5 Email Types You Can Use With Inbound Marketing

[This article was first published in October 2017 and has been updated, enlarged, and revised.]

Having a great email marketing campaign is essential for successful inbound marketing. But you are not limited to only one type of email. 

The world of email is full of different varieties. Depending on the purpose and the intent, emails can take on any number of formats and types. 

This is especially true for marketing emails. How many different types there are depends largely on who you ask. Is it 12, or 15 – maybe less, maybe more? 

The point is that the possibilities are huge and the potential for leveraging powerful email types for your own email campaigns is great. 

Five Essential Types of Emails You Will Want to Use

Some types of emails – often known as ‘transactional’ emails – include confirmation emails and thank you emails, or some combination of these. You will have gotten something like this when you signed up for an online newsletter, or gave your name and email address in exchange for a free download of some type.

Sales oriented emails that include coupons or interactive ads are also common. And then there is the ubiquitous, personalized email message that is usually just a sales pitch disguised as a “personal” email. You know the kind: the ones with the pithy subject line that tries to make you think it’s a personal message from someone you supposedly know?

Aside from these, and a few other less common types, here are five essential types of emails you should look to incorporate in your own email marketing strategy and mix:

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Harnessing the Power of Email Types for Inbound Marketing

These are certainly not the only types of emails you may want to send to your subscribers, customers or prospects. However, these five constitute a good mix of email types that will allow you to engage in a number of email marketing tactics.

1. Lead Nurturing Emails

These targeted email sequences are designed to build relationships with potential customers who have shown initial interest by signing up for your newsletter, downloading a white paper, or registering for a webinar.  By segmenting your leads based on their interests and pain points, you can craft personalized email chains that provide valuable content, address their specific challenges, and showcase your brand’s expertise.

Lead nurturing emails should be informative and engaging, offering helpful articles, industry reports, or case studies that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities. Include strategic CTAs throughout the sequence, guiding leads towards valuable resources like product demos, consultations, or free trials. Remember, the goal here is to build trust and establish yourself as a trusted advisor, ultimately converting them into loyal customers.

2. Welcome Emails

Welcome emails are your first chance to make a positive impression on new subscribers. Don’t waste this opportunity!  Go beyond a simple “thank you” by expressing genuine appreciation for their interest and highlighting the benefits of joining your email list. Briefly introduce your company’s mission and values, and provide a clear roadmap for what they can expect to receive from you, like exclusive content, special offers, or industry insights.

This is also a prime spot to showcase your brand personality.  Use a friendly and approachable tone, and personalize the email whenever possible by including their name.  Welcome emails are a perfect platform to integrate social media links, blog subscriptions, and links to other valuable content that will keep them engaged and coming back for more.

3. New Content Email

New content emails are a versatile tool for promoting your latest offerings and driving traffic to your website. While you can announce product launches, discounts, or free trials, the focus should be on providing valuable content your audience will appreciate.  This could be a thought-provoking blog post, an in-depth industry report, a captivating video series, or an informative webinar registration.

Anum Hussain’s advice on clear and compelling CTAs remains crucial.  Make sure your email’s call to action is prominent, easy to understand, and uses action-oriented verbs like “Download,” “Watch Now,” or “Register Today.” Consider incorporating a visually appealing CTA button alongside the text to further incentivize clicks.

4. Newsletter Email

Newsletters are a cornerstone of email marketing, but standing out in a crowded inbox requires creativity and strategic planning.  While promoting recent blog posts is a common practice, consider adding variety with curated content, industry news updates, or customer success stories.  Remember, brevity is key.  Use enticing visuals alongside concise headlines and summaries to pique readers’ interest.

Effective newsletters leverage a “scannable” format.  Bullet points, clear headings, and short paragraphs make it easy for busy subscribers to quickly identify content relevant to their needs. Every piece of content should be accompanied by a strong CTA, prompting them to delve deeper into the full article, download a relevant resource, or engage with your brand in another way.

5. Event Invitation Email

Event invitation emails are targeted messages designed to generate excitement and attendance for your upcoming webinars, conferences, or live workshops. Treat these emails like virtual invitations with all the essential details attendees need to know: date, time, location (if applicable), speaker information, and a clear agenda outlining the topics covered.

Given their one-off nature, event invitations are perfect for leveraging impactful visuals and captivating imagery related to the event theme or speaker.  Unlike traditional paper invitations, these emails allow for immediate RSVPs and registrations directly within the email itself, making it easier than ever for potential attendees to confirm their interest.

[Bonus Email Type] Re-Engagement Email

Over time, some subscribers on your email list become inactive. Re-engagement emails aim to win back these once-interested contacts and rekindle their connection with your brand.  These campaigns can be triggered by a subscriber’s inactivity for a specific period or their lack of interaction with recent emails.

Effective re-engagement emails offer incentives to entice subscribers to re-engage. This could include exclusive discounts, early access to new content, or a freebie relevant to their interests.  Personalized subject lines that acknowledge their absence and express that you miss them can also be a powerful tactic.

The goal is to remind subscribers of the value you offer and encourage them to reconnect.  Consider including a preference center link within the email, allowing them to tailor the content they receive to their specific interests, increasing the likelihood of future engagement.

