As a business owner, you know how important it is to have a strong online presence in order to reach your customers. But with so many other companies competing for attention, how can you make yourself stand out? The answer, my friend, is in your email list.

Over the years, email marketing has proven to be one of the most effective ways to reach customers and increase sales. This is particularly true in industries like outdoor recreation or real estate, where your marketing begins online and ends with the sale of a physical product.

Let’s explore why your email list is your best asset as a business owner and how you can use it to drive growth.

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First thing first — The background on why your email list is so important

Building an email list is important for business owners because it allows them to:

• Reach their target audience directly. Email is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience because it’s a personal and direct form of communication. When you send an email, you’re guaranteed that your message will be seen by the recipient. This is not always the case with other marketing channels, such as social media, where your content may be buried in a feed or algorithm.
• Build relationships with potential and current customers. Email is a great way to build relationships with potential and current customers. By sending regular emails, you can keep your audience informed about your business, products, and services. You can also use email to ask for feedback, answer questions, and provide support.
• Drive sales and revenue. Email is a powerful tool for driving sales and revenue. You can use email to promote your products and services, offer discounts and promotions, and encourage customers to make a purchase. In fact, email marketing has been shown to generate an average ROI of $44 for every $1 spent.
• Grow your business. By building an email list, you can grow your business by attracting new customers and keeping existing customers engaged. A large and engaged email list is a valuable asset for any business.

Here are some tips for building an email list:

• Offer something in exchange for email addresses. This could be a free ebook, a discount, or early access to new products or services.
• Make it easy to sign up for your email list. The sign-up form should be clear and concise, and it should be prominently displayed on your website.
• Send regular emails. Don’t bombard your subscribers with too many emails, but don’t let them go too long without hearing from you. A good rule of thumb is to send one or two emails per week.
• Personalize your emails. Address your subscribers by name, and use language that is relevant to their interests.
• Track your results. Use an email marketing platform to track how many people are opening your emails, clicking on your links, and making purchases. This information will help you to improve your email marketing campaigns.

How email marketing is effective

One of the biggest advantages of email marketing is its effectiveness. According to several studies, email marketing has a higher ROI than any other marketing channel, including social media. As a baseline, a study from eMarketer found an average ROI or 122% on dollars spent on email marketing. On the high end — again, we’re speaking to the outdoors and real estate industries here — every $1 spent on email marketing returns $42 back.

This is because email allows you to reach customers directly in their inbox, where they’re more likely to engage with your message. By offering targeted content and promotions, you can build a strong relationship with your subscribers and turn them into loyal customers.

The most effective way to do this is by sending out your campaigns at the right time of day, and the right days of the week. You can use an email service provider (ESP) to track your customers’ engagement metrics and tailor your campaigns accordingly.

For example, if you have a product on sale for a holiday weekend, the best time to send out an email is the day before — and then again the morning of — the sale. This gives your customers time to plan their purchase and increases your chances of making a sale.

The best time of day to send marketing emails depends on your audience and your goals. However, some general guidelines include:

• Send emails during the workday. Most people are checking their email during the workday, so this is a good time to reach them.
• Avoid sending emails on weekends. People are less likely to check their email on weekends, so you’re less likely to get a response.
• Test different times to see what works best for your audience. The best time of day to send emails will vary depending on your audience. Try sending emails at different times of day and track your results to see which time yields the highest open rates and click-through rates.

Here are some specific times of day that have been shown to be effective for marketing emails:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: These are the days of the week when people are most likely to open their email.
• 10 am: This is a popular time for people to check their email.
• 2 pm: This is another popular time for people to check their email.

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Email Gives You Control Over Your Message

Another benefit of using email marketing is that it gives you full control over the customer experience. With social media, you have limited control over how your message is seen and perceived. But with email, you can craft personalized messages and deliver them directly to your customers’ inboxes.

This allows you to create a strong connection between your business and the customer in very little time, which can mean better conversions and more sales down the road.

Email also helps you increase brand awareness by providing customers with content they can read, share and engage with. Over time, this will help your business gain more visibility online — something that’s essential for long-term success.

You Own Your Email List

Another advantage of having an email list is that you own it. Unlike social media where algorithms can limit your reach, email is a direct line to your customers. By building a strong email list, you have a valuable resource that can’t be taken away from you.

This is particularly important in the outdoor industry where social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook can restrict content related to hunting, fishing, and certain other outdoor activities.

Unless a subscriber makes the effort to unsubscribe, no one can take that contact away from you. You have their direct attention while they’re in their inbox, as opposed to social media where your post is one in an endless feed of information (most of which is useless).

Personalization is Key

With email marketing, you have the ability to personalize your message to each subscriber. This goes deeper than simply including their first name in the greeting — by using customer data such as purchase history and location, you can create targeted campaigns that speak directly to your audience.

This not only improves the customer experience but also increases the likelihood of conversions. By sending personalized emails, you’re showing your customers that you value their business and are willing to go the extra mile to keep them engaged.

Build Trust and Credibility

A well-crafted email campaign can help you build trust and credibility with your customers. By providing valuable content such as tips and advice, you’re establishing yourself as an industry expert. Additionally, sending regular emails builds familiarity with your subscribers, making it more likely that they’ll choose your brand when it comes time to make a purchase. This is particularly important in the outdoor industry where customers are looking for products and brands they can trust.

Finally, having a strong email list can increase your visibility online. By incorporating social sharing buttons and encouraging subscribers to share your content with their network, you can reach a wider audience. This not only helps you grow your email list but also increases brand awareness and drives traffic to your website.

At MySalesButler, we know a thing or two about optimizing email marketing campaigns

As a business owner in the outdoor industry, your email list is your best asset. It allows you to reach customers directly, build trust and credibility, and increase sales. By incorporating email marketing into your overall marketing plan, you can create targeted campaigns that speak directly to your audience.

Our email marketing packages allow you to “set and forget” your email campaigns — we’ll take care of content creation and strategy, while you focus on delivering the best possible product.

Ready to make it happen?

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