Building a Targeted Email List

Building a targeted email list involves gathering contacts who have demonstrated an interest in your product or service, ensuring relevance.

Some well-known methods​. for gathering email list includes gated content (offering valuable resources in exchange for email sign-ups), marketing channel promotions (again, utilizing gated content), website popups (to subscribe to newsletter or access content) and events.

For example, a SaaS company specializing in project management software might focus on collecting email addresses from visitors to their website who download a white paper on "Improving Project Efficiency with Technology."

Advantages of this approach includes:

• Quality Assurance: Building your list organically focuses on quality, ensuring subscribers are genuinely interested in your brand, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates​.
• Targeted Engagement: Organic growth allows for content customization based on subscriber preferences, fostering deeper connections​.
• Compliance and Trust: Subscribers from organic methods are more likely to engage positively with your emails, aligning with regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM and building trust.

However, building a targeted email list may be time-consuming and have limited scalability when aiming to meet ambitious growth targets.

Which is why ...

Buying Email Lists

Purchasing an email list provides immediate access to a large number of contacts. Compare the range of features, pricing, and data quality from the data providers to find the right paid email lists. Platforms include BookYourData, Lusha, and Cognism.

Advantages of this approach is that it allows broader market reach when faster GTM (go-to-market) strategy is required. Also, some purchased lists are segmented by criteria like industry or location, allowing for targeted marketing campaigns.

Crafting the Subject Line

The subject line is your first and perhaps only chance to make an impression on the recipient.

To craft a compelling subject line, consider integrating elements of curiosity, urgency, and relevance, which have been shown to significantly enhance the likelihood of the email being opened.

• Curiosity: Pique the recipient's interest without giving away too much. For example, "Are You Making These SEO Mistakes?" This approach makes the recipient curious about the content of the email and whether it pertains to mistakes they might be making.
• Urgency: Creating a sense of urgency can prompt immediate action. A subject line like "24-Hour Flash Sale: Grab Your Discount Now!" encourages the recipient to open the email promptly to not miss out on the offer.
• Relevance: Tailor the subject line to the recipient’s interests, needs, or recent activities. If you’re emailing someone who recently attended a digital marketing conference, a subject line such as "Elevate Your Digital Marketing Skills: Exclusive Insights from [Conference Name]" directly connects to their recent experience.

The Introduction, Body, and Call-to-Action (CTA)

Each section of the email has a specific purpose and contributes to the overall goal of the prospecting effort.

Introduction

Start with a brief introduction that establishes who you are and why you're reaching out.

Personalization plays a significant role here; referencing a recent event the recipient participated in or mentioning a mutual connection can build rapport.

"I noticed you attended the XYZ Webinar last week, and I thought our conversation on project management tools could be of interest to you."

Body

This is where you provide value and make your pitch.

Focus on how your product or service solves a specific problem or improves the recipient's situation. Use data to bolster your argument.

For a project management tool, you could include stats like "Teams using our software report a 30% reduction in project completion times." Including testimonials can also add credibility and illustrate the benefits.

Call-to-Action (CTA)

The CTA should be clear and easy to act upon. Be specific about what you want the recipient to do next.

"Click here to schedule a 15-minute demo of our project management tool,"

"Download our guide to improving project efficiency"

This directly tells the recipient the action you want them to take. The CTA should stand out visually, through the use of buttons or hyperlinks.

Effective CTAs often create a sense of urgency or offer something of immediate value to the recipient. For instance, "Sign up for our webinar within the next 48 hours to secure your spot" leverages urgency, while "Download our free project management checklist" offers immediate value.

How to Convert using Email

Industry Benchmarks for Conversion Rates

Here are some references to use when setting your conversion rate target

• Open rate: Senders with good list health and an engaged audience will achieve 30-40% open rates on bulk emails
• Click-to-open rate: Calculated based on emails opened (vs. delivered), a good benchmark to aim for is 15%
• Bounce rate: Measures the number of emails left undelivered compared to the number of emails sent, which should ideally remain below 0.5%

Factors Influencing Conversion Rates

Several factors influence conversion rates, from the quality of your email list to the content's relevance and the clarity of your call-to-action (CTA).

1. Quality of Email List: Segmenting your email list to target the right audience is crucial. For instance, a follow-up email for webinar no-shows using segmentation ensured that messages were only sent to relevant recipients, highlighting the importance of targeting in improving conversion rates​.
2. Relevance and Personalization: Companies like Netflix and Starbucks have excelled by sending highly personalized content​​. that resonates with their audience's interests and behavior, showcasing the impact of personalization on engagement and conversion.
3. Clarity and Creativity in CTAs: Creative CTAs can significantly enhance conversion rates. Casper​., for example, used a unique and engaging CTA ("Let’s Get Sleepy") in their welcome email to entice new subscribers into exploring their products further​.
4. Timing and Frequency: The timing and frequency of emails also play a critical role. For instance, Brooklinen and Chubbies strategically timed their emails around Black Friday to maximize engagement and conversions​.

To analyze and improve your conversion rates, consider employing A/B testing to compare different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, content personalization levels, and CTA designs.

Additionally, tracking engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates will help identify what works best for your audience.