Email Marketing
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Email Marketing14 Top Email Marketing Courses in 2024If you think email marketing is for the 1990s and irrelevant to your business in 2024, think again.
Email marketing continues to be an important element of every good digital marketing strategy as an effective way to reach customers and promote products and services. It's a cost-effective and targeted approach that lets you connect with potential customers. Plus, with the rise of mobile devices, email marketing has become even more powerful as people check their emails on the go.
But how do you learn important email marketing concepts? Online courses are a great idea, but where do you start when Googling "popular email marketing course" yields no less than 2,400,000,000 results, and platforms like Udemy and Omnisend Academy abound with options?
We took a closer look at some of the most popular email marketing courses online, and we came up with a list of 14 worth your time. Keep reading to learn more!
What you need to know about email marketing
Many aspects of email marketing make it one of the smartest ways for business owners to reach out to customers and build a relationship with them. It comes with a lot of benefits, including but not limited to:
Great personalization capabilities
A comprehensive email strategy involves personalized messages that are tailored to suit each customer. Using their names, previous purchase history, where they are in your sales funnel, and other relevant information can create a more personalized experience for your subscribers.
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Capacity to send targeted emails
Unlike traditional marketing methods, email marketers are constantly segmenting audiences and sending targeted emails to specific groups. This means that you can create different campaigns for different customer segments based on their interests, behaviors, or demographics. As a result, your emails will:
Feed into your customer journey Build better, stronger customer relationships Enhance the overall customer experience and help you foster customer loyalty
Cost-efficiency and high ROI
Compared to other marketing channels, email marketing ROI continues to be quite impressive. With a minimal investment, you can reach many customers and see a high return on investment (ROI). In fact, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average ROI is $36. So this is a well-worth-it area to invest in your digital marketing skills.
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Boosts customer engagement
Not only is email marketing ROI high, but this digital marketing channel is also an effective way to keep your customers engaged and informed about your brand. By consistently sending them valuable and relevant content, you can build a strong relationship with them and increase their loyalty to your business. You can also complement your email campaigns with an SMS marketing strategy to really stay top-of-mind for your audience.
Great promotional channel
The average conversion rate for email marketing is around 8.8%. By comparison, the average conversion rate for Instagram ads is 1.1%, similar to that of TikTok. Factor in that email marketing is a lot cheaper and happens on an owned channel, and it all becomes a no-brainer: email marketing is an excellent promotional channel for business growth.
Additionally, email marketing can also be an excellent asset for your content marketing team, as email is one of the most profitable and effective distribution channels for content.
Helps you become an authority in your space
Successful email campaigns are about more than just promotions: they are an amazing nurture channel. By sending valuable and educational content to your subscribers, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, gaining trust and credibility among your audience. You can share step by step instructions on the best use of your product or service, industry insights, and more.
Easy to track and measure
All professional email marketers will tell you that campaign metrics – such as open rates, click-through rates, conversions, etc. – are crucial. Luckily, they're also easy to track so that you can measure the success of your campaigns, allowing you to continuously improve your strategies and optimize your campaigns for better results. Some of the email metrics you can measure include:
Open rates: The percentage of subscribers who opened your emailClick-through rates (CTR): The percentage of subscribers who clicked on a link within your emailBounce rate: The percentage of emails that were not delivered successfullyUnsubscribe rate: The percentage of subscribers who unsubscribed from your list after receiving an email
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Can be automated
Email marketing automation allows you to set up triggered emails, such as welcome emails or abandoned cart emails, that are sent out automatically based on specific actions or behaviors of your subscribers. This saves you time and effort while still ensuring timely and relevant communication with your customers.
Top 14 email marketing courses to consider in 2024
If you've decided to improve your email marketing skills but have no idea where to start, don't worry! We've compiled a list of the top 15 email marketing courses to consider in 2024.
These courses cover many topics, from the basics of email marketing to advanced-level techniques and tactics for experienced marketers. So whether you're a beginner, an experienced marketer, or a business owner looking to build a successful email marketing campaign, there's something for everyone on this list.
Here are some of the best email marketing online courses (in no particular order):
Advanced Email Marketing from Simplilearn
Despite the name, The Advanced Email Marketing course from Simplilearn is more than suitable for beginners too. It includes a wide range of actionable steps on:
Driving traffic through emailsFundamental concepts of email marketing strategyBuilding email listsEmail campaignsGetting email subscribersMarketing brands through emailEmail rules and regulationsSending mass emails...And more.
This is a popular email marketing course that has been taken by more than 15,500 people so far and it has a rating of 4.5/ 5 stars on Simplilearn.
Time to complete: 5 hours (self-paced), 90 days access to the course
Certificate: Yes, upon completion
Price: Free
Email Marketing Certification from HubSpot
HubSpot Academy is, undoubtedly, a powerhouse in the world of marketing. It's no surprise, then, that their Email Marketing Certification is one of the most popular and highly-rated email marketing courses out there. This course has hours of video content that will teach you everything from creating an effective email strategy to developing engaging content, segmenting your audience, and optimizing your campaigns for better results.
This course focuses a lot on how email marketing and the buyer's journey are connected, making it perfect for businesses looking to improve their overall marketing strategy. At the same time, you'll gain insights into how to create email campaigns, the types of emails you can send out, and other more specific topics.
Keep in mind that HubSpot Academy courses do not include step by step walkthroughs. They're generally guides that help you understand specific areas of marketing, in the context of inbound lead generation.
Time to complete: 4 hours
Certificate: Yes
Price: Free (you have lifetime access to courses for free, but keep in mind the certification expires after two years)
Think Outside the Inbox from Google/Coursera
When top digital marketing experts from Google and Coursera come together, you know it will be a good course. Think Outside the Inbox, developed by Google, will help you understand email marketing best practices and how to use data to drive targeted campaigns for effective email marketing strategy that resonate with your audience.
The course includes modules with actionable steps on writing effective subject lines, creating engaging content, analyzing email performance, and how to execute email marketing campaigns from A to Z. The course has 4.8 stars out of 5 from more than 1,400 people who took it, so you can be sure you'll get a good grasp of the basics of email marketing when you're though.
Time to complete: 25 hours (self-paced)
Certificate: Yes (with a fee)
Price: You can enroll for a free 7-day trial on Coursera, after which it costs $39/month to access everything Coursera has to offer to improve your digital marketing skills, including other popular email marketing courses.
Email Marketing 101 from Omnisend Academy
The Omnisend Academy offers not one, but an entire bundle of courses for those who want or need to learn more about email marketing. This set of courses covers everything from how to send a welcome flow to basics in email marketing, grow your email list, and write effective CTAs.
The best part about this course is that all content is easily digestible, time-saving, and broken down into actionable steps. You're getting all the information you need to get started without wasting any time. Of course, it all focuses on Omnisend as a product, but it still makes for a good learning experience.
Time to complete: Depends on the modules or courses in the Omnisend Academy, it ranges between 3 minutes and 1 hour
Certificate: No
Price: Free (unlimited lifetime access)
Mailchimp Academy (on Mailchimp & Co.)
Similarly to Omnisend, Mailchimp also offers an academy section on its website to help users master their email marketing platform. Mailchimp Academy has a mix of articles, guides, step by step walkthroughs, and courses covering everything from creating a landing page, using Instagram ads with Mailchimp, and even e-commerce digital marketing tips & tricks.
Time to complete: Depends on the specific certification
Certificate: Yes
Price: Free, but you have to be enrolled in Mailchimp & co
Email Marketing Mastery from DigitalMarketer
This course consists of 10 modules that are easy to navigate and digest. Email Marketing Mastery from DigitalMarketer will help you get a solid foundation on which email marketing strategies work (and which don't), how to create effective lead magnets, how to use segmentation effectively, and how to optimize your email efforts for the customer journey. If you're serious about improving your email marketing skills, enrolling in this course is an actionable step to do just that.
Time to complete: not estimated
Certificate: Yes
Price: $495
Certification for Email Marketing from the Brevo Academy
Brevo Academy's certification for email marketing includes 8 modules. It covers everything you need to know to get started on email marketing, from choosing the right software to GDPR compliance, building email lists, boosting email marketing KPIs, and A/B testing. This popular email marketing course comes with four eBooks, 64 videos, and 62 questions.
Time to complete: 2 hours
Certificate: Yes
Price: free (the Bravo Academy is offers free lifetime access for anyone, regardless of whether they have a Brevo account)
Email Marketing Essentials from Skillshare
A lot of people prefer the online learning platforms like Skillshare because it allows them to check social proof and reviews before they enroll. For example, The Email Marketing Essentials course was taken by more than 14,800 people, showing there's great interest in it. The digital marketing expert instructing the course has a decent rating, as well.
Unlike most of the other courses on the same topic, this walks email marketers through actionable steps on optimizing the design and layout of email campaigns. If your interest is more design-oriented, it might be the right choice for you.
Time to complete: 36 minutes
Certificate: Yes
Price: Skillshare is free for 7 days; after that, premium access will cost you $32/ month or $168/ year (and, for the money, you'll have access to all their content
Email Marketing: Increase Sales with Email Marketing by Udemy
As a learning platform, Udemy can feel like a hit or miss. Still, the Email Marketing: Increase Sales course is a genuinely comprehensive one. It has a 4.4 out of 5 rating from more than 64,259 students, which means the vast majority of people who took it had a good learning experience.
