Collection is the Foundation of Excellent MailChimp Campaigns.
All high ROI emails have some common characteristics:
- They are targeted towards a specific Audience Segment.
- They are personalized.
- They are sent at optimal times. For instance – an hour after the cart has been abandoned or immediately when a new subscriber signs up for your newsletter.
MailChimp does not permit third-party databases. If you try to integrate one with your account, there is a high probability that your account may get suspended. But, I would ask you to think from a user’s perspective – as a user, would you like being contacted by a business that has bought your contact details?
This goes against the very idea of email marketing – it should be focused and permission-based. Yes, the process is slower than buying a database; but it pays off in the long run. When you cultivate an audience by building one instead of buying one – your open rates, conversion rates and engagement, all go up.
2. Use the Subscription Package that is Relevant to your CPA and LTV.
MailChimp offers a bunch of packages, including a free one. As a matter of fact, you can use a free account below 2000 subscribers. Feel free to reach out to our team at Deep Focus if you need help with setting this up.
When you are done using the free account you should start with pulling out your Cost Per Acquisition and Lifetime Value of Customers. If there is more space for the CPA to be increased against the LTV, you should invest in a better package. Or else, you can slowly scale your email marketing operations by buying an affordable package now and then reinvesting the returns to upgrade later.
3. Use Templates and Standard Metrics.
Some marketers use numbers to make strategic choices and intuition to tackle tactical issues. That’s not the best way to go forward.
Take for instance – an email campaign. You want to test font colours on the background. What do you do? You run A/B Testing. This holds true not just for decisions on aesthetics, but also for other ideas such as the timing for mailing, subject-lines and even email content.
MailChimp offers you phenomenal options. Whether it’s a Welcome Email or a Retargeting Campaign, you will have readily available templates. This means, you can set up and run a campaign in a matter of minutes. You should use this to your advantage. Use this benchmark list of metrics created by MailChimp to see what’s actually working for your campaign. And then adjust the campaign in line with it.
4. Work Only with MailChimp Experts in India.
You might be surprised to know, but when we started Deep Focus in 2008, many brands called us for ‘fixing’ their campaigns. Initially, we saw this as a market flaw but a pattern soon started emerging. In the SEO market, people are already aware of the white-hat and black-hat tactics. There are some things you don’t do, simply because the platforms don’t permit them and that is what makes them too risky.
MailChimp Partners can help you avoid such errors. Deep Focus is a MailChimp Partner, hence, I know the hard work it takes to get the badge. It takes at least three client references, a very active account and an agency status to be considered for the program.
Hiring a MailChimp Partner has clearly defined tangible benefits:
- MailChimp Partners are given early access to upcoming updates. Your campaigns automatically get an edge.
- All the practices and services of the partners are standardized.
- MailChimp Partners have been working in email marketing for years. This automatically gives them a ton of insights. MailChimp Partners are given access to training materials.
In Conclusion
Build your audience, use LTV & CPA to select the right MailChimp package, use benchmarks for campaign results and hire MailChimp Partners. Do these and you are well-positioned to reap the maximum benefits out of your email marketing investments.