Send It and They Will Come

Well, not always. In fact, one of the most vital metrics or statistics monitored in email marketing is what is known as the “open rate.”

In the context of email marketing, the open rate refers to the percentage of email recipients who actually open a specific email message.  It’s a key metric used to gauge the effectiveness of your email campaigns.

Here’s how it works: Let’s say you send an email campaign to 1,000 subscribers.  If 300 of those recipients open the email, your open rate for that campaign would be 30 percent.

A high open rate generally indicates that your subject line was compelling and your audience found the email content relevant.  However, it’s important to consider open rates in conjunction with other metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates to get a more complete picture of your campaign’s effectiveness.

The ideal recipient actions are to open your email, click- through on your link or CTA (call-to-action) and make a purchase or perform whatever action you want a prospect to take on your website. In other words, become a “conversion.”

It’s important to understand that there’s no single “best” email type with the guaranteed highest open rate.  However, some email categories consistently outperform others.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Industry Averages: While results can vary, certain industries tend to have higher open rates overall. According to Mailchimp, government emails boast the highest average open rate at 40.55 percent, while industries like vitamins and supplements see lower rates around 27.34 percent.
• Transactional vs. Marketing Emails: Generally, transactional emails (e.g., order confirmations, shipping updates) see higher open rates than marketing emails (e.g., newsletters, promotions) because they contain information users expect and need.
• Personalization Matters: Emails with personalized subject lines and content addressing specific user needs tend to see higher open rates than generic blasts.
• Segmentation is Key: Segmenting your email list allows you to send targeted emails relevant to specific user interests, leading to higher open rates compared to one-size-fits-all marketing blasts.
• Compelling Subject Lines: Subject lines are the first impression, and strong, curiosity-inducing subject lines can significantly increase open rates.

Finding the Right Recipe for Your Email Campaign Strategy

Crafting a successful email marketing strategy isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. And just as a delicious soup requires a balanced blend of ingredients, your email funnel thrives on a strategic mix of different email types. Understanding the strengths and applications of the various email categories we’ve discussed here empowers you to tailor your campaigns to specific goals and maximize engagement with your audience.

Visualizing each email type as something distinct and special, something more than “just another email” will help you create the right mix for your brand’s email marketing strategy:

Lead Nurturing Emails

These targeted sequences simmer slowly, building relationships with potential customers. They educate leads with valuable content, showcase your expertise, and nurture them towards a buying decision.

Welcome Emails

Welcome emails are your warm greeting, introducing new subscribers to your brand and setting the tone for future interactions. They provide a roadmap for what subscribers can expect, highlight brand value, and integrate key touchpoints like social media and blog subscriptions.

New Content Emails

New content emails are like sizzling announcements, keeping your audience informed about your latest offerings. Promote blog posts, reports, webinars, or product launches, enticing them to delve deeper and learn more about your brand’s solutions.

Newsletter Emails

Newsletters are your weekly digest, offering a curated selection of content to keep subscribers engaged. Think bite-sized summaries, captivating visuals, and clear CTAs to ensure your audience gets the most out of your valuable insights.

Event Invitation Emails

Event invitations are exclusive invites to your virtual shindigs. Think clear details, captivating visuals, and a seamless RSVP process to get attendees excited and registered for your upcoming webinars, conferences, or workshops.

Re-Engagement Emails

Re-engagement emails are gentle nudges to rekindle interest with inactive subscribers. Offer incentives, acknowledge their absence, and personalize the message to win back valuable contacts who might have lost touch.

Finding Your Perfect Recipe Blend

Now that you have a well-stocked email ingredient pantry, it’s time to craft your winning recipe. Consider your campaign goals! Are you aiming to nurture leads, generate brand awareness, or drive sales?

• Lead Nurturing Focus: Prioritize lead nurturing emails with a healthy dose of informative content sprinkled in with strategic CTAs leading towards demos or consultations.

• Brand Awareness Goals: Balance welcome emails and new content emails to introduce your brand and showcase your thought leadership.

• Sales & Conversion Focus: Include a strategic mix of new content emails promoting valuable resources and offers alongside transactional emails like cart abandonment reminders.

Remember, the beauty lies in the mix! Experiment with different email types, track your results through key metrics like open rates and click-through rates, and refine your strategy over time. By understanding your audience’s needs and leveraging the right email blend, you’ll whip up a winning email marketing recipe that delivers engagement and results.

Email Marketing: Low Cost, High ROI, and Effective

An well though out email campaign is a great tactic for your overall inbound marketing strategy. Along with blogging, short-form video, and other types of content publishing, emails can expand both your reach and impact in a way that most any other medium cannot.

Inbound marketing is powerful approach for building and scaling your business and email marketing can play a significant part of it. But achieving your marketing objectives with an inbound marketing strategy takes time. It won’t happen with a few email blasts, blog posts or even a few great email campaigns.

The truth is that your leads and prospects will need to consume your content for a while before they contact you. Yet, without your content compelling them to contact you, your goals may never be met.

The good news is that you don’t have to figure out alone. In fact, one of the best investments you can make with your marketing budget is to partner with a solid firm like BroadVision marketing.

Click on the link below so you can make an informed decision, or call BroadVision Marketing at 707-799-1238.