Why Your Email Marketing Leads Are Failing to Convert into Sales

Introduction:

Struggling to turn your email marketing leads into actual sales? You're not alone! For decades, this simple yet powerful tool has helped businesses nurture leads and maximise sales. According to a study by McKinsey, email marketing is more effective than social media, being 40 times more efficient in acquiring customers than Facebook and Twitter combined. In fact, when done correctly, every £1 spent on email marketing can generate over £43 in return! So, why do 68% of B2Bs struggle with successful email marketing campaigns? What steps can you take to enhance your email marketing plan if you find yourself in that circumstance? In this article, we'll share a list of email marketing strategies and tips to ensure you're not part of the 68% with your next email campaign.

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Compelling Subject Lines:

The first hurdle in gaining any lead is getting them to open your email. A lackluster subject line sets your email campaign up for failure. Don't believe it? Studies show that poor subject lines lead to 69% of recipients reporting emails as spam. It's clear that one line can make or break your chances with a potential customer. That's why we recommend keeping subject lines short, concise, and under 60 characters to grab attention.

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Track and Monitor Your Performance:

Email marketing isn't just about sending a large quantity of emails and hoping for the best. As a business, you must monitor and understand data analytics. Tracking your data is the backbone of your email marketing campaign as it reveals how consumers interact with your email ads. By analysing this data, you can identify areas that need improvement. Key areas of data to monitor include:

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Open rates: 

The percentage of recipients who open your email. Comparing open rates from the start to the end of the month can provide insights into consumer behaviour.

Click-through rates (CTR): 

The number of clicks your email ad receives divided by the number of times it's shown. Aim for a CTR between 2-5% or higher than your channel average.

Clicks: 

Total number of times recipients click on links within your email.

Conversion rate: The percentage of recipients who click on a link within the email and complete the desired transaction. To calculate the percentage, use the formula: (number of people who completed the transaction ÷ total number of emails delivered) x 100. If your goal is lead generation, this metric is key.

Sending It At The Right Time:

Time is money, especially when it comes to email marketing. According to research, 23% of emails are opened within the first hour of receipt, and the likelihood that your email will be opened drastically declines over time. Therefore, timing is crucial! However, there isn't a fix that works for everyone. Analyse your audience's behaviour and identify the times when they're most likely to be engaged. This will greatly increase your click-through rates.

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So, now that you know what needs improvement, how do you do it? Here are some tips we recommend:

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Segment Your Prospect List:

Your email marketing campaign can only be effective if you understand the contacts on your list. To achieve that, segment your list to target the right leads accurately. HubSpot discovered that through segmentation, email marketers saw a whopping 760% increase in revenue! Clearly, segmenting your prospect list has a tremendous impact on sales.

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Having Clear Call-To-Action:

Emotions are a powerful driver in successful email campaigns. By eliciting a clear emotional response, your content has a higher chance of converting leads into sales. Creating a call-to-action (CTA) that is obvious is the best method to accomplish this. CTAs prompt immediate responses or encourage immediate sales. They communicate directly with customers about the next action to take, removing friction from the sales funnel. A simple trick is to include a CTA email button that grabs the recipient's attention and encourages them to act. Campaign monitor found that button-based CTAs improved click-through rates by 127%.

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Automation:

Remember the importance of timing in email marketing? This is where automation becomes your ally. Automation is a crucial component of email marketing as it allows you to schedule emails to reach the right people at the right time. You can easily personalise your email campaign for your target audience. In fact, Mailchimp discovered that 90% of customers find personalised emails more appealing. Automation can even be used to remind customers about abandoned carts, increasing the chances of converting leads into sales.

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Ensure Emails are Mobile-Friendly:

Nearly 1.7 billion people prefer checking their emails on their phones. Imagine opening an email and finding that the content doesn't display well on a mobile screen. Studies reveal that 80% of people will delete an email if it doesn't render properly on their mobile devices. That's a staggering 1.36 billion potential customers dismissing email ads! Therefore, optimising your email marketing campaigns for mobile devices is essential. Test text size, fonts, call-to-action buttons, and overall design to ensure a seamless mobile experience. Consider adding dark mode as well, as it can enhance the user experience by 27% and lead to higher conversion rates.

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Conclusion:

Converting email marketing leads into sales requires strategic implementation. By focusing on compelling subject lines, tracking performance, sending at the right time, segmenting your prospect list, utilising clear call-to-action, automating where possible, and ensuring mobile-friendliness, you can increase the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. Don't be part of the 68% who struggle. Implement these strategies and tips, and watch your email marketing success soar!

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