Email Marketing
Explore a curated variety of expert-produced resources on email marketing, from prospecting and segmentation to personalization. Get inspired by real examples and access tailored templates to delight your customers—every single time you press send.
Marketing strategyB2B vs B2C Email Marketing in 2024: Differences & ExamplesWith over 4 billion global email users, it's no wonder that email marketing remains a powerful tool for both B2B and B2C companies. Whether you're selling products or services or reaching out to consumers or businesses, email marketing is a cost-effective way to connect with your audience and drive results.
Below, we explore why email marketing is crucial for both B2B and B2C sectors and delve into some key differences between these approaches.
Meet the expert
Andrew Royal, a seasoned marketing executive with nearly a decade of experience, is the founder of RevOps. He specializes in helping SMBs optimize revenue operations through data-driven strategies.
Why should you invest in email marketing?
You have to invest in email marketing because it's basically free and relatively easy.
The great thing about email marketing is that it's cost-effective. But why is that the case?
Automation: Email marketing tools reduce manual labor by automating functions like email sequences and drip campaigns.Digital marketing: All your email marketing activity is online, so this eliminates physical costs like printing and postage. Plus, you don't have to pay for every email you send. Tiered pricing: Email marketing software is available at different price points based on your email volume. You can choose an affordable plan that suits your needs.Global reach: You can reach an international audience instantly without having to pay to cover physical distances.
Remember to consider your marketing team's time and effort when calculating your email campaigns' impact on your profit percentage.
Building your email list might require some effort, but once you have a substantial list, it becomes a valuable asset. Your list can grow incrementally and exponentially, giving you access to potential customers without additional marketing expenses.
B2B vs B2C: 4 key differences
While B2B vs. B2C email marketing share common elements like list segmentation, automation, and tracking, there are key differences to consider.
1. Target audience
B2B: You're typically reaching out to professionals, decision-makers, stakeholders, and individuals representing an organization. This means your target audience is educated in the topic you're addressing.B2C: Your audience is individual consumers or households, which means you're using personal email addresses to make contact.
2. Sales cycle
B2B: Your sales cycle is generally longer and more complex. Because you're offering a business solution that either solves a very specific pain point or can overhaul a whole company's operations, your target audience requires multiple touchpoints and personalized content to make an informed decision.B2C: B2C emails typically have shorter sales cycles, because they're focused on driving immediate action, for example, impulse buying on-sale products.
3. Content
B2B: Your email content is more detailed, technical, and business-focused. This includes industry-specific terminology, statistics, data, and thought leadership. As a result, B2B emails have a longer format.B2C: Your content is simpler and consumer-oriented. You focus on your product or service's benefits and unique features, while also connecting to your audience emotionally. Because B2C emails are fast-paced and you have a limited time to grab a consumer's attention, they're shorter and to the point.
4. Design
B2B: Your email design is more conservative and professional, focusing on clarity and content.B2C: B2C emails prioritize visual appeal, aesthetics, and creativity to capture consumers' attention. This means big images, colorful call-to-actions (CTAs), and clear pricing.
Despite these staple differences, every email list is unique. It's important to A/B test your email marketing efforts to ensure you're meeting your target audience's needs.
There's no such thing as a cookie-cutter approach to email marketing. Sometimes, you'll find a B2C market that reacts to those longer, more in-depth emails, just like a particular B2B company might react to the shorter, punchier emails.
» Here's how to construct an email marketing journey that works.
B2B email marketing example: Monday.com
The key to successful B2B email marketing is balancing your informational and promotional content within the same email instead of sending separate emails. Your email can include the following elements:
Product features updates.Links to resources like a community, webinar, or blog.Snippets of a case study showcasing your product or service in action.
Monday.com combines all of these aspects in their B2B email newsletter:
A product feature update section right at the top of the email.An option to subscribe to weekly industry updates.An opportunity to become part of the Monday.com community by creating or using user-generated templates.Contact information and an option to unsubscribe clearly incorporated at the bottom.
