What Is Email Segmentation? The Secret to Successful Email Marketing
Here’s today’s question for the copy bitch: What is email segmentation?
Ready for the big reveal? Let’s get to it!
Or, if you’d rather watch a video, here’s the one I did on this topic. Otherwise, scroll past and keep reading.
The Power of Email Segmentation
OK, so what is email segmentation, and why does it matter? Simply put, email segmentation empowers you to send the right message to the right person at the right time.
Why One Size Does Not Fit All in Email Marketing
The people in your email distribution lists have different needs, which is why email marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor.
Think about it. Let’s say you’ve got an email list of 10,000 people. Sending the same message to everyone would be a recipe for disaster. And by disaster, I mean lackluster results. Here’s why: Those 10,000 people are not the same. They have different needs and pain points and are at various stages in the buying cycle. One might be ready to buy, while another is just getting to know your brand. A one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t cut it.
Why Tailored Messaging Works in Email Marketing: A Real-Life Example
One of my clients is a senior living marketing agency. Their audience is senior living communities. The communities are trying to attract people into independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Many of the communities offer all levels of care within the same campus.
So, consider the various audiences that the communities need to reach. We’ve got married couples, widows, active 60-somethings, and those needing assisted living and dementia care. And don’t forget the adult children looking for senior living options on behalf of their parents, like a daughter seeking a memory care facility for her mother.
What would you write about if you lumped all prospects into the same email list? The newly retired couple in their 60s have entirely different needs from the 84-year-old woman seeking assisted living.
By segmenting these groups—and writing custom messages to each—you ensure that your message hits home every time. One general message to the entire group would have much less impact.
The Stats Don’t Lie about Email Segmentation’s Effectiveness
Still skeptical about email segmentation? Let the numbers do the talking. Consider the following . . .
- Segmented email campaigns boast over 100% higher click rates than non-segmented ones. (Source: Moosesend)
- And the kicker? They can spike your revenue by up to a whopping 760%. (Source: WebFX)
Segmentation Made Simple through Marketing Automation
The beauty of modern technology is that it has made email segmentation a breeze. Tools like Constant Contact, Mailchimp, or more advanced marketing platforms like HubSpot enable easy backend segmentation and marketing automation. This ensures that your perfectly crafted message lands in the right inbox at the right time.
Writing for Segmented Lists: The Copywriter’s Role
As a marketer or a copywriter, you must understand the people on your various email lists: who they are, their pain points, and what they want. Going back to the senior living example . . . the way I talk to an adult child who’s urgently in need of memory care for her mom would be different from the way I talk to a couple in their 60s excited about making a move to senior living.
If the message I wrote for the 60-somethings ended up in the inbox of the stressed-out adult daughter, there’d be a major disconnect. Not to mention possibly a lost prospect if she decided to cross off my client’s community from her shortlist.
Got a Question for the Copy Bitch?
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