While new marketing strategies and technologies continue to come to market, email lead generation remains one of the most effective for obtaining new customers. Research from HubSpot states that email marketing ROI is $36 for every $1 spent, which is higher than any other marketing channel.
The effectiveness of email lead generation in digital marketing cannot be overstated; leveraging the tactic helps drive sales and engagement across all stages of the sales funnel. Below, we highlight 10 proven tactics to help you succeed in email marketing lead generation.
What is Email Lead Generation?
Email lead generation is the process of collecting and nurturing potential customers’ contact information through email opt-in forms. It typically involves offering something valuable in exchange for an email address, such as a discount code, early access codes, and more. The goal of email lead generation is to convert website visitors into paying customers.
There are two types of email lead generation: inbound and outbound.
Inbound email lead generation focuses on attracting potential leads by offering valuable content and encouraging them to voluntarily provide their email address. The goal is to pull in interested individuals who are already seeking information, products, or services that a business provides.
Outbound email lead generation involves reaching out to prospective leads directly, typically through cold calling or purchasing email lists. The goal is to initiate contact with people who may not be aware of a business’s services or have shown no prior intent.
4 Benefits of Strategic Email Marketing
There are several significant benefits to using email marketing as a lead generation tool.
- Enhanced lead nurturing: email marketing allows marketers to build and nurture relationships with leads and customers over time with valuable and consistent content like newsletters, educational materials, special offers, and more so customers can be gradually guided through the sales funnel.
- More relevant targeting: email marketing allows for audience segmentation based on specific criteria, such as demographics, behaviors, purchase history, and more. This enables marketers to create relevant, highly targeted content for each lead, increasing engagement and the likelihood of engagement.
- Measurable channel performance: thanks to email marketing software, tracking and measuring performance is simple. Email marketing platforms provide detailed analytics of campaigns in real time, collecting data on open rates, click throughs, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates, so marketers can measure effectiveness and make smart decisions for future campaigns.
- Streamlines sales efforts: emails land directly in a lead’s mailbox which provides a direct line of communication. This enables marketers to quickly engage with leads, sending updates or time-sensitive offers/information, accelerating the sales process.
10 Proven Tactics for Successful Email Lead Generation
For a successful email lead generation strategy, it’s essential to implement the following tactics.
- Optimize Opt-In Forms for Conversion
Optimizing email opt-in forms is paramount for boosting lead generation. To increase conversion rates, keep forms simple by minimizing fields and only asking for essential information. Use strong and engaging calls to action (CTAs) that highlight the value of signing up. Place forms strategically on high traffic pages, like landing pages or blog posts. Implementing a double opt-in process ensures higher quality leads by confirming interest and filtering out less engaged users. And lastly, focus on design, clarity, and form placement to enhance and grow your email list. - Hyper-Personalization of Emails
Email personalization goes beyond just inserting the recipient’s name. Hyper-personalization involves utilizing data to customize content based on users’ specific behaviors, demographics, and interests. Content such as personalized subject lines, images, or videos help create a more relevant and engaging experience. For instance, recommending products based on browsing history or sending location-specific offers may capture attention and drive more engagement. By personalizing emails to individuals, marketers can strengthen their relationships with customers and increase the likelihood of conversions. - Write Catchy and Relevant Subject Lines
Compelling subject lines are key for increasing open rates. To grab users’ attention, create curiosity or a sense of urgency with phrases like “Don’t Miss Out!” or “Last Chance to Use Your Discount!” Personalization also plays a big role; by adding the recipient’s name or referencing their past behavior, marketers can craft more relevant messaging. A/B testing subject lines is a helpful tactic when experimenting with different approaches as it helps identify which resonates best with specific audiences. Often, a well-crafted subject line is the deciding factor for whether an email is opened, so make it a good one! - Use Lead Scoring for Targeted Campaigns
Lead scoring ranks leads based on engagement level. This assists marketers in prioritizing high value prospects. By assigning scores to actions like email opens, link clicks, or website visits, marketers can identify which leads are more likely to convert. This process enables more targeted campaigns, complete with content tailored to each lead’s specific position in the sales funnel. For example, leads with higher scores could receive detailed product information or special offers, while less engaged leads may need educational content. Lead scoring helps ensure emails are timely and relevant to improve engagement and conversion rates. - Craft Clean and Crisp Copy