The course covers everything you need to know about email marketing, from GDPR compliance to designing emails with SendPulse, dodging spam complaints, segmenting your audience, designing subscription forms, and more.
Time to complete: 2 hours
Certificate: Yes
Price: The base price is $47, but Udemy offers discounts regularly (e.g., at the moment of writing this article, the course is just $8!)
Email and Newsletter Marketing Foundations by LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning's Email and Newsletter Marketing Foundations is a solid course, especially for beginner email marketers. It teaches you important digital marketing skills, like how to build, segment and nurture your email list, create engaging content, choose the right email templates, measure the success of your campaigns, and more. More than 70,000 people have taken the course, and it has a 4.7 out of 5 rating from more than 1,100 of its students.
Time to complete: 45 minutes
Certificate: Yes
Price: Free if you have LinkedIn Premium, or approximately $18 for just this course
Digital Marketing Bundle by Reliablesoft
The Digital Marketing Bundle, put together by Reliablesoft and taught by successful digital marketing experts, is a collection of 10 courses that cover everything in digital marketing: SEO, content, social media, Google Ads, email marketing, and more. Unfortunately, you can't get just the email marketing course – but you can get the full bundle and immerse yourself in more than 75 lessons that will give you a bird's eye view of how online marketing works.
The email marketing course covers email marketing tools, automation, email flows, and building lists – the basic actionable steps you need to know about to create email marketing funnels that work for your business (regardless of whether you want to run eCommerce email marketing campaigns or apply the knowledge to other industries).
Time to complete: Not estimated
Certificate: No
Price: $114 for the whole bundle (and a 60-day money-back guarantee)
Email Marketing Masterclass for Beginners by Wishpond
Wishpond's Email Marketing Masterclass covers a fairly wide range of topics, from what mistakes to avoid in email marketing to actionable steps on how to build funnels and campaigns. If you're looking for a brief intro to email marketing, this online email marketing course with actionable steps, taught by an experienced marketer from Wishpond, might be a good fit.
Time to complete: Not estimated
Certificate: No
Price: Free
Email Marketing: Master the Fundamentals by CXL
It's known that CXL offers some of the best courses in digital marketing. If you're serious about email marketing and improving your digital marketing skills, their Email Marketing: Master the Fundamentals course is worth looking at. Developed by a well-respected digital marketing professional, the course covers topics such as how to optimize your list growth, use email data to fuel your marketing efforts and create email content that drives actual results.
Time to complete: 4 hours (1 hour/lesson)
Certificate: Yes
Price: $299
Email Marketing Online Training Course by Udacity
Udacity's Email Marketing Online Training Course includes lessons on how to build an email list, how to create an email campaign, how to create an email plan, and how to measure the effectiveness of your email efforts. It also includes real-world projects and information on email marketing careers, which makes it easier to apply your knowledge in practice – helpful for even experienced marketers.
Time to complete: 4 weeks
Certificate: Yes
Price: $249/ month or $846/ four months
Are there any other sources for email marketing learning?
Absolutely! The internet abounds with learning opportunities in virtually every domain, and email marketing makes no difference from this general rule. However, finding sources of information is not the hardest part of all: filtering through all the options is. Generally, you want to look for popular email marketing courses or learning resources, offer practical knowledge, and have good reviews from other learners.
Following more experienced marketers on social media for tips and tactical walkthroughs is another way to slowly build up your digital marketing skills.
For instance, Mayple doesn't offer any actual course, but we have decades of collective experience in creating, managing, and strategizing efficient email marketing. As do the email marketing consultants and digital marketing professionals we work with. So when we put together information on email marketing, you can bet your money it's accurate, up-to-date, and useful. Here are our latest pieces, for example.
The key to learning email marketing (and any other digital marketing skill) lies in trying stuff. Theory will only get you so far, but experimenting with different techniques, popular email marketing platforms, and strategies is what will make you an email marketing specialist.
...And if you need help running your email efforts, don't hesitate to hire a Mayple-vetted email marketing agency. Contact us, and we will match you with the right expert for your business goals.
Marketing strategyWhat Is the Future of Email Marketing? How AI Has Changed the GameDigital marketing is constantly changing, and email marketing, a time-tested strategy, is no exception. Of the many key trends shaping the future of email marketing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is perhaps the most intriguing. Already the adoption of AI in marketing activities is expected to grow exponentially from $27.4 billion in 2023 to $107.4 billion in 2028. As for email marketing specifically, more than 50% of email marketers have already indicated that they think AI has improved their marketing activities, rising above traditional methods.
But why are email marketers saying this? Below, we explore what AI brings to the email marketing table, its challenges and opportunities, plus how it'll impact the future of marketing.
Meet the expert
Andrew Royal, a seasoned marketing executive with nearly a decade of experience, is the founder of RevOps. He specializes in helping SMBs optimize revenue operations through data-driven strategies.
Setting the stage: From inbox clutter to opened emails
The competition for inbox attention has never been fiercer. There are an estimated 347.3 billion emails sent and received globally per day. That's expected to increase to 392.5 billion by 2025. Plus, while email open rate benchmarks differ according to industries, the average open rate is only 21.5%.
So, how do you make sure your email gets opened?
Enter AI-generated content. AI is set to revolutionize email marketing by helping craft compelling subject lines and content. AI can even assist with image selection and collaboration, making it easier for teams to work together efficiently. Tools like Figma and Canva have further democratized design, allowing marketers to create visually appealing emails effortlessly.
» Want to boost your clicks and opens? Check out these powerful tips on email engagement.
Maximizing email marketing with AI
AI's potential in email marketing is vast, but it's essential to use it wisely. AI won't replace human marketers just yet, but it can empower those who harness its capabilities effectively. AI-generated content, images, videos, and even voices are becoming more accessible. Here are some practical ways you can harness the power of AI to enhance your email campaigns.
Personalization beyond first names
Currently, AI can analyze user behavior, preferences, and past interactions to dynamically tailor email content. For example, it can recommend products based on browsing history or suggest relevant blog articles to your customers. By emailing content that's more likely to resonate with each recipient, you increase the chances of engagement and conversion.
Consider how this grocer used AI to create a personalized email with tailored product recommendations:
Personalized email subheadingCountdown timer to create urgencyList of personalized product recommendationsChoice of purchasing method
Here's a great example of an email marketing campaign:
AI-generated content
While it may not be ready to write an entire email from scratch, AI can certainly assist in drafting email content. It can analyze and process data from various sources, including customer behavior, website interactions, and social media trends, to generate content ideas that are likely to resonate with your audience. For example, if AI detects a spike in interest around a specific topic, it can suggest creating content related to that trend.
Plus, AI can analyze your audience's preferences and historical click-through rates to generate attention-grabbing headlines with a higher chance of enticing people to open the email.
» Use these ChatGPT prompts to enhance your email campaigns
Customer lifecycle predictions
AI can predict where a customer is in their journey and send emails accordingly. For instance, it can identify new customers, loyal customers, or those showing signs of churn by analyzing patterns and user behaviors. That data can then be used to trigger automated retention-focused emails that include personalized offers, loyalty rewards, or simply a friendly check-in to address concerns.
Consider this snapshot from an email by LinkedIn to remind a customer of their free marketing consultation:
Chatbots and virtual assistants
When a customer or subscriber responds to an email, AI-powered chatbots can instantly acknowledge the message and provide relevant information or assistance. AI chatbots also excel at handling frequently asked questions, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex issues.
With all that said, a human touch remains crucial. AI-generated content can sometimes come across as generic or mechanical. So, it's essential to use AI as a starting point and then add your personal touch to create engaging and authentic emails that'll boost your ROI.
Pro tipProtect your property information: While AI is a powerful tool, it comes with a caveat—never include proprietary business information in AI prompts. Once it enters the AI system, it becomes part of the public domain. However, companies like Google are exploring ways to allow businesses to use AI with their proprietary data while maintaining security.
The privacy laws reshaping email marketing
AI and privacy has become a hot-button issue in recent years. While AI smoothes out many processes, it does raise questions about privacy, particularly how AI manages customer data. The main concern revolves around permission:
Has the customer willingly shared their data with you?Does the customer fully understand how you use their data and are they happy with it?Is the customer reassured by how you protect their data?
In response to these questions, there's legislation you must be compliant with. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set the tone by requiring explicit consent and empowering users to request data deletion. Now, Canada is following suit with its own privacy law, CASL, mirroring GDPR's principles. In the United States, the email marketing scene differs slightly, but change is on the horizon. Marketers must prepare for stricter privacy regulations, emphasizing the importance of obtaining explicit consent and respecting user preferences.
But there is an upside. A more engaged subscriber base. When users provide explicit consent, they're signaling a genuine interest in your content, resulting in a more responsive audience. Plus, popular email service providers like MailChimp and ActiveCampaign offer GDPR compliance features to help you navigate these new regulations.
» Want to get more out of MailChimp? Try these A/B testing strategies.
The uncertain future of AI in marketing
The hype around AI is undeniable, but is it sustainable? Some marketers wonder if AI will follow the same trajectory as previous industry buzzwords like the Metaverse or NFTs, which saw initial excitement but then faded.
