What Makes A Great Email Marketer?

Higher open rates, better click through rates, and more sales overall – that’s what great email marketing can do for any business. However, a great email marketer has the ability to impact the entire business from the quality of the follow up and emails he’s able to send.

We’re going to walk through and explain exactly what makes an email marketer great, and why you’ll either want to become one – or want to hire one to work for you in your business. After being email marketers for over 20 years of combined experience, we know exactly what it takes and are ready to share these things with you.

What Makes A Great Email Marketer?

A great email marketer possesses a combination of skills, strategies, and dedication that enables them to create effective email campaigns that do more then just engage their audience.

A great email marketer is able to pull every single possible dollar of revenue from any leads list in any niche or industry, period. Here are some more concrete key factors that contribute to becoming a great email marketer:

1. Understanding of the Audience: A great email marketer knows their target audience inside and out. They understand their preferences, behaviors, and pain points, allowing them to create tailored content that resonates with recipients.
2. Segmentation: Effective email marketers segment their email lists based on various criteria such as demographics, purchase history, engagement level, etc. This enables them to send highly relevant content to different groups, increasing the chances of conversion.
3. Compelling Content Creation: Crafting engaging and valuable content is crucial. This includes well-written copy, visually appealing designs, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide recipients towards the desired action.
4. Personalization: Personalized emails that address recipients by their names and provide content based on their preferences tend to perform better. A great email marketer uses data to personalize subject lines, content, and recommendations.
5. A/B Testing: Experimentation is key to improvement. Great email marketers conduct A/B tests on various elements like subject lines, email content, CTAs, and send times to determine what resonates best with their audience.
6. Mobile Optimization: A significant portion of email opens occur on mobile devices. Effective email marketers ensure that their emails are mobile-responsive and look great across different screen sizes.
7. Data Analysis and Insights: Being able to interpret email performance metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and more is vital. This data helps them refine their strategies and make informed decisions.
8. Building Trust: Establishing trust with subscribers is essential for long-term success. Email marketers who consistently provide value, respect privacy, and maintain transparency are more likely to retain their audience’s trust.

An amazing email marketer is carefully and precisely able to combine all of these strategies in order to create a highly optimized and efficient emails campaigns that always work well.

What Do The Best Email Marketers Know That Most Don’t?

The best email marketers possess insights and strategies that set them apart from the average practitioners. Here are some things that they know that many others might not:

1. The Power of Data: The best email marketers understand that data is their greatest asset. They know how to collect, analyze, and interpret data to refine their strategies continuously. They don’t just send emails blindly; they base their decisions on data-driven insights.
2. Segmentation is Non-Negotiable: These marketers know that one-size-fits-all emails rarely work. They segment their email lists meticulously based on various factors like demographics, behaviors, purchase history, and engagement levels. This level of personalization significantly enhances engagement and conversion rates.
3. Subject Lines Are Make-or-Break: The best email marketers recognize that a compelling subject line is what defines a huge part of any emails success. They experiment with different subject lines and analyze open rates in order to identify clear trend in what is, and isn’t working. They understand that a subject line’s wording, length, and relevance can dramatically impact open rates.
4. Content is King, Relevance is Queen: While they understand the importance of creating engaging content, they also know that content must be relevant. They tailor their content to address their audience’s pain points, desires, and interests, making the email not just promotional but valuable.
5. Testing is a Habit: A/B testing isn’t a one-time thing for these marketers; it’s a continuous process. They test various elements such as subject lines, content, visuals, CTAs, and even send times to optimize their campaigns continually.
6. Mobile-First Isn’t an Option: The majority of email opens occur on mobile devices, and the best email marketers are fully aware of this fact. They ensure that their emails are not just mobile-responsive but designed with mobile users in mind from the outset.
7. Timing is Everything: They understand the importance of sending emails at the right time. Through testing and analysis, they identify the optimal times for sending emails that maximize open and engagement rates.
8. CTAs Drive Action: Crafting effective calls-to-action (CTAs) is a skill these marketers have honed. They know how to create clear, compelling CTAs in your email body copy that guide recipients toward the desired action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up, or downloading content.
9. Consistency Builds Trust: The best email marketers don’t send sporadic emails. They maintain a consistent sending schedule that their subscribers can rely on. This consistency builds trust and anticipation among their audience.
10. Unsubscribe Rate Isn’t Always Bad: While high unsubscribe rates can be concerning, these marketers know that it’s better to have a smaller, engaged, and interested subscriber list than a large, disinterested one. If someone unsubscribes, it means they likely wouldn’t have engaged with your content anyway.
11. Quality Over Quantity: They prioritize sending valuable content over bombarding subscribers with numerous emails. They understand that a well-crafted, thoughtful email will yield better results than multiple mediocre ones.
12. Email Marketing is Part of a Larger Strategy: These marketers understand that email marketing is just one component of a comprehensive marketing strategy. They integrate their email efforts with other channels to create a cohesive and effective customer journey.
13. Continuous Learning is Key: The email marketing landscape evolves, and the best email marketers are committed to staying updated. They invest time in learning about new trends, technologies, and strategies to keep their campaigns fresh and effective.
14. Relationships > Transactions: Finally, the best email marketers prioritize building relationships with their subscribers. They focus on creating a sense of community and loyalty rather than just pushing for immediate transactions. Sales are great, but you’ll get more when you’re focused on long term genuine relationships with your audience.

In summary, the best email marketers have a deep understanding of their audience, a commitment to data-driven decision-making, and a continuous improvement mindset. They prioritize relevance, personalization, and engagement, ultimately leading to more successful and impactful email campaigns.

Common Traits of Great Email Marketing

Email marketers that really, “know their stuff” as well have some ideal traits that you’ll want to duplicate and customize for your own business model. Here’s what you’ll want to be on the lookout for to identify quality email marketing that actually converts.

1. Consistency: Consistency in email frequency helps build anticipation and trust among subscribers. Successful email marketers maintain a consistent schedule while ensuring that the content remains relevant and valuable.
2. Value-Driven Approach: Successful email marketing campaigns prioritize delivering value to subscribers. Content should provide insights, solutions, entertainment, or exclusive offers that resonate with recipients’ needs and preferences.
3. Automation and Trigger Campaigns: Utilizing automation for welcome emails, transactional messages, and triggered campaigns based on user behavior enhances the user experience and drives conversions at critical moments.
4. Permission-Based Approach: Respecting subscribers’ preferences and obtaining explicit consent for email communication fosters trust and ensures compliance with email marketing regulations.
5. Unsubscribe Options: While counterintuitive, offering easy and clear unsubscribe options actually benefits campaigns by ensuring a more engaged and interested subscriber base.
6. Feedback and Engagement: Encouraging recipients to provide feedback, reply to emails, or participate in surveys fosters engagement and helps refine future email campaigns.

These traits all collectively contribute to higher engagement, conversions, and long-term customer relationships. By using at least a few of them in your own email marketing, or with an email marketer on your team, there will be a much higher chance of campaign success in all emails.

Final Thoughts On Great Email Marketers & Better Email Marketing

While it’s been shown by multiple studies that email marketing is the highest ROI marketing channel to date, it’s important to focus on this marketing channel with absolute strategy and expertise in mind.

Someone who is a true expert in email marketing & how to discuss the topic for hours at a time, is someone who you should consider having manage your email campaigns. And if you’re going to do it yourself, make sure to research and learn as much as you can about the topic as possible.

With our kindest regards,

Jon Weberg

Richard Weberg