Email marketing is one of the best ways for brands to connect with their target audience and increase engagement.  Focused email campaigns are particularly useful for driving brand awareness, boosting sales, and nurturing customer relationships. 

In this article, we'll cover what to DO—and what NOT to do—when it comes to delivering a successful campaign. 

DO set clear objectives: Before launching your campaign, ask yourself what it is you'd like to achieve. Common objectives include; increasing sales, generating leads, building brand awareness, or nurturing customer relationships. These goals will help shape your entire campaign strategy and its success, so it's important to ensure they're well defined.

DON’T purchase email lists or use scraped email addresses: Successful email campaigns rely upon high-quality email lists. Focus on organically growing your list by encouraging website visitors, social media followers, and customers to subscribe. Use opt-in forms, landing pages, and incentives like discounts or free resources to entice sign-ups. Make sure to egment your email list as this will allow you to send more relevant content which will increase the chances of conversion. 

DO create compelling content: Your emails should provide value to your subscribers with content that is relevant, informative, and visually appealing. Strive for interesting subject lines that will entice recipients to open your emails 47% of email recipients will open your email based solely on the subject line! According to HubSpot research, the most effective email subject lines engage curiosity, include promotional offers, and are personalised to each recipient's interests. 

DON’T forget a CTA: Adding call-to-action buttons in emails instead of simple text links can lead to a 28% increase in click-throughs. Every email you send should include a clear and persuasive call to action (CTA) that jumps from the page. Whether it's encouraging readers to make a purchase, visit your website, sign up for an event, download a whitepaper, or contact your team for more information, your CTA should stand out and use  action-oriented language. 

DO make your emails consistent: Establish a consistent sending schedule without inundating subscribers with communications from your brand. Develop a  consistent tone of voice, that’s true to your brand identity, and include content that aligns with your overall market strategy. Your mails should also be sent at the right times of day—not too late or not too early for your target market.

Tip: Globally, Fridays see the highest email open rates (nearly 19%), compared to the lowest open rates (17%) on Saturdays. 

DON’T forget about mobile users: According to Litmus, mobile devices account for 41.9% of all opened emails. Your email templates should be responsive and display perfectly on various screen sizes. Use a single-column layout, larger fonts, and appropriate spacing to optimise the mobile experience.

DO automate whenever possible: Automated emails generate 320% more revenue than non-automated emails and allow brands to deliver personalised and timely messages based on user behaviour or predefined triggers. This streamlines communication, saves time, and improves engagement by delivering relevant content at the exact right moment. 

DON’T stop analysing and optimising: After each email campaign, analyse your KPIs such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI. Use this data to improve your future campaigns. Continuous optimisation is vital to ensuring your messages reach the right audience, deliver valuable content, and achieve your marketing goals effectively.

By following the DOs and DON'Ts outlined in this article, you can create and execute successful email marketing campaigns that contribute real value to your brand.