We're joined by Liz Willits for the second time, to chat about AWeber's 2020 Small Business Email Marketing Statistics report. In this episode, we also touch on the future of email marketing as well as address some of your most burning questions on how to get your emails opened, read and clicked. 

With 94% of small business owners writing their email copy, we focus on giving practical advice to those crafting their own email campaigns. 

So, if you've ever wondered if you should be writing fancier emails, experimenting with clickbait subject lines or doing something different to increase deliverability, we've got the answers. 

Should we write emails like a mass broadcast, for example? Or like a private letter to a friend? Should they feel collective? Or individual? Liz sheds light on all these concerns, giving industry-specific examples to demonstrate her points.

For those of you who have given up on email, this episode might make you change your mind. 

Email-lover Liz bets that this marketing tool will continue to be effective for both marketers and consumers, with a few subtle changes. She’s excited about the development of AMP for email, Google's innovation to put an end to static email pages in favour of dynamic, interactive emails that allow you to make in-email purchases. It also lets you view real-time editing, constantly evolving Twitter feeds and engage with interactive polls. 

So, according to Liz, emails won't stay static or old school, putting them back on every marketer’s map. 

Finally, if you're just plain frustrated with your email performance, Liz provides some straight-talking advice by repeating the importance of having historical relationships and frequent interactions with your subscribers. 

She says nothing else will have a greater impact on your deliverability and conversion rate. No amount of fancy formatting, A/B testing or curiosity-building will match the impact of having good relationships with your subscribers. While there are a few shortcuts Liz shares along the way, having an engaged email list is the number one thing you should work to improve as a result of this podcast. As Tim notes, he would always open an email sent from his wife. 

Want more email insights? Download AWeber's 2020 Small Business Email Marketing Statistics report now. 

Want to hear more from Liz? Watch her previous episode, Lessons Learned from the World's Most Successful Email Marketers. 

 

1:38 – Tell us about AWeber and your work.

2:50 – What's changed over the last year in email marketing? 

4:12 – Can you clear up what a HTML and a plain text email are? 

5:54 – How can people avoid ending up in the Gmail promo tab? 

11:06 – Do "fancy" emails work?

13:57 – Are simple emails better? 

17:15 – What’s the role of a subject line? 

19:30 – What do you think of clickbait-y subject lines? 

23:40 – Where can people find a sentiment widget, and what are they? 

23:59 – Should we write to individuals or audiences? 

26:44 – How can you make emails sound natural AND professional? 

28:45 – What's your perspective on the future of email marketing? 

34:26 – Which email newsletters do you recommend?

For show notes and to get a free review of your website and digital marketing, complete with a tailored plan to increase your leads and sales online, head to https://exposureninja.com/podcast/episode157/