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Module 6

Email Marketing

PRC 112: Digital Marketing Practicum

Duration: 1 hour

Learning Objectives

  • ✅ Understand permission-based list building
  • ✅ Create segmented audience lists
  • ✅ Design effective email campaigns

Why Email Marketing?

ROI: $42 for every $1 spent!

  • You OWN your list (not dependent on algorithms)
  • Direct communication with interested audience
  • Highly personalized and targeted
  • Measurable results (opens, clicks, conversions)
  • Cost-effective compared to ads

Permission-Based Marketing

Golden Rule: Only email people who gave you explicit permission

  • Double opt-in (confirm subscription via email)
  • Clear privacy policy
  • Easy unsubscribe option
  • Never buy email lists
  • Comply with GDPR/local regulations

List Building Strategies

Website

  • Pop-up forms
  • Exit intent
  • Footer signup
  • Content upgrades

Social Media

  • Link in bio
  • Story swipe-ups
  • Facebook lead ads
  • Giveaways

Offline

  • Events signup
  • Business cards
  • In-store signup
  • QR codes

Lead Magnets

Lead Magnet: Free valuable content in exchange for email

  • eBooks & Guides
  • Checklists & Templates
  • Free trials or samples
  • Webinars & Courses
  • Discount codes
  • Exclusive content

Email Segmentation

Segmentation: Dividing list into targeted groups

Segment By:

  • Demographics
  • Interests
  • Purchase history
  • Engagement level
  • Location

Why Segment?

  • Higher open rates
  • Better engagement
  • More conversions
  • Less unsubscribes
  • Personalized content

Types of Email Campaigns

  1. Welcome Series: Introduce new subscribers
  2. Newsletter: Regular updates and content
  3. Promotional: Sales, offers, product launches
  4. Transactional: Order confirmations, receipts
  5. Re-engagement: Win back inactive subscribers
  6. Educational: Tips, tutorials, guides

Email Anatomy

  1. From Name: Your brand or personal name
  2. Subject Line: Hook to get them to open
  3. Preview Text: Snippet after subject line
  4. Header: Logo and branding
  5. Body: Main content and value
  6. CTA Button: Clear next action
  7. Footer: Unsubscribe, address, social links

Subject Line Best Practices

  • Keep it short: 30-50 characters
  • Personalize: Use {FirstName} merge tags
  • Create urgency: "Last chance" "Today only"
  • Ask questions: "Need help with SEO?"
  • Use numbers: "5 Ways to Improve Your Site"
  • Test emojis: 📧 Use sparingly
  • Avoid spam words: FREE, BUY NOW, !!!

Email Design Tips

  • Mobile-first: 60%+ open on mobile
  • Single-column: Easier to read on phones
  • Clear hierarchy: Headlines, body, CTA
  • Readable fonts: 14px+ for body text
  • White space: Don't cram everything
  • Images: Alt text (in case they don't load)
  • One primary CTA: Don't confuse readers

Email Marketing Tools

Free Tiers

  • Mailchimp (500 contacts)
  • Sender (2,500 subscribers)
  • MailerLite (1,000 subscribers)

Paid (Popular)

  • ConvertKit
  • ActiveCampaign
  • Constant Contact

Features

  • Templates
  • Automation
  • Segmentation
  • Analytics

Email Metrics

Metric Good Benchmark What It Means
Open Rate 15-25% % who opened email
Click Rate 2-5% % who clicked links
Conversion Rate 1-5% % who took action
Unsubscribe Rate <0.5% % who opted out

A/B Testing

A/B Test: Compare two versions to see which performs better

Test Elements:

  • Subject lines
  • From names
  • Send times
  • CTA button text/color
  • Email copy length
  • Images vs. text

Automation Workflows

Welcome Series Example

  1. Day 0: Welcome email + deliver lead magnet
  2. Day 2: Introduce yourself and your story
  3. Day 5: Share best content/resources
  4. Day 7: Soft pitch (product/service intro)
  5. Day 10: Case study or testimonial

Deliverability Best Practices

  • Authenticate domain: SPF, DKIM, DMARC
  • Warm up new accounts: Start with engaged subscribers
  • Clean list regularly: Remove bounces and inactive
  • Avoid spam triggers: ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation!!!
  • Balance text/images: Not all images
  • Include physical address: Required by law

Hands-On Activities

Activity 1: Create Audience List

  • Sign up for free email tool (Mailchimp/Sender)
  • Create audience/list
  • Add 10-15 mock contacts (for practice)
  • Set up custom fields (Name, Interest, etc.)

Activity 2: Create Segments

Create 2-3 Segments:

  • By Interest: SEO enthusiasts vs. Social Media learners
  • By Stage: New subscribers vs. Active customers
  • By Engagement: Highly engaged vs. Need re-activation

Activity 3: Design Email Campaign

Create One Email Including:

  • Subject line (test 2 variations)
  • Preview text
  • Email body: Intro, value, CTA
  • CTA button (clear action)
  • Footer (unsubscribe, address)

Activity 4: Sending Plan

Plan Your Send:

  • Which segment(s) will receive it?
  • Best day and time to send?
  • What's the goal? (clicks, signups, sales)
  • How will you measure success?

Module 6 Deliverables

  1. Email template:
    • Exported HTML or screenshots
    • Shows design and copy
  2. Segmentation outline:
    • 2-3 segments defined
    • Criteria for each segment
  3. Sending plan:
    • Target segment, date/time, goals

Mini Rubric (5 points)

Criteria Points
Ethical list approach & clarity 2
Template quality & CTA 2
Segmentation logic 1

Common Email Mistakes

  • ❌ Buying email lists (damages reputation)
  • ❌ No clear CTA (confusing what to do)
  • ❌ Too salesy (constant promotions)
  • ❌ Not mobile-optimized (poor experience)
  • ❌ Sending too frequently (annoys subscribers)
  • ❌ Generic content (not segmented)

Thank You!

Email: Your Direct Line to Customers

Next: Module 7 - Analytics and Reporting

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