Give People What They Want...in Emails!

Consider why, as a consumer, you may sign up for an e-newsletter subscription from a given business. When it comes down to it, most people who are about to make a purchase want to save some money. Unsurprisingly, studies such as Adestra's Consumer Usage & Digital Adoption study for 2016 have found that the kinds of marketing emails that MOST influence purchasing decisions have discounts, coupons, or special offers. Unfortunately we live in a day in age where some people receive thousands of emails a day. Despite a person's liking or even love for a business or brand, they may simply not have the time or motivation to go through an extra e-newsletter subscription.

Beyond occasional offers and discounts, which you can and should offer for those loyal subscribers who do sign up for your emails, you need to offer your audience something more. Add content to your e-newsletter lineup. Some types of content to consider include product information, customer reviews, images of inventory units, and more. Your current and future customers are coming to you for a reason. They have at least some interest in purchasing your units, so don't let that opportunity escape! Pique their interest with some great images of your inventory or details about new units that come in. Share positive reviews from past customers who loved their purchase.

While your e-newsletter service should be a way to drive more leads and ultimately contribute to sales, you should also add content-forward emails into the mix. These are designed to inform or entertain, perhaps before collecting a lead, but they can still drive action. You may be surprised to see the kind of engagement you get with these efforts. Appeal to your customers as humans they would enjoy something funny or light-hearted just as much as you would. It may even become easier to engage and connect with your customers when they know that not every email they receive from you is meant to simply sell.

More than half of people say they receive too much promotional email, so it's important to monitor engagement with your email lists. Opt-ins and unsubscribes should be adjusted accordingly, and promptly. Opens, clicks, and conversions are crucial pieces to keep track of in terms of email success. One helpful tip is to segment your email lists based on responsiveness. Unsurprisingly, customers who interact often will be more willing to receive a higher quantity of emails from you, and those who rarely even open your emails likely would prefer to receive less. Customers who haven't opened an email in months may require a “re-engagement” email asking them directly if they'd like to continue with their subscription and acting accordingly. While it may be discouraging to cut down your email list, it's better to maintain a healthy reputation for your e-newsletter service. Our best tip to keep people engaged is to change things up often so that new email campaigns are fresh and exciting.

At the end of the day, email marketing is not going anywhere. In Adestra's study, 72% of people preferred email as the #1 communication method with a business. Make your e-newsletter marketing service a priority for your dealership's bottom line. Send emails that your audience will look forward to receiving. Give them a reason to save, read, and react to your emails and reap the benefits of your digital marketing efforts.