Effective email copy is direct, concise, and delivers value quickly. Messages should be short and to the point to maintain reader interest. Mobile responsiveness is critical; format copy with clear CTAs that are visible and easy to click, use bullet points to break up text, and add whitespace to improve readability. Clean, well-organized layouts help readers better absorb information easily. By prioritizing simplicity and structure, marketers have a higher chance of enticing readers to act – whether it’s learning more, signing up, or making a purchase. - Leverage Gated Content
Gated content is an impactful way to gain leads by offering valuable resources in exchange for contact information. Lead magnets, such as webinars, ebooks, whitepapers, etc., attract users interested in in-depth insights. By requiring users to fill out a form to access the content, marketers can collect email addresses and other relevant information from prospects. This type of exchange benefits both parties as users gain access to valuable information and marketers acquire leads to nurture. - Use Automation for Lead Nurturing
Email automation is a powerful tool for moving leads through the sales funnel with minimal manual effort. Automated workflows, such as trigger-based emails and drip campaigns, enable businesses to send relevant messages based on user behavior, like form submissions or browsing history. For instance, trigger-based emails respond directly to actions like abandoned carts or downloads. Drip campaigns deliver a series of emails over time to warm up new subscribers. Email automation ensures personalized and timely communication, helping nurture leads at different stages. - Refine User Engagement with A/B Testing
A/B testing is important for optimizing email engagement and boosting conversions because it compares and analyzes different versions of key elements. Testing variations of CTAs, subject lines, and layouts can reveal what resonates most with audiences. For example, testing CTA wording or button color may increase clicks. Experimenting with different subject lines can showcase what prompts higher open rates, and different layout tweaks and designs may impact readability and engagement. Regularly refining these elements through A/B testing provides marketers with data-driven insights which ultimately help them achieve better outcomes. - Incorporate Humor and Creativity
Using humor and creativity in email marketing campaigns can help businesses seem more relatable and engaging. A small touch of humor, whether in the subject line or body copy, can humanize the message and break away from transactional tones. Creative elements such as colorful imagery, witty copy, and GIFs can capture readers’ attention and make it more enjoyable to read. This approach to email marketing encourages people to engage more deeply with a brand, improving click-through and open rates. - Add Social Proof and Trust Signals
Incorporating social proof, such as testimonials, case studies, etc., fosters credibility and trust with audiences. When prospective customers see real feedback from real users, they tend to feel more confident in a brand’s reliability and value. Links to case studies highlight the impact of a business’s products or services while offering reassurance to any leads who may still be considering their options. Trust badges and reviews also enhance credibility. By leveraging social proof, businesses can create a sense of trust that increases engagement and encourages conversions.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Email Lead Generation
While email lead generation can be quite successful, there are some common mistakes to avoid to maintain high engagement and deliverability.
- Avoid over emailing as this can overwhelm and annoy subscribers, leading to increased unsubscribe rates and potential spam complaints.
- Don’t forget about email list hygiene; keeping inactive or invalid addresses lowers deliverability and can hurt sender reputation. Ensure regular clean-up of lists.
- Don’t neglect mobile optimization. A large portion of emails are read on a mobile device, so poor formatting and unreadable designs can frustrate users and decrease engagement.
Choose a Great Software for Email Marketing Automation
Choosing the right email marketing software is vital to achieve effective and efficient campaigns. Begin by assessing business needs: consider the size of the email list, budget, and required features, like automation workflows, A/B testing, segmentation, and analytics. Seek out a platform that offers a user-friendly interface with support and scalability. Integration with other tools, like customer relationship management (CRM) tools and ecommerce platforms, is paramount for streamlining data. Prioritize software with strong deliverability rates and mobile optimization to ensure email campaigns reach and resonate with subscribers.
Partner with a Digital Marketing Strategy Company
Americaneagle.com specializes in a wide range of digital marketing services to help clients achieve meaningful results. Within our digital marketing umbrella, we offer robust email marketing services, including email marketing automation management. Whether you’re looking for automated marketing sequences, well-crafted welcome series emails, re-engagement strategies, and/or more, our experts can help you choose the right software to streamline, automate, and measure workflows.
Contact us by emailing [email protected] or filling out our form to get started.
