Top Reasons to Use Email Marketing

 

Unlike other marketing channels, email marketing allows you to keep in touch with your customers on a consistent basis. Check out these reasons to incorporate email marketing into your marketing plans:

• 91 percent of US adults like to receive promotional emails from companies they do business with. (Source: MarketingSherpa)
• Email is almost 40 times more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined, in helping your business acquire new customers. (Source: McKinsey)
• According to 80 percent of professionals, email marketing drives customer acquisition and retention. (Source: eMarketer)
• Build credibility with your customers.  People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Email gives you the ability to build credibility with your audience by sharing helpful and informative content.
• Get more people to call you to do business. When done right, email marketing lets businesses reach the right person, with the right offer, at the right time
• Build your brand. With email marketing, you can strengthen brand recognition             with new and potential clients, and extend your reach when people forward or share your message.
• Increase traffic to your website. Emails are a great way to get customers to               visit your site. You can include relevant links to your site within your email content    like linking to a blog post.
• Optimize your time and budget. Costs associated with email marketing are                very low and you can put emails on autopilot, yet stay personalized towards your        subscribers.
•  Email drive purchases. According to a report from the Direct Marketing                           Association, 66 percent of consumers have made a purchase due to an email                 marketing message.

 

Source: Constant Contact

Email Marketing Subject Line Secrets

Marketing expert Jay Schwedelson unveiled the following email marketing subject line tips at the recent Social Media Marketing World 2025 conference. They're all super simple to implement and might just have a big impact on your next campaign's open rate. Give them a try:

1. 
   Subject Lines Matter More Than Anything
• Most people only scan the first few characters
• Start with a number (e.g. “3 ways to…”)
• Capitalize the first word (e.g. NEW updates just in)
• Use brackets (e.g. “[Free Guide] How to…”)
• Use emojis strategically—especially at the start or as bookends in the pre-header
2. Embrace Emojis (Especially for Newsletters)
• Newsletters that start with a consistent emoji see significantly better performance
• Choose one and make it part of your branding
3. Test “Ugly” Short Subject Lines
• One-word, two-word subject lines work wonders: “Boo.” “Yikes.” “Urgent.”
• Even Salesforce once sent an email with no subject line… and it crushed
4. Unsubscribes Are Healthy
• They clean your list and usually come from people who haven’t engaged in 6+ months
• Don't be afraid of them—it means you’re standing out!
5. AI Idea: Use ChatGPT to Critique Your Email
• Upload a screenshot of your email inbox (promotions) and ask ChatGPT for brutal feedback—it’s like a free consultant
• You can also screenshot your inbox and ask ChatGPT to rate which subject lines would perform best and why!

What subject line strategies have worked for you? Comment below. 

Marketing Positioning: What Is It and Why Does Your Business Need It?

Marketing positioning is the process of defining how your business, products, or services are perceived in the minds of your target audience. It answers a key question: Why should customers choose you over your competitors?

Positioning involves identifying what makes your business unique and clearly communicating that to your potential customers. This can include your pricing, product quality, customer service, or the specific problems you solve. Strong positioning not only shapes customer perception but also guides your marketing strategy, messaging, and branding.

So, why does your business need strong positioning?

1. Clarity: It helps you communicate your value clearly, ensuring potential clients understand how you can help them.
2. Efficiency: With a well-defined position, your marketing efforts become more targeted, saving time and resources.
3. Trust: Consistently delivering on your unique promise builds credibility and customer loyalty.
4. Competitive Edge: Positioning allows you to stand out, even in saturated industries.

To establish effective positioning, start by identifying your ideal clients, analyzing competitors, and defining what makes your business unique in ways that matter to your target audience.

A clear and compelling position can elevate your small business, attracting the right clients and driving long-term success.

How to Make Your Giving Tuesday Campaign a Success

Giving Tuesday is a worldwide day of giving that takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. This year it falls on December 3, 2024, and it generally kicks off the year-end giving season.

Here are some tips to make your organization’s Giving Tuesday campaign a success:

        State Your Goals

Audiences are motivated when you ask them to help you achieve your goal. Set your Giving Tuesday goal and let everyone know what you hope to achieve.

        Hone Your Donation Page

Did you know that 25% of donations are made from a mobile device? Make sure your donation page is an easy experience for donors on all devices.

Use the #GivingTuesday Hashtag

     To draw attention to your campaign, use this hashtag in your social media posts. People will be using it in their searches and it could draw in more attention, donors and awareness about your nonprofit.

      Share Your Good Works

      Show behind the scenes photos and share the success stories that illustrate the good work that your organization does. This will surely inspire people to give. 

      Ask for Recurring Donations

      Giving Tuesday is the perfect opportunity to ask donors to give regularly. Be sure your donation page makes recurring donations a clear option. Make it easy for donors to convert their one-time gift into a recurring monthly donation.

Need help developing your Giving Tuesday campaign? Contact Jocelyn Murray today at 203.543.1455.

 

 

Nonprofit Year-End Fundraising Tips to Engage Your Donors

Planning your nonprofit’s year-end fundraising appeal to your donors?  As possibly your most important fundraising initiative of the year, it’s an opportunity to connect with your donors and show them how critical their support has been to your mission. Here are some tips to engage your donors to raise more funds for your organization:

Tip #1

Focus on the Donor

Create a campaign that involves the donor by reminding them why their donations are valued and what their support has and will help you accomplish.  Be sure to tell them how important they are to your success. Generous use of the word “you” instead of “we” makes the appeal more donor-centered and focuses on their impact.

Tip #2

Suggested Donation Amounts

Include suggested donation amounts in your appeal and how each amount will impact your organization or help you achieve your mission. Suggested donation amounts are shown to result in increased contribution sizes and improve conversion rates.