Truth is, AI is probably here to stay, and marketers must remain adaptable. New AI products and tools emerge regularly, so staying informed and flexible is key.
Remember that AI is not here to replace tools such as social media platforms—it's there to optimize your workflows. And don't feel obligated to change your entire marketing strategy to accommodate AI if your current approach works. You're likely to get more out of AI when you use it as another tool in your tool belt.
» Looking for marketing inspiration? Give these expert-approved books a try.
What lies beyond: AI's bright horizons
Email marketing remains a potent tool, and with the right strategies, it will continue to deliver results in the years to come. One of the best ways to navigate the evolving landscape of email marketing is to leverage AI wisely, remain adaptable, and stay up to date with changes, but don't feel obligated to use new AI tools if you don't need to.
In fact, you can leverage AI without using it by collaborating with marketing experts who have mastered the best AI tools around. Mayple uses an AI-powered algorithm to match brands with marketing partners that are the right fit and understand your brand's needs.
Ready to scale your brand?
Email MarketingWhat is Email Click Through Rate + How To Up CTRCongrats! You've just sent your first (or 100th) email marketing campaign and you're eagerly awaiting your stats. You can almost see people opening your email (that subject line was really engaging!), scanning it and...
Going back to their inboxes without clicking your CTA buttons? Oh no!
What do you do to avoid this?
First of all: don't panic. The fact that people are opening your email is already a great sign! But if you want your emails to drive results for your business, make sure they click on your email links.
Your click through rate is one of the most important email marketing metrics to track when it comes to email campaigns. It tells you how many people clicked on any of your links to visit your website or landing page. This is where conversions happen – whether it's buying a product, signing up for a service, or learning about your brand.
What can you do to improve your click through rate?
Keep reading to find out.
What is the email click-through rate (CTR)?
Email click-through rate (CTR) is a metric that measures how many people click in emails out of all the emails that were delivered. Your CTR shows how many emails subscribers click.
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How to calculate click through rate?
To calculate the click-through rate, divide the number of clicks by the total number of emails delivered, then multiply by 100. This will give you a percentage value that represents your email CTR. For example, if you sent out 100 emails and received 10 clicks, your CTR would be 10%.
Factors that affect your CTR
A low click-through rate is not the end of the world, but it's worthy of your attention. Generally, the factors that affect your CTR include:
Your content
Create email content that's engaging, relevant, and visually appealing to catch the attention of your subscribers. Boring or irrelevant content could cause you to lose readers, lowering your CTR.
Want to make sure your email content is on point every time? Contact Mayple and allow us to match you with one of our brilliant vetted email marketing copywriting experts! You'll be all set and ready to go in less than three days.
The email layout
The layout of your email can also affect your CTR. A cluttered and confusing email design is more likely to discourage clicks, whereas a clean, organized layout makes it easy for readers to find what they're looking for.
Keep your email design simple and visually appealing. Use images, bullet points, and headings to break up the text to make it easier for readers to scan through.
Your call to action
Last, but not least, your call to action (CTA) plays a crucial role in your email CTR. Your CTA should be clear, concise, and compelling for readers to click.
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Make sure to use action words and create a sense of urgency to encourage your subscribers to act. It's also important to place your CTA strategically throughout the email, ideally towards the beginning and end where it is most likely to catch the reader's attention.
For instance, this Black Friday email campaign from REI has all the marks of a winning promotional email. It's engaging, looks great, and the CTA connects to the entire email seamlessly, while also urging you to take action.
Click rate (CR) vs click-through rate
There is some confusion regarding email click rate (CR) versus click-through rate. While these terms are used interchangeably, there is a difference between them.
The click rate (CR) refers to the number of clicks on a link within an email, divided by the total number of delivered emails. This metric gives you an overall view of how many people interacted with your email somehow.
The click-through rate specifically measures how many people clicked on a link within an email, out of all the people who opened that email. This metric is more focused and gives you a better understanding of how effective your CTA and email content are in driving clicks.
How to calculate click rate?
To calculate email click rate, email marketers divide the total number of clicks by the total number of delivered emails and multiply it by 100. This will give you a percentage value that represents your email click rate. For example, if your email had 100 clicks out of 1000 delivered emails, your CR would be 10%.
Why are click rates and click-through rates important?
Both your click-through rate and your click rate are important indicators of how well your emails are performing – so tracking them is essential if you want to make sure your campaigns go well and improve over time.
Why is click-through rate important?
Knowing your click-through rate is important for many reasons:
It measures the effectiveness of your emails
By tracking how many clicks your emails are getting, you can see which ones are successful in grabbing the reader's attention and prompting them to take action. This information can be used to improve future campaigns.
It gives you a benchmark
When you have a benchmark CTR, you can compare it to industry averages or your previous email campaigns. This will help you determine if your email performance is above or below average and what areas need improvement.
It helps identify subscriber engagement
A high CTR indicates that subscribers are actively engaging with your emails and finding value in the content. On the other hand, a low CTR may indicate that your subscribers are not interested in your emails or that there is room for improvement in your email content.
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It helps you not lose sight of the goal
...Which is to drive revenue. There's no point in crafting neat email subject lines, segmenting your list, and personalizing your emails if you don't do it all with one purpose: to drive revenue. It may not be direct (for example, some emails incentivize people to recommend your business or sign up for a webinar). But even when your email campaigns are not directly correlated to revenue, the end goal is the same. When you measure your CTR, you see how many of your subscribers got you closer to your goal, and this helps you understand how your business is growing.
Why are click rates important?
Here are some reasons why tracking your click rate is as important as your CTRs:
It shows you the big picture
While CTR indicates the effectiveness of your email content and CTAs, click rate gives you a broader view of how many people are interacting with your emails. This helps you identify issues with your list or deliverability that need to be addressed.
It helps optimize your email design
By tracking your click rate, you can see which email layouts and designs are most effective in driving clicks. This information can then be used to optimize future emails and improve performance.
It helps increase conversion rates
A high click rate indicates that subscribers are not only opening your emails but also taking action by clicking on links within the email. This can ultimately lead to increased conversion rates and revenue for your business.
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Click rates vs open rates
Another frequently confused metric is click-to-open rate vs open rate. They are both important, yet different, to gaining different insights into your campaign performance.
Your email open rate is simply the percentage of people who opened your email. This metric does not take into account any actions taken within the email, such as clicks. There are a lot of factors that influence your open rates, but, generally, your subject lines and your bounce rates (both hard and soft bounces) are the two most important metrics to look at if you want to improve your open rate.
On the other hand, your click through rate measures the number of clicks on links within your email, regardless of whether or not the email was opened. Combining both open and click rates can give you a more complete understanding of subscriber engagement and the success of your email campaigns.
Last, but not least, your click-to-open rate measures the percentage of people who open your emails and click on a link. You can choose to follow this specific metric depending on your email marketing goals, but it can be a good indicator of how coordinated your email marketing strategies are.
Average click-through rates & open rates: benchmarks you need to know
General and industry email marketing benchmarks help you understand what your click rates and click-through rates should be. This can give you a good point of reference when analyzing your own email performance and determining what your target audience wants to hear from you.
Regardless of the benchmarks, every company should measure their email metrics against general, industry, and past performance numbers. For instance, if your welcome emails have a click-through rate of 0.9% and you make adjustments to bump that number to 1.2% but your industry average is 1.5%, that is still a significant improvement.
Likewise, the type of email you send will influence your click-through rates and open rates too. For instance, a Thank You email or a post-purchase email may have a significantly higher open rate and click-through rate than a product update email.
That being said, here are some numbers to keep in mind:
General good open rates
Across industries, the average email open rate stands at 21.33%. If you want good open rate for your emails, aim for somewhere between 17 and 28%.
Open rates per industry
Industry-specific benchmarks are a better indicator than general open rates, especially if you're in one of the industries with a significantly low or high average email open rate. Here are some industry-specific benchmarks, as per a recent study from WebFX's:
Advertising and marketing: 19.30%Automotive and aerospace: 12.60%Beauty and personal care: 16.65%eCommerce: 15.68%Financial: 20.20%Food and beverage: 13.00%Government: 19.70%Health and fitness: 21.36%IT, tech, and software: 17.60%Media and entertainment: 18.10%Retail: 13.90%
(Source: WebFX)
Click through rates per industry
Looking at click-through rates per industry can also help you better gauge how well your emails are doing. Here are some of the stats you need to know, according to WebFX's latest research:
Advertising and marketing: 2.60%Automotive and aerospace: 1.20%Beauty and personal care: 1.92%eCommerce: 2.01%Financial: 2.50%Food and beverage: 1.20%Government: 4.10%Health and fitness: 2.69%IT, tech, and software: 2.50%Media and entertainment: 3.10%Retail: 2.10%
High click rate but low conversions: how does it happen?
Sometimes, you may have a high click rate, but your conversion rate fails to deliver on those clicks. Here are some of the reasons why this may happen:
The contact list is irrelevant to your business
Having a large email list is great. Still, it will help no one if you have a list full of inactive customers you can't re-engage, or if the subscribers on that list are not interested in what you offer. Even if they do open your emails and click, it will not translate into conversions. This highlights the importance of targeted and segmented email lists.
The goal of sending marketing emails is not to send them to as many people as possible, but to send them to as many relevant people. These are people who are likely to become loyal customers. That's where conversions and customer retention magic happen.
