In the early stages of any email marketing campaign, before a single word of content has been crafted, I plan the calendar. It’s a simple enough task in many ways, just a note each week or fortnight marking what type of email needs to go out for that campaign, but without it, there’d be no campaign – just a random assortment of emails with no overriding strategy. Without it, I’d lose track of what I was trying to achieve, miss email deadlines, and probably end up with a flurry of activity followed by a period of empty nothingness. Then I’d give up.
An email calendar is one of the most important tools for your marketing campaign. But why?
Why Consistency in Email Marketing Matters
Have you ever had a company send you an email or two every day for a week? You bought something, and they want to say thanks. Could you write a review? Is there anything else you need? It’s annoying, and then (thankfully) it stops. Then you don’t hear back from them until six months later when something random pops up, and you can’t remember who they were in the first place.
Yeah, that’s not great.
But do you know other companies who send you a regular email on a Friday afternoon? Perhaps it gets to you as you wind down at the end of the day, and you think, ‘yeah, I’ll just read that,’ and you do, and the content is relevant, and even if you don’t follow it up right away – if you ever need the service or product they offer, you know where to go.
Yeah, that is great.
Consistency in your email marketing is important. It:
- Builds trust
- Boosts engagement
- Drives conversions
- Creates a relationship
- Provides a sense of anticipation
And most importantly:
- Keeps your brand top of mind
That’s what you want. Top of mind is that concept that when they want the thing you’re offering, it’s you they think of – just like that Friday afternoon email I mentioned a minute ago.
So how do you achieve that level of efficient regularity? Ah, yes – the email calendar.
How an Email Calendar Simplifies the Process
Let me be honest, the opening paragraph of this article contained a little bit of creative imagination. I don’t actually note something on a paper calendar like it seemed to suggest because I have some really great computerised tools for doing it! Not only do these email tools put a little mark on a virtual calendar, but they also send the email off for me – just as they should.
An email calendar allows you to prepare your content early and schedule it to go to the right people at the right time. It takes the bulk of the hard work, so that once you’re familiar with it, all you need to do is write some great emails and pick who they’re going to.
An integral part of your campaign tools, the email calendar takes the stress out of the process and lets you focus on meaningful topics well in advance so that you don’t have a horrible scramble for ideas a couple of hours before you’re due to send.
It really does simplify the process.
Steps to Create an Effective Email Calendar
Instead of worrying about how you’re going to remember to send out all those emails each week, you can concentrate on the campaign itself.
Define your goals
Think about what you want this particular email marketing campaign to achieve; are you nurturing leads? Looking to increase sales? Building loyalty? Pick one and stick to it.
Plan your frequency
It’s not always a case of once a week (and it won’t always be on Friday). Think about what your audience is like, when they might have the time to read your email, and when they might be most likely to open it; choose that moment. You also want to set a realistic schedule you can meet. It’s all very well thinking you can keep up with an email every week, but can you? Be honest with yourself because it’s better to be regular every two weeks than miss some every week; consistency trumps frequency.
Use themes
Choose something that can form the core of your email campaign; perhaps that’s a new promotion you want to push for a few months, or maybe it’s the summer, and you want to focus on that. By having something to concentrate on, you make planning content a lot simpler.
Segment your audience
Market to a select group that it makes sense to target. With your email calendar, you can automate the process so the content finds the right person, and tailored content is far more effective than the scattershot approach.
Set up automations
It’s not just about the regular timed emails, automatic systems can be set to trigger when events occur, such as a sale is made or a new customer signs up for your newsletter. Leverage the power of your email tools to make contact at the right points in your customer’s journey. And if you need help sorting this part out, then ask a professional. I can recommend a really good one!
Avoid Overwhelm with These Tips
Badly organised email campaigns are overwhelming and chaotic.
Well organised email campaigns with clearly defined calendars and prepared content are a pleasure to watch, smooth and efficient.
Consider doing some (or all) of the following:
- Batch your work - Draft multiple emails in one sitting to save time and keep up with your creativity.
- Repurpose content - Reuse blog posts (you might have even read this one before, but do you remember?), reframe videos, and repeat the odd social media post when it makes sense to do so.
- Use templates - There’s no need to reinvent the wheel every time!
- Review and adjust - Don’t forget to analyse your data and refine your strategy accordingly.
The Benefits of a Thoughtfully Planned Email Calendar
Your email calendar is going to ensure that your email marketing campaign goes smoothly. You’ll find engagement is improved, you’ll feel at peace and less stressed, and ultimately, you’ll get a much better return on your investment. It’s all upside!
Of course, I make it sound much simpler than you might find it – and that’s fine, we’re not all email marketing enthusiasts who love to dig deep into the automation and streamlining tools available. If you want a little help (or even a lot of help), then why not book a consultation with me? I’m sure I have space in my calendar for you!