 

Tip #3

Have a Clear Call to Action

If donors are unsure how to make a donation, your campaign will surely fall short. A clear call to action is essential and giving your donors multiple ways to make their gifts is crucial. Communicate an easily conveyed URL and add a scannable QR code on your appeal letter to facilitate online donations. Also include a remittance envelope in your mailing to allow donors to mail checks.

Tip #4

Show Your Appreciation

Make your donors feel like they’ve played an intricate part in helping you carry out your mission. Give examples of what you’ve been able to accomplish thanks to their support. Thanking and appreciating your donors is the key to their long-term support and ongoing contributions.

Tip #5

Send Your Appeal Via Multiple Channels

Spread the word about your appeal campaign through multiple channels to widely broadcast your fundraising message. Direct mail is one of the most effective channels and has shown a higher response rate than email or social media for nonprofit organizations. But email is a great low-cost method to extend your outreach that shouldn't be overlooked. Social media will allow you to reinforce your message and donation links to all your supporters who follow you. And be sure to update your website with information about your campaign as supporters will surely be looking there as a result of your initial outreach.

 

Need help with your year-end appeal strategy, copywriting and execution? Contact Jocelyn Murray at Marketing & Event Resources today to get started on a winning campaign.

 

Marketing Trends for 2024 and Beyond

Below are some trends and predictions for the coming year and beyond from industry experts along with some commentary and information:

By 2025, a perceived decay in the quality of social media sites will push 50% of consumers to significantly limit their use of major platforms.  (Source: Gartner Group)

Due to the spread of misinformation, bots, the impact of AI and toxic users, Gartner Group predicts that people will significantly limit their social media interactions by 2025. This information gives testament to the need for businesses to invest in other channels such as a website and email lists while using social media strategically but not solely. I’ve seen many businesses rely just on their Facebook or LinkedIn pages, not wanting to invest in a website, build an email database or blog. 

 

The entire world’s social media has converged on short-form video. If you still haven’t mastered the art of producing content in short-form videos, it’s hard to see how you’ll be successful in social media in 2024!  (Source: Larry Kim, Customers.ai)

Short form videos are typically said to range from 15 to 60 seconds and they’re designed to attract people’s attention and to promote a brand. Some business benefits of short-form video marketing are that they attract more likes, shares and comments on social media, they can be easily incorporated in email campaigns and they yield high conversion rates which translate into good ROI.

Some examples of the top short-form video trends are creating behind the scenes videos, product teasers, frequently asked questions and user-generated content.

 

57% of marketers of companies with 500 or more employees are using AI for their email campaigns. (Source: Ascend2)

Marketers are using AI for their email’s personalization, subject line optimization, retargeting, dynamic content and more. Of all the marketing channels, email gives you the most control to better target your audience and to personalize and sharpen your messaging.

Newsletters will continue their hot streak, led by creator referral networks. More podcast creators will move into newsletters.  (Source: Joe Pulizzi, Author)

If you’re looking for ways to build trust and credibility with your prospects and clients, publishing an e-newsletter is a smart tool to consider.  A balanced, informative newsletter should support your business goals, be engaging to your readers, and provide useful content or relevant promotions. A newsletter can help you establish your expertise, build awareness about your brand, drive traffic to your website and help you build relationships with the people that matter the most to your business. Incorporate one into your marketing plans today.

When Should Your Business Post on Social Media?

Businesses are always seeking ideas to improve their social media engagement. Knowing the best days and times to post on every platform will boost activity on your company pages. Posting at certain times will allow you to further connect with your target audience.

There are some general rules that are important to follow for all platforms, however, each social media has its own specific guidelines. It is also important to factor in your target audience when deciding when to post on each platform. For instance, a younger audience may not be awake very early if they are on summer break.

The General Rule

The American Marketing Association recommends that for any social media platform, posting on a weekday morning is the route to go. Many people go on their phones as soon as they wake up, especially on work days. 

Data-driven decision-making is vital when it comes to social media posting. Utilize analytics and insights provided by the respective platforms to evaluate your previous posts' performance. Identify patterns and trends related to engagement levels, clicks, and impressions during different times and days. Leveraging this information will guide you in optimizing your posting schedule.

Instagram

Instagram has changed ever since Facebook acquired the platform. According to the American Marketing Association, to be successful on Instagram, post between 11:00 A.M.- 2:00 P.M. on any weekday (Monday-Friday), will get you higher numbers for your posts and stories. 

Facebook

While all weekday mornings are a good time to post, it is best to post on Facebook between 9:00 A.M.- 1:00 P.M. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Business pages can also try generating engagement between 6:00 A.M.-9:00 A.M., according to SocialPilot. There is a pop in users during these hours. If not early morning, lunch hours are another option to post.

Twitter

Twitter's fast-paced nature demands frequent and timely posts. Hootsuite noted that the best time to tweet on Twitter is at 8:00 A.M on Monday-Friday. Many people will turn to Twitter before they even get to Instagram or Facebook, as it is a simpler social media platform that appeals to those who are looking for breaking news or updates from those they follow.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great platform for businesses, as it can attract future employers, partnerships, and set the tone of their company in a professional manner. The best times to post on LinkedIn are at 9:00 A.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, right when the typical workday starts. Avoid weekends and late evenings when engagement tends to drop.

In Conclusion

The best time to post for your business’s social media depends on your target audience, your industry, and your content. Mastering the art of social media posting requires businesses to be in sync with their audience's habits and preferences. By analyzing data, understanding the nuances of each platform, and adapting to trends, businesses can unlock the full potential of their social media presence. However, posting at these recommended days and times can help to ensure that as many people as possible see and engage with what you’re promoting.