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Email content does not match subscriber expectations
If your email content does not align with the expectations set for new subscribers, they may click on links out of curiosity or interest, but ultimately not convert because the content does not meet their needs. Make sure to set clear expectations for subscribers and deliver relevant content in your emails.
Poor buyer experience
Your email campaigns don't end with a click on your emails – they also involve the buyer experience after being directed to your website. If the landing page or purchase process is not user-friendly or does not meet expectations, it can deter potential customers from converting. Make sure to optimize your website and buying process for a seamless customer journey.
How to use CR and CTR to optimize your email campaigns
Both your click rate and your click-through rate are great indicators of how well your campaigns are performing. However, measuring them is not enough. You need to take action based on your metrics and continuously optimize your email campaigns for better results.
Here are some ways you can use your CR and CTR to optimize your email campaigns
Segment your list
By segmenting your email list based on subscriber engagement, you can tailor your campaigns better to suit the interests and behaviors of different groups. For example, if a group has a consistently low click-through rate, you may want to re-evaluate the content and offers in those emails or remove them from that campaign.
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Personalize your emails
With segmentation comes great personalization potential. Use subscriber data to personalize your emails and make them more relevant to each individual. Personalized emails have been shown to have higher open and click-through rates, significantly impacting your overall email performance.
Run A/B tests
A/B testing your emails can help you identify what works best for your specific audience and improve your overall email performance. Use A/B tests to test different subject lines, email designs, calls to action buttons, and more. Based on the results, you can make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.
Optimize for mobile
47% of people use mobile apps to read their emails on their phones. You need to make sure your emails are optimized for mobile devices, or else you may lose out on a significant chunk of potential conversions. Make sure to use responsive email designs and test them thoroughly before sending them out.
(Source)
Include an unsubscribe button
Want to maintain list hygiene and keep your contacts relevant to your business, while complying with GDPR and other data privacy regulations?
You want to keep unsubscribe rates as low as possible, but you don't want people to mark your emails as spam (or worse, report you to data privacy authorities). So make sure to include an unsubscribe button or link in your email. It's a "set it and forget it" kind of thing that helps you avoid a lot of hassle down the line. Make sure the link placement is visible, though. You want subscribers to find it as easily as possible.
Leverage social proof
Customer testimonials can be a complete game changer. They build trust with your email readers and make it more likely to click that call to action button. If you want to take this up a notch, include a social sharing button and encourage people to share your content or product pages with their network.
Your click through rate: the ultimate sentinel of your email campaigns
All email metrics are key metrics. But if you have to narrow it all down to revenue-boosting KPIs (conversions, customer retention, etc.), your click through rate is one of the most important metrics to look at. If people aren't clicking through to your website or landing page, they're not going to convert no matter how high your open rates are.
Use this metric wisely and always strive for continuous improvement. Test things out, make your CTA buttons pop brighter, and always make sure your subject line, preheader text, and email content strive for one goal and one goal only: to make people click and take action.
Want to make sure your email content is on point every time? Hire one of our top email marketing agencies.
Email Marketing5 Best Klaviyo Agencies for Email Marketing in 2024Email marketing has been around since the early days of digital advertising, and for good reason. It's a proven, flexible way to connect with people. Since emails allow you to communicate directly and personally, you can customize campaigns to boost results, and Klaviyo is particularly suited to this. Make the most of this tried and trusted email marketing platform with the help of these vetted Klaviyo agencies.
Our top picks for the best Klaviyo agencies
1. The Email Marketers - Best overall
2. Aspekt - Best for combining SMM with email marketing
3. Adventure Digital - Best for start-ups in eCommerce marketing
4. King Pixel Digital Marketing - Best for women-focused email marketing
5. HiFlyer Digital - Best for customer retention-focused email marketing
What is a Klaviyo agency?
A Klaviyo agency is a company or a team of professionals specializing in using Klaviyo, an email marketing platform, to help your business create and manage your email marketing campaigns. These agencies are well-versed in utilizing Klaviyo's features and tools to optimize email marketing strategies for their clients.
Services offered by Klaviyo agencies may include email campaign setup, email template design, automation workflows, analytics, and overall strategy development to enhance your customer engagement and drive conversions, improving your return on ad spend (ROAS).
What does a Klaviyo agency do?
A Klaviyo agency usually consists of email copywriters, designers, and developers who create and optimize your email marketing campaigns to grow your business. Their work could be broken down into the following:
Klaviyo setup and optimization
The first thing a Klaviyo email marketing agency would do for a new client is ensure they have their Klaviyo account set up correctly. That's the bulk of the work for Klaviyo experts.
Then comes the campaign strategy, which includes a content calendar for each email flow, setting up each email campaign, and creating email automation for each step of the customer journey.
Other aspects of a campaign strategy include:
Monthly custom reports on all the email campaignsMonthly optimization, A/B testing, and analyticsDesign and development of campaignsEmail marketing tactics (user-generated content + giveaways)Detailed email strategy designed to hit your business goalsMarketing automation across the customer lifecycle (welcome flow, post-purchase flow)
Complimentary services may include SMS, push notifications, omnichannel marketing strategies, and lead generation.
Klaviyo consulting and management
Businesses with a robust email marketing strategy sometimes need a quick consultation to ensure they're optimizing and taking advantage of the platform's various features. A Klaviyo expert or agency could also recommend other changes to improve the conversion rates of your emails or website.
Conversion rate optimization is tied to how many leads you get and how big your email list is, so it greatly affects email marketing revenue. The right Klaviyo expert could also look at your customer data and recommend other marketing efforts you haven't thought of.
» Looking for a more traditional approach? Explore the best email marketing agencies.
What's a Klaviyo partner vs a Klaviyo master?
Klaviyo has a partnership program for its agency partners and individual Klaviyo specialists. Klaviyo Partner is the regular level of certification. Klaviyo Master is a higher level of certification designed for agencies and consultants that provide superior services and deliver great results on a regular basis.
Questions you may want to ask your Klaviyo agency
What is your revenue model? (Per project or commission.)Have you helped other companies in my niche grow their revenue from email marketing?What other marketing channels do you specialize in (influencer marketing, search engine optimization)?Does your service include a monthly campaign calendar? And how many months do you plan in advance?Would you handle the email design and content creation for each email campaign?What type of campaign cadence would you recommend?What would your automation strategy look like?How often would you send reports of your progress?Who will be my main point of contact at your agency?How many Klaviyo customers do you have?What kind of strategy would you recommend for my business?What type of email campaigns would you focus on (abandoned cart, welcome series, post-purchase flow)?
Why not work with a regular email marketing agency?
You could always work with a regular email agency, but not all email marketing agencies have the specific Klaviyo expertise you want. Working with a digital marketing agency that has experience working with this platform and companies in your niche or industry can yield much better results.
Hire a Klaviyo agency to elevate your email marketing
Partnering with a Klaviyo agency unlocks a wealth of expertise to boost your email marketing efforts, driving brand growth. With their in-depth understanding of Klaviyo's tools and strategies, these agencies can empower your business, enhance customer engagement, optimize campaigns, and drive conversions.
Top expertsBest eCommerce Email Marketing Agencies to Hire in 2024Whether your goal is to improve customer retention, fine-tune promotional campaigns, or optimize automated email sequences, these agencies can help you navigate the complex world of email marketing and elevate your eCommerce brand to new heights.
Our top picks for the best eCommerce email marketing agencies
1. Pixated - Best overall
2. KAMG - Best for innovative email marketing strategies
3. ROI Escalator - Best for global eCommerce success
4. Snap Advantage - Best for B2B collaboration
5. Aspekt - Best for high-performance marketing
6. Mind Ad Media -Best for store profit optimization
7. The Email Marketers - Best for customer bond building
8. Taken Digital - Best for data-backed email marketing
9. Dido Agency - Best for automated email marketing
10. King Pixel Digital Marketing - Best for women-led businesses
What is an eCommerce email marketing agency?
It's a type of eCommerce agency that specializes in email marketing for eCommerce stores. Their role involves designing, creating, and sending transactional, promotional, and lifecycle email campaigns. A really good email agency would create an email campaign calendar, build automated email sequences, improve your email deliverability, and perfect the entire customer journey for your email subscribers.
What does email marketing mean for an eCommerce brand?
Email marketing is a marketing channel that uses email messages to convert potential customers and leads. For eCommerce brands, email marketing usually includes promotional email marketing campaigns and automated email flows such as the cart abandonment flow, welcome flow, and shipping and delivery notifications.
How can an email marketing agency help?
Email marketing has the biggest ROI of any marketing channel for eCommerce businesses. All the various traffic channels flow into your email list, and it's crucial for brands to take advantage of that and power up their email campaigns. The challenge is that often, brands are limited on resources and lack the design skills and the email automation chops to really grow their email marketing program.
Thus, business owners need email marketing experts who have experience working with the particular email marketing platform the business uses, have designers on the team, and can create emails that look good and have high conversion rates.
How to find the perfect email marketing agency
How do you find the perfect email marketing agency for your eCommerce business? Here are a few things to look out for.
Track record of success
First and foremost, the agency must have a successful record working with similar brands. They have to be good at what they do. Most of the time, all you see are customer testimonials and fancy case studies, but you need to look under the hood. Ask to see the actual campaigns the agency has set up and see their email designs, the type of sequences they've built, and their sales funnels. With Mayple, you get to see that data.
