How to Use Targeted Email Marketing
- 1). Decide which customer segments you want to target. Good segments to start with include people who purchase from your business frequently, those who place large orders, new customers, and customers in specific target demographics, such as geographic location or age. You may want to segment your list according to customers' interests in particular products, such as curtains or home-repair kits.
- 2). Following the directions for your particular email service provider, create categories for each of the important segments you want to target.
- 3). Sort your existing email-list subscribers according to the segments to which they belong. Find data on their buying behavior from recent orders. To determine other segment information, such as age, product interests, and other data only your customers can supply, utilize a sign-up form that requests this information from your customers when they sign up to receive emails.
- 4). Create and send email messages specifically targeted to each segment. For instance, create emails that offer new customers an introductory discount if they place a second order within 60 days of their first order.
- 5). Measure and track the effectiveness of your targeted emails. Compare the open rates, click-through rates and sales from targeted emails with those that have a general message to all customers. Periodically re-evaluate your customer list to see whether you should create new segments.
