Different Types of Emails

Different types of email marketing

To a lot of people, the term "email campaign" automatically conjures images of an email intent on one thing - selling. In actual fact, there are a number of types of email communications you can send, some of which are not directly sales related but can certainly contribute to their bottom line in other ways.

One size does not fit all

When considering which types of email to promote, it's important to remember that you don't need to take a one-size-fits-all approach. Some clients will be much more suited to email newsletters than one-off announcements, while the reverse might apply to others.

The best thing about email is that it's so measurable. Try a newsletter for a month or two and then look at the results. Mix up the the topics you cover to see which attracts the most interest. Try a different layout for each issue. As long as you stick to the expectations you set for your subscribers, you can use your creativity to find what works best.

Email Newsletters

The primary purpose of an email newsletter is to build upon the relationship your client has with their own customers. Of course, this might (and should) indirectly result in an increase in sales, but the focus should be on providing relevant, useful content your subscribers might be interested in.

Often the content isn't directly related to your products either. For example, an online grocer might send a monthly newsletter featuring a few recipes, a story on the benefits of organic produce and a column with exercising tips.

Press and Media Releases

If you have a list of media contacts that have given your client permission to contact them, email press releases can be a great way to attract news coverage. Of course, there are a number of services that can distribute your press releases to the media, but maintaining their own list of media contacts can be a great way for your client to send targeted, personalised press and media releases only to those contacts who will be interested.

Quick Announcements

Often called postcard emails, these are simple, brief announcements your clients might want to make informing customers of a special offer, or a popular new product.  These types of emails are typically restricted to a single call-to-action and should be easy for the recipient to scan in a few seconds.  Catalogue Emails

A catalog based email is fairly self explanatory, being an electronic version of a print brochure listing particular products, with the primary goal to encourage customers to purchase.