Experience in your niche
The agency should also have experience working with other brands in your specific niche. They have to be comfortable working with a similar audience and a similar budget and know what works and what doesn't. They have to be able to create email content that works and maximize your email marketing ROI.
Highly responsive and adaptable
It's also important for any email marketing partner you work with to be responsive and adaptable. They should report on the results of each campaign and keep you in the loop with all the metrics they're tracking, like open rates, click-through rates, and email revenue. They should also be able to adapt to changes in your audience and seasonality and do a lot of A/B testing.
What are the skills of a perfect email marketing agency?
There is a wide range of skills that any agency offering email marketing services should have. Here are the most important ones:
Automated email sequences & flows
A good eCommerce email marketing agency should be able to build email marketing funnels for different segments of your audience. They should be able to take your existing flows and improve them based on industry best practices. In short, they should know email marketing automation like the back of their hand.
Promotional email campaigns
Promotional campaigns are the backbone of a healthy email program. They're made for sending out promotions, product launches, holiday campaigns, and email newsletters. They're also great for sending out referral and customer loyalty messages to your loyal customers.
Knowledge of email tools & platforms
The agency you pick should be familiar with a variety of email marketing software and how it integrates with your specific eCommerce platform. They should know how to create advanced flows using email list segmentation and personalization. They should also be experts in email deliverability and help you improve those open rates.
Each tool requires both implementation and frequent testing and troubleshooting (based on data and customer behavior). You don't want to launch your email campaigns only to discover that the data isn't syncing correctly, so make sure the agency knows the specific tool you're using and has the expertise to use its advanced features. For instance, if you're using Mailchimp, you should work with one of our top-notch Mailchimp experts.
Detailed eCommerce email marketing strategy
Don't just settle for the first email strategy proposal you get. Get several proposals from your agency candidates and make sure they're comprehensive, thorough, and realistic.
Expertise in omnichannel strategies
Last but not least, it's critical that the agency you work with has a good understanding of the other channels you're using. No email marketing solution is complete without complementary channels like SMS marketing, retargeting, and push notifications.
These other channels are needed to maximize email marketing performance. And not all email marketing companies have the expertise with them. So make sure you pick a full-stack email marketing agency that can work on all these channels and integrate them.
Hire the perfect eCommerce email agency with Mayple
Are you tired of sifting through lists of candidates and not knowing who to choose? Simplify your whole hiring process with Mayple. We have 600+ top digital marketing agencies with proven experience and a track record in your niche.
Here's how our process works:
You fill out the information about your business and your marketing goalsWe match you with the best agencies based on 50+ factors and our proprietary AI platformYou approve them, and they get started
The whole process takes 3-5 business days. It's simple, transparent, and the best part is—you get a dedicated strategist to review your account, make sure the agency is doing its job, and help you expand to new channels.
Ecommerce10 Best Email Marketing Agencies for Hire in 2024With a remarkable return on investment of $40+ for every dollar spent, email marketing is a cornerstone of successful digital marketing strategies. Make the most of it with these ten top-tier agencies. They specialize in creating compelling content, visually striking templates, and more to drive targeted campaigns that convert.
» Here are some of the least-known benefits of email marketing.
Our top picks for email marketing agencies
1. Inbox Integrity - Best overall
2. Social Kick - Best for improving brand value and ROI
3. Cedarwood Digital- Best for personalized email marketing strategies
4. Tale Digital- Best for hands-on email marketing campaigns
5. TakenDigital- Best for email and SMS marketing mix
6. Razor Clicks- Best for eCommerce store email marketing
7. Hardy Digital Co- Best for data-driven growth email marketing
8. SEM Booster- Best for search engine marketing
9. AdCore- Best for intent-based email advertising
10. Digicom- Best for high-converting email ads
What is email marketing?
Email marketing involves sending targeted messages via email to promote products, services, or content. It's an effective way for businesses to connect with customers, nurture leads, drive sales, and foster brand loyalty. Using personalized content, newsletters, promotions, and updates, you can actively engage and convert recipients into customers or advocates for your brand.
Why is email marketing important for your brand?
In the era of post-iOS 14 and data privacy, email marketing is one of the few effective ways to retain customer data. It's certainly the only channel where you can keep first-party data and interact with your customer base on a more personal level.
With email, you can take leads from all your other channels (like paid media, inbound marketing, or ads on social media platforms) and move them from the awareness stage to the consideration stage, all the way to making a purchase.
Email marketing is especially compelling for eCommerce brands, where a lot of the revenue comes from email marketing campaigns such as promotional emails, email newsletters, abandoned cart emails, etc.
» Learn all about specific email campaigns and how to set them up for your business.
What does an email marketing agency do?
An email marketing consultant or agency provides a range of email marketing services. They could do any number of things for your business depending on the kind of emails you already have set up and the size of your internal team.
Email marketing strategy
If your business doesn't have a comprehensive email strategy, then any good marketing agency's priority would be to start there. The first step would be to establish an email marketing plan and establish which email segments you have and which email campaigns you should have (promotional or transactional emails).
Email campaign management
Any digital agency specializing in email marketing usually creates your campaigns from scratch. That could include graphic designs, content creation, and even designing custom templates from scratch. A full-service email marketing agency usually has a copywriter, graphic designer, email strategist, and project manager on staff. If you're an eCommerce business, you want to use a specialized Klaviyo agency to manage your campaigns.
Email automation
Another super important element of their work would be marketing automation—setting up the various email flows, personalized emails, and promotional campaigns to target specific segments of your email list. The science of email marketing is knowing how to send the right email messages at the right time to your potential customers, and that's where you need a professional email marketing firm to understand how to target your email audience optimally.
A/B testing
Then there's A/B testing, which is super important. It's the key to a successful email campaign. You want to maximize your customer engagement by testing different subject lines, promotions, CTA text, and content in the body of the email. Professional email agencies run tests to optimize the click, conversion, and open rates of emails.
Email deliverability
Last but not least, another service that a professional email marketing company could provide is email deliverability. Some business owners make mistakes and either break rules (like the CAN-SPAM Act) or buy mailing lists (a big no-no), and their reputation goes down with their email service provider (ESP).
So their emails stop getting into their customers' inboxes and instead either bounce or land in the spam folder. A professional email marketer would be able to warm up your domain, help improve your reputation with ESPs, and improve your deliverability rates.
Mayple has over 600+ marketing experts and can help you find the perfect email marketing agency to work with. You could also use the platform to build a team of email marketing experts to handle every aspect of this channel. Want to boost your email marketing efforts?
General21 Best Email Marketing Books for 2024 (Don’t Miss This List)Email marketing provides the highest ROI of all marketing channels. Used correctly, it can help you turn your contact list into a list of brand-loyal followers ready to not just buy from you but recommend you to others, too.
There is, of course, a lot of information online on how to create successful email marketing campaigns – from how to manage inactive contacts and how to get more relevant contacts to how to make the most out of your direct mail efforts – there are tips and tricks for pretty much everyone. The same goes for whether you're at an advanced level or a beginner level, you can largely find all the information you need online.
Sometimes, though, reading books to help you with your email marketing can be more productive. It helps broaden your perspective and understand email in the context of different advertising channels. Ultimately, reading books helps you nail not just the technicalities of a new, cutting-edge email tool, but also how to create relevant messaging for your contact list and how to turn email into a genuinely valuable asset for your business.
Keep reading to learn about the best book recommendations on the art of email marketing.
Why should you read email marketing books?
Reading email marketing books offers several compelling advantages that can significantly enhance your email marketing skills. Here are some of the most notable benefits of reading books on email marketing:
Helps you make sense of all the information
If you Google "learn email marketing," you'll get no less than 2,410,000,000 results.
Blog articles, courses, and entire websites – all dedicated to teaching email marketing.
If you feel overwhelmed, it's understandable. Rather than a thousand different perspectives on email marketing, you need solid, ever-green information you can use to lay the foundation of your knowledge.
Books are ideal because they focus on providing in-depth information and insights on a specific topic, in a structured way. That's not to say that blogs and courses don't offer valuable knowledge, but books can organize the information in a more digestible way.
They can also help you gain a better understanding of the bigger picture and advance your know-how in the field. Last but not least, they tend to come with fewer distractions (like flashy ads and "Click Here!" buttons).
Offers actionable strategies and tips
Books on email marketing are usually written by industry experts and advanced marketers who have tried and tested many effective strategies. This means that the information presented is often practical and actionable. You can expect to find real-life examples, case studies, and step-by-step guides on implementing successful email marketing campaigns.
These actionable strategies help you refine your current approach or give you new ideas. And because you know they've been tried and tested, you can trust they have a high likelihood of success, too.
Teaches you more about marketing
Email marketing is only a facet of the broader marketing landscape. Reading email marketing books not only equips you with email-specific insights but also helps you master the fundamentals of email marketing.
This holistic perspective helps you develop creative and effective marketing strategies. It also inspires you to better collaborate with other functions of marketing, such as social media, content marketing, and SEO.
Builds a solid foundation
To excel in email marketing, it's essential to begin with a solid foundation. Email marketing books provide the essential building blocks, covering everything from segmentation techniques to copywriting best practices.
Learning all these basics from online sources can be a confusing process, as information is often fragmented and scattered. Books, on the other hand, can guide you step-by-step, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of key concepts.
Maximizes how you use your email tools
Modern email marketing platforms offer many features and capabilities, many of which remain underutilized. Email marketing books unveil the secrets and shortcuts that can supercharge your campaigns. They guide you in harnessing the full potential of your email marketing tools, helping you optimize your efforts and achieve outstanding results.
You can learn anywhere, at any time
Running out of data on your phone? Going somewhere remote and can't connect to the internet? With email marketing books, that's not a problem. You can learn from them at your own pace and on your schedule. They're compact and portable, allowing you to read them anytime, anywhere.
Top 21 email marketing books to read this year
Not sure where to start? Here are 22 of the best email marketing books recommended by industry experts and successful marketers:
1. Permission Marketing, Seth Godin
About the Author:
Seth Godin is a celebrated marketing guru, entrepreneur, and bestselling author who has shaped modern marketing thinking with his innovative ideas. He is widely considered the father of modern email marketing, and this book is why.
What You'll Learn:
In "Permission Marketing," Seth Godin introduces the concept of obtaining consumers' permission before delivering marketing messages. Readers will learn how to build lasting and valuable relationships with their audience by gaining their consent, leading to more effective marketing strategies and better customer engagement.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo
2. Email Marketing Mastery, Tom Corson-Knowles
About the Author:
Tom Corson-Knowles is a successful entrepreneur and author, known for his expertise in marketing and self-publishing.
What You'll Learn:
"Email Marketing Mastery" is a comprehensive guide that teaches readers the ins and outs of email marketing. You'll discover how to create engaging emails, responsive email list building, and increase your email marketing ROI. This book provides actionable strategies for email marketing success, including A/B testing, optimizing for mobile, and effective automation. It also delves into advanced topics like email funnels and personalization.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo
3. Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing for Business, Susan Gunelius
About the Author:
Susan Gunelius is an accomplished marketer and author, known for her work in brand management and writing for top-tier publications.
What You'll Learn:
In "Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing for Business," Susan Gunelius covers all aspects of email marketing, from strategy and email list building to crafting compelling content and measuring results. This book offers a comprehensive roadmap for businesses looking to harness the full power of email marketing. Readers will gain insights into advanced email marketing techniques, such as behavioral targeting, dynamic content, and segment-specific strategies.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
4. E-mail Marketing For Dummies, John Arnold
About the Author:
John Arnold, a marketing consultant and author, excels in simplifying complex marketing concepts for a broad audience.
What You'll Learn:
"E-mail Marketing For Dummies" is a guide geared toward beginner-level email marketers, covering the basics of email marketing. You'll learn how to create, execute, and analyze email campaigns effectively, making it an excellent choice for those new to email marketing. The book explores contact list segmentation, email design, and effective use of subject lines. It also provides valuable tips on monitoring and improving email campaign performance.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
5. Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay, Lester Wunderman
About the Author:
Lester Wunderman, a pioneer in direct marketing and advertising, is celebrated for his innovative contributions to the industry.
What You'll Learn:
"Being Direct" offers valuable insights into direct marketing, which includes email marketing. You'll understand how to create advertising that resonates with your audience and maximizes your return on investment. The book delves into the principles of creating compelling content, leveraging data for targeting, and using response metrics to refine your campaigns.
Find it on: Amazon
Want to learn more about advertising? Check out our list of the top advertising books to read.
6. The New Email Revolution, Robert W. Bly
About the Author:
Robert W. Bly is a seasoned copywriter and marketing expert, renowned for his contributions to the world of direct response marketing.
What You'll Learn:
"The New Email Revolution" explores the power of email marketing in the digital age and how to take your email marketing skills to the next level with relevant messaging. It delves into effective email strategies, copywriting techniques, and tactics to engage readers, making it a valuable resource for an email marketer. You'll learn about creating compelling subject lines, structuring persuasive marketing emails, and applying psychological triggers to drive conversions.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
7. The Email Lifeline, Anik Singal
About the Author:
Anik Singal is a prominent entrepreneur and digital marketer, with a track record of successful online ventures.
What You'll Learn:
In "The Email Lifeline," Anik Singal shares his email marketing strategies and insights. Readers will learn how to build a profitable email list and create compelling email campaigns that drive sales and conversions. This book provides a deep dive into why email traffic is so important, how to use free traffic to build your list, how to segment it, automate your email, and personalize your communications to enhance email marketing effectiveness.
Find it on: Amazon
8. Email Persuasion, Ian Brodie
About the Author:
Ian Brodie is a marketing consultant and email marketing specialist with extensive experience in helping businesses grow their customer base.
What You'll Learn:
"Email Persuasion" focuses on the art of persuasive email marketing. This book provides actionable techniques for crafting engaging and influential email content, helping readers improve their email marketing campaigns. You'll learn about the psychology of persuasion, building trust through emails, and optimizing your email communication to drive action and conversions.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
9. 300 Email Marketing Tips, Meera Kothand
About the Author:
Meera Kothand is an email marketing strategist, blogger, and author with a passion for helping entrepreneurs and marketers succeed in their email marketing efforts.
What You'll Learn:
"300 Email Marketing Tips" is a concise guide with practical tips and strategies to enhance your email marketing. Meera Kothand offers a wealth of advice, from list building to optimizing email content for better results. Readers will find insights into crafting engaging email subject lines, improving deliverability, and mastering the art of storytelling in emails.
Find it on: Amazon
10. Email Marketing Demystified, Matthew Paulson
About the Author:
Matthew Paulson is a serial entrepreneur and author who focuses on demystifying complex topics.
What You'll Learn:
"Email Marketing Demystified" is a beginner-friendly guide that provides a clear and simple introduction to email marketing. It covers the basics, list building, and effective email strategies for business growth. Readers will gain insights into optimizing email campaigns for mobile devices, improving open and click-through rates, and using analytics to refine their email marketing efforts.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
11. The Rebel’s Guide to Email Marketing, DJ Waldow & Jason Falls
About the Authors:
DJ Waldow and Jason Falls are seasoned marketers and co-authors, known for their practical approach to email marketing and digital communication.
What You'll Learn:
"The Rebel’s Guide to Email Marketing" takes a unique and creative approach to email marketing. Readers will discover unconventional strategies and innovative tactics to stand out in crowded inboxes. This book delves into creating engaging content, optimizing emails for mobile, and using humor and personality to connect with subscribers.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
12. Email Marketing Rules, Chad S. White
About the Author:
Chad S. White is a respected email marketing expert and author with a strong background in helping companies improve their email marketing practices.
What You'll Learn:
Chad S. White's "Email Marketing Rules" offers email marketers a comprehensive guide to best practices. Readers will gain insights into crafting emails that are both relevant and engaging, for improving deliverability, and utilizing automation effectively.
Find it on: Amazon
13. Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycle, Winton Churchill
About the Author:
Winton Churchill is an experienced marketing professional with expertise in email marketing for businesses with complex sales processes.
What You'll Learn:
"Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycle" is tailored for businesses with extended sales cycles. The book offers strategies for nurturing leads over time through email campaigns. Readers will learn about segmenting their audience, crafting targeted content, and using email automation to guide prospects through the sales funnel.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
14. Buyology, Martin Lindstrom
About the Author:
Martin Lindstrom is a branding expert and bestselling author known for his in-depth research into consumer behavior and marketing psychology.
What You'll Learn:
While "Buyology" primarily explores neuromarketing and the science of consumer behavior, it also touches on the role of email marketing in influencing consumer decisions. Therefore, the book is extremely valuable for every email marketer, as it provides insights into the subconscious triggers that impact buying decisions. All of this can be invaluable for creating effective email campaigns that resonate with your audience.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
15. 104 Ideas for Your Newsletter, Daniele Sala
About the Author:
Daniele Sala is an experienced marketing professional and author with a focus on creating engaging email newsletters.
What You'll Learn:
"104 Ideas for Your Newsletter" is a creative resource for email marketers seeking inspiration for their newsletter content. The book provides a wealth of ideas and tips for crafting engaging and valuable newsletter content that keeps subscribers eagerly awaiting your emails.
Find it on: Amazon
16. Marketing Automation & Online Marketing, George Pain
About the Author:
George Pain is a digital marketing expert and author with extensive knowledge of marketing automation and online marketing strategies.
What You'll Learn:
"Marketing Automation & Online Marketing" offers insights into integrating marketing automation and email marketing. Readers will understand how to leverage automation to streamline their marketing efforts, nurture leads, and improve overall campaign performance. The book explores the latest tools and tactics for efficient online marketing.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
17. Zero to $1 Million, Tiz Gambacorta
About the Author:
Tiz Gambacorta is a successful entrepreneur and marketing expert with a focus on building profitable online businesses.
What You'll Learn:
Although it isn't dedicated solely to email marketing, "Zero to $1 Million" provides a blueprint for building a successful online business, including the role of email marketing in achieving growth. Readers will learn how to create successful email marketing strategies, build responsive lists, and use email to drive revenue. The book offers practical steps for entrepreneurs aiming to grow their businesses.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
18. Email Marketing for Profit, Jason Morgan
About the Author:
Jason Morgan is a marketing professional and author with a keen interest in email marketing for profit.
What You'll Learn:
"Email Marketing for Profit" is a guide focused on turning email marketing into a revenue-generating channel. Readers will explore strategies for building profitable email lists, creating high-converting email campaigns, and maximizing the impact of email marketing on the bottom line. The book is an essential resource for businesses looking to monetize their email efforts.
Find it on: Amazon
19. How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
About the Author:
Dale Carnegie was a renowned author and self-improvement expert, known for his timeless wisdom on effective communication and relationship-building.
What You'll Learn:
While "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is not a traditional email marketing book, its principles are highly applicable to email communication (and other digital marketing strategies)ץ Readers will gain insights into effective interpersonal skills that can be translated into creating more engaging and persuasive email content. The book offers valuable lessons on building rapport, understanding human psychology, and fostering positive relationships – all skills you can apply when you create and send inbound and outbound email marketing campaigns.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
20. The SaaS Email Marketing Playbook, Etienne Garbugli
About the Author:
Etienne Garbugli is an experienced marketer and author with a focus on email marketing for Software as a Service (SaaS) businesses.
What You'll Learn:
"The SaaS Email Marketing Playbook" is tailored for SaaS companies looking for effective email marketing strategies. Readers will discover strategies for acquiring and retaining customers, reducing churn, and maximizing the revenue potential of their SaaS business. The book focuses on a SaaS-specific understanding of email marketing and includes plenty of practical advice, like tactics, onboarding sequences, and customer retention strategies.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
21. Holistic Email Marketing, Kath Pay
About the Author:
Kath Pay is an email marketing strategist and author, known for her holistic approach to email marketing.
What You'll Learn:
"Holistic Email Marketing" takes a comprehensive approach to email marketing, focusing on the entire customer journey. The book offers practical guidance in creating cohesive email marketing strategies that align with other marketing channels and touchpoints. The book explores the importance of integration, personalization, and data-driven decision-making in email marketing, making it an essential resource for marketers aiming to create a unified customer experience.
Find it on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
How to choose your email marketing books
Arguably, there are fewer email marketing books than online resources. Even so, there are still a lot of books you can choose from, so you might want to build a framework to help you choose the ones that will have maximum impact on your learning. Here are a few tips to help you choose the best email marketing books for you:
Easy to read
Complex jargon and convoluted explanations can be a major turn-off. Opt for books that present information in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. Seek concise writing, well-structured chapters, and real-life email marketing examples that showcase the concepts discussed.
Relevant
Email marketing is a constantly evolving field. Ensure that the book you choose is pertinent to the contemporary email marketing landscape. Pay close attention to publication dates, as strategies that were effective several years ago may no longer be applicable today.
Recency
While the core principles of email marketing have largely remained the same, the email service providers, technology, and consumer behaviors surrounding it constantly evolve. Choose books that cover the latest developments in email marketing software, design trends, and user preferences. Staying up-to-date is essential for success.
Practical
Theory is valuable, but practical application is even more so. Look for books that provide actionable advice and real-world examples. The best email marketing books not only elucidate theory but also guide you in implementing those concepts in your campaigns.
The author
The credibility of the author is paramount. A well-regarded author can be the difference between a valuable read and a waste of your time. Look for books authored by industry experts, successful email marketers, or individuals with a track record of providing insightful content. Authorship matters.
Reviews
You might also want to check out book reviews before making a purchase. See what other readers have to say about it and whether they found it valuable. This can give you an idea of whether the book suits your needs and learning style.
Turn the page on your email marketing strategy
It doesn't matter if you want to build a Father's Day email campaign, a Black Friday and Cyber Monday strategy, or simply gain a better understanding of what drip campaigns are (and how to do them well). Books can be an excellent source of knowledge and inspiration for email marketers. And whether you're a beginner or an experienced marketer, there's always something new to learn about email marketing.
These 22 books cover many topics, from list building and email content creation to advanced strategies for driving conversions and revenue through email. They are written by professional marketers and provide valuable insights, practical tips, and real-life examples that will help you elevate your email marketing game.
So turn the page on your email marketing strategy and start exploring these resources today. With the right knowledge and guidance, you can take your email campaigns to new heights and achieve success in this ever-evolving digital landscape.
Need someone to help you? Hire an expert email marketing consultant vetted by Mayple. We'll match you with the best one for your industry, in a matter of days!
General4 Most Important Features of a Modern Email Marketing ToolEver felt like your current email marketing tool is holding your business back? Frustrated with limitations that seem to stunt your growth? You're not alone. Email marketing tools are not made equal and can either be a catalyst for growth or a stumbling block to success. Let's explore the key features to prioritize when searching for an email marketing tool so you can get in on that 174% conversion rate offered by this highly effective marketing channel.
Meet the expert
Sandra Stepan, a seasoned digital marketing and eCommerce expert, is the founder of SnapAdvantage. Her diverse portfolio includes collaborations with startups and companies with $20 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), solidifying her as a leading resource for brands seeking growth and revenue optimization.
What is an email marketing tool?
An email marketing tool is a specialized software or platform designed to simplify the entire process of managing email campaigns. These tools are invaluable for promoting products and services and providing important information to a specific target audience. They offer a range of features, such as professionally designed email templates, and analytics dashboards.
They enable you to create visually appealing email campaigns, automate your email communications, and segment your audience effectively.
» Looking for some inspiration? Check out these email marketing examples.
Key features of a modern email marketing tool
When you're on the hunt for the perfect email marketing tool, you'll want to keep an eye out for the following essential features that can supercharge your business growth:
1. Segmentation
Segmentation enables you to divide your audience based on various criteria like demographics, behavior, and preferences. It can help you improve your email campaigns, save resources by avoiding unnecessary A/B testing, and tailor your message to the tee. Here's an example of segmentation by Kalviyo:
2. Personalization
In today's world, generic communication just won't cut it. You need personalized content that fosters meaningful connections. Modern email marketing tools offer advanced personalization that goes way beyond merely addressing the recipient by name. For example, Mailchimp allows you to personalize subject lines, like so:
You can customize your emails based on a host of other factors, creating a stronger connection with your audience. Here are a few suggestions:
Dynamic content: Tailor the content of your emails dynamically based on various factors such as customer behavior, preferences, or demographics.Personalized subject lines: Craft subject lines that resonate with individual recipients, leveraging their preferences or previous interactions.Geotargeting: Send location-specific content or promotions to engage audiences based on their geographical location.Interactive content: Incorporate interactive elements such as quizzes or surveys, adjusting subsequent communications based on user responses.Personalized Calls to Action (CTAs): Tailor the CTAs in your emails to align with the specific interests or needs of different segments within your audience.
3. Automation
Automation is when you send triggered emails on demand to maximize efficiency and relevance. Email marketing automation also allows you to deliver timely and highly relevant content to your subscribers, depending on where they are in their customer journey, as you can see from this Klaviyo example:
Here are a few automations you can implement in email marketing for precise targeting and high ROI:
Lead nurturing sequences: This is a progressive series of emails designed to educate and nurture leads, moving them through the sales funnel.Upsell and cross-sell emails: These are automated messages promoting complementary or upgraded products to existing customers based on their purchase history.Thank you emails: Automated messages designed to express gratitude and appreciation to customers for their purchases, loyalty, or engagement with your brand.Abandoned cart emails: These emails are automatically triggered when a customer adds items to their cart but doesn't complete the purchase.Product recommendations: Automated emails suggesting products based on a customer's past purchases or browsing behavior.
Automation is one of the biggest advantages in email marketing so use it often. And after you set up an automation you have to analyze it.
4. Analytics
Analytics provide insight into your email marketing performance so you can better understand your target audience's preferences and behavior. Leveraging this analytics data allows you to make informed decisions that'll enhance your open rates and ultimately drive your business toward its goals. For instance, Brevo offers real-time data on your email campaigns:
Based on the data, you can experiment with various elements like send times, sender names, and subject lines. It's all about understanding your audience and tailoring your emails to their preferences over time.
Pro tip:If you're new to email marketing, focus on understanding your audience first. Start with basic personalization and use a simplified approach, gradually expanding as you gain experience.
» Try these marketing analytics tools to make sense of your data.
Top email marketing tools
Here are a few email marketing tools to consider if you're looking for any of the features listed above:
MailChimp
MailChimp allows for segmentation based on demographics, purchase history, and engagement. It also provides a visual automation builder, detailed analytics, and personalization options like merge tags and conditional logic for tailored emails.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo offers advanced segmentation capabilities based on customer behavior and uses dynamic variables, product recommendations, and personalized subject lines for tailored content. It also includes an SMS tool, pre-built and custom automation workflows and offers in-depth reporting on email performance.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign provides robust options for creating segments based on user interactions and personalization recommendations that come from customer data. It also excels at automation with a visual builder for creating complex workflows and provides comprehensive analytics.
» Want to look at more tools? Check out our list of the best email marketing software for 2024.
Your email marketing toolkit
Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your audience at just the right moment, making it ideal for building customer loyalty and boosting conversions. But you need the right email marketing tools to make the most of it.
In fact, your choice of email marketing tool is just as important as the amazing campaigns you dream up. And once you've made your choice, make sure to partner with an email marketing expert to optimize your chances of success.
Marketing strategySMS vs. Email Marketing—Which Channel Reigns Supreme?SMS messages have an open rate of 98%, while email marketing hovers at an average open rate of 20%. Now, imagine the impact of harnessing both SMS and email marketing. This kind of omnichannel marketing strategy is easier to pull off than you may realize. We'll look at the data-backed benefits of using this strategy and see how it can improve how you engage with and keep your customers.
» Diversify your traffic to generate more leads with our omnichannel marketing guide.
Meet the expert
Yaron Been is a renowned growth coach and eCommerce entrepreneur, having built and scaled multiple 7-figure stores. He also hosts The EcomXFactor Podcast and has managed over $10 million in Facebook ad campaigns for various DTC brands.
What is SMS marketing?
SMS marketing is a straightforward way to connect with your audience through concise text messages. It's a direct and instant channel, delivering your messages right to their mobile phones without the need to navigate through inboxes. The personal touch of a text message ensures your updates, deals, or reminders get noticed promptly.
What is email marketing?
Unlike the speedy text vibe of SMS, emails give you a bit more space to tell your story, showcase products, and drop those clickable gems. This makes it ideal for building a more in-depth connection and delivering a bit more substance with each message.
SMS vs. Email marketing: Pros & cons
While both channels are valuable, SMS and email marketing have distinct characteristics. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each.
SMS marketing
SMS marketing is a much more personal channel and is used to communicate on a much personal level with specific segments of your audience - such as your loyal and potentail customers. You can use it to send delivery updates, shipping notifications, as well as short-form promotional content.
It has much higher engagement - 97% open rates, with 90% of messages read within 3 minutes, and a 45% response rate.
However, it can quickly get annoying if overdone, and it's permission-based so you've got to be mindful of not bombarding folks. It also has a character limit so you gotta keep things short.
ProsHigh open rates Immediate High engagement Compact and concise Mobile-friendly Higher deliverabilityConsCharacter limitPermission-based Costly
Email marketing
Email marketing is cost-effective, delivering rich content, segmentation, automation, and robust tracking. However, it can be challenging to stand out amidst crowded inboxes. This is where crafting attention-grabbing yet balanced content, fine-tuning segmentation, and deciphering analytics come in. They're all crucial components of a successful email marketing strategy.
ProsCost-effective Rich content Segmentation Automation Tracking and analytics ConsLower open rates Must be optimized for mobile Delayed communication
What to consider when combining SMS and email marketing strategies
Email and SMS marketing play nicely together. Since many email marketing platforms offer both solutions within the same framework, it's pretty easy to implement. The key is to ensure they bounce off each other well, combining to form a more robust strategy.
To do this, you can:
Treat SMS and email as equals: It's best to treat email and SMS marketing as equals in your customer retention strategy. For instance, you can use both email and SMS in your automated email flows to keep customers engaged.Make your SMS messages stand out: With inboxes flooded by emails, SMS messages stand out. People aren't bombarded with SMS spam daily, making it a less crowded space for brands to capture attention.Understand the legal considerations: SMS marketing is sometimes overlooked due to potentially complicated legal considerations. But dismissing SMS marketing can be a big mistake, given its potential for excellent results. Brush up on the requirements like the CAN-SPAM Act to take advantage of SMS marketing.
Comparing email and SMS marketing
The choice between email and SMS marketing depends on the audience and your marketing goals. Email is generally better for speaking to and retaining a larger audience, while SMS is more personal and suited for engaging with the most loyal customers and specific audience segments. Combining both can be a potent strategy, depending on where customers are in their journey.
Timing is vital to your SMS marketing strategy, as customers are less likely to return to the messages you send them. In contrast, email users tend to open messages when they can spare some time, making timing less critical. Understanding these differences will help you optimize your marketing strategies for each channel.
Automation that sounds more authentic
Automated email campaigns are beneficial for engagement but may not address the reasons behind a customer's decision. In contrast, SMS marketing, with its conversational approach, bridges the gap by providing a more human touch.
SMS marketing tools allow for immediate interaction, addressing customer queries, and building closer relationships with customers. This human element is crucial for turning undecided customers into promoters and, ultimately, increasing sales.
Building trust and increasing sales
The end goal is to connect with customers on a personal level, building trust and transforming them into promoters. While email marketing excels in reaching a broader audience and providing automated responses, SMS marketing, especially when conversational, adds the human touch necessary for addressing individual concerns and driving sales.
The key is to find a balance and leverage the strengths of both channels to create a non-intrusive and engaging marketing strategy.
Examples of SMS and email marketing in action
Let's explore real success stories and smart strategies that businesses use to connect with their audience, increase conversions, and create lasting bonds through SMS and email marketing.
Airbnb
Airbnb meticulously tailors its email experience, strategically guiding users through sequences like their behavioral email series. Encouraging users to choose a continent, trip theme, and ideal home, the journey kicks off with an engaging subject line. Subsequent emails, personalized based on user preferences, unfold seamlessly.
For example, if Europe is selected in the initial email, the next email beckons with "Your adventure in Europe awaits."
This personalized progression extends to specific interests, shaping each email to reflect the user's unique preferences, such as a follow-up subject line like: "Ready to embark on a romantic adventure in Europe?" Airbnb's approach ensures a concise, yet highly customized, email journey for each traveler.
Airbnb then uses SMS text messages for notifications such as reservation reminders, helpful tips to improve your trip, as well as promotions and tips. Airbnb also uses SMS for quick and cost-effective communication between hosts and guests. If a host hasn't responded to a booking request, Airbnb sends an automated SMS with guest details, requested dates, and pricing, facilitating a swift text-based response from the host.
Sephora
Sephora works its magic on each platform in its unique style. For instance, they use email for restock reminders and product recommendations.
They then use SMS messages for things like appointment reminders, order tracking updates, and back-in-stock notifications. These messages are tailored to the customer's preferences, which means the client only receives specifically requested information. Sephora's strategy is all about meeting customers on the channel that's most convenient for them, making it easier to engage with their content and take the desired action.
How to leverage email and SMS marketing for the holiday season
The holiday season, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, presents a unique business opportunity. However, with rising advertising costs and fierce competition, it's essential to strategize effectively to keep those conversion rates high. Rather than attempting to outspend larger competitors on advertising, consider doubling down on retention efforts through email and SMS marketing.
Build anticipation: Creating excitement around your Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals can be highly effective. Send out SMS messages and email marketing campaigns to inform your subscribers about upcoming discounts.Offer exclusive discounts: Instead of slashing prices only on these special days, consider offering exclusive discounts to your loyal customers beforehand. This can make your existing customer base feel valued and appreciated.Avoid the discount race: While matching competitors' steep discounts is tempting, it's not always sustainable. Be cautious about selling products at a loss. Some discounts advertised during this season may not be as substantial as they appear, so prioritize honesty with your customers.
Remember, the holiday season is a prime time to engage with your existing customer base and strengthen brand loyalty. By strategically using email and SMS marketing, you can make the most of this busy shopping period without breaking the bank.
Want to create winning campaigns for other holidays? Check out our other guides:
Winning labor day marketing campaignsStunning memorial day emailsMarch Madness marketing ideas
Using SMS and email for cart abandonment recovery
Conquering abandoned shopping carts in online retail is no easy task. SMS and email can help you tackle this challenge head-on by engaging customers across multiple touchpoints, thus increasing the chances of converting potential sales.
SMS
Send a friendly nudge: Shoot a quick SMS reminding customers about the items they left behind in their carts.Exclusive perks: Sweeten the deal by offering special discounts or incentives, making it hard for them to resist checking out.
Email
Detailed follow-up: Craft marketing emails with extra care, showcasing product recommendations and customer reviews, and reiterate why they should buy your product.Reinforce value: Email is an effective way to emphasize your brand's unique value proposition, building a stronger connection and trust with potential buyers.
» Discover the best eCommerce SMS marketing strategies.
Loyalty program engagement
You can also combine email and SMS in your loyalty program communication. SMS delivers real-time updates on loyalty points and exclusive offers, even celebrating milestones. Email, on the other hand, steps in with visually engaging content, showcasing program perks like member events and personalized rewards.
SMS quick hits
Instant updates: Keep loyalty program members in the loop with real-time SMS alerts on points, exclusive offers, and personalized messages celebrating their loyalty milestones.
Email visuals
Showcase benefits: Leverage the visual appeal of email to highlight the broader perks of your loyalty program, such as member-only events, early access, and personalized rewards.
SMS vs. email marketing: Which one is right for your business?
As you weigh the decision between SMS and email marketing, it ultimately boils down to what aligns best with your business's unique needs, goals, and understanding your customers.
The decision-making process should be a reflection of your company's identity and the unique relationships you cultivate with your audience. The personalized approach of both ensures that your marketing efforts not only make sound business sense but also authentically align with the heart and soul of your brand.
Email is better for long-form content, with lots of visuals and automation built in. It's great for automatic sequences, welcoming subscribers, and retargeting your customers. Text messages are best for short content, time-sensitive updates, and conversations. When you combine the two channels you're able to reach more customers with more effective messaging.
For all its benefits, SMS marketing does have some disadvantages. Your message needs to be very short - you do not have much space. You can also overwhelm your audiences with unwanted texts. Make sure you get permission to send your SMS marketing campaigns and that you comply with all the privacy and data protection regulations out there.