B2C email marketing example: Decofurn
B2C email marketing needs to put the product or service front and center. This means engaging with your customers and motivating them to take action, for example, making a purchase. You can do this by:
Personalizing each customer's email. This includes addressing customers by name and including custom offerings based on their preferences.Adding clear CTAs so customers know exactly what action they should take.Highlighting any discounts or price reductions.Including high-quality product images.
Decofurn implements these practices in their spring sale newsletter:
A free delivery offer right at the top, providing instant motivation to buy online and meet the minimum order requirement.High-quality product images on a neutral background.Discounts are clearly indicated, and reduced prices are emphasized.The email ends with an easy-to-understand CTA.
» Find more attractive email marketing examples here.
Expert guidance when you need it most: Consider an email marketing specialist
Having the right expertise at your fingertips can make or break your email marketing strategy. Mayple's vetted expert marketplace gives you easy access to industry specialists who can help you optimize your email marketing efforts, reduce costs, and provide AI-driven insights for data-backed decisions.
From B2B to B2C: Mastering email marketing's diverse terrain
Email marketing remains a vital tool for both B2B and B2C companies, offering cost-effective global reach. However, while common principles underpin both, distinctions are crucial. B2B targets professionals with longer sales cycles, necessitating detailed, technical content and conservative design.
In contrast, B2C emails focus on shorter, consumer-oriented, visually appealing content, promoting immediate actions like purchases.
Despite these differences, successful email marketing hinges on personalization and adaptability. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather a powerful, versatile means to connect, inform, and inspire action, bridging the gap between businesses and consumers in an increasingly digital world.
» Find the perfect email marketing expert for your business.
Marketing strategyChatGPT Marketing: 5 Best Prompts for Successful Email CampaignsIn 2021, AI in marketing was estimated to generate $15.8 billion in revenue—and that's expected to skyrocket to $107.5 billion by 2028. So, how can you leverage the growing trend? One way is to use the power of ChatGPT to improve your email marketing campaigns.
One of the key benefits of ChatGPT email marketing is its ability to create engaging content in a matter of seconds. While the output may not be perfect every time, it can spark your creativity and guide you down the path to creating great emails.
Prompt #1: Personalized product recommendations
Any marketer can tell you that personalization is a non-negotiable element of any marketing campaign. This is especially true in e-commerce, where strategic and effective product recommendations can dramatically increase revenue. While there are plenty of product recommendation tools out there, they may be a bit too expensive or complicated for some brands.
Here are some prompt ideas
Generate outdoor sports equipment recommendations for a user who has bought waterproof hiking boots and a backpack online. They have a passion for outdoor activities and want more gear for their adventures.Recommend products for someone who shops for groceries online. They like to eat healthy, but they have a sweet tooth.Craft 3 personalized home décor product recommendations targeting a user who has recently bought home furniture and décor items from my e-commerce store. The user is interested in interior design and has a modern and minimalist style.
Here's ChatGPT's response to the last one
Prompt #2: Irresistible subject lines
Subject lines are another critical element of a strong marketing campaign as they can boost your open rates, leading to more conversions and revenue. After all, you can't get sales if nobody ever opens the email.
Here are some prompt ideas
Provide a few email subject lines for a 3-day flash sale on diamond jewelry. Create a sense of urgency to get customers to buy now.Generate 20 email subject lines for people who just bought a new laptop and are looking for the best accessories.Give me 5 subject line ideas for an email marketing campaign targeting men aged 18-35 who are looking to buy protein supplements to build muscle.
Here's ChatGPT's response to the last one
Prompt #3: Compelling storytelling for brand engagement
Storytelling is more than just a marketing strategy. It's a way to showcase who you are as a brand and what you stand for. Most importantly, it's a way to build strong, meaningful emotional connections with your audience to generate trust and loyalty.
Here are some prompt ideas
Write a quick introduction email for new subscribers to the email list of my company HappyToes, a shoe brand that uses light & breathable materials built to last 10 years.Generate an email newsletter telling a story about my family's 100-year-old tomato sauce recipe and the quality customers will get when they buy it.Create a short brand narrative for a new children's clothing e-commerce company dedicated to using sustainable, ethical practices.
Here's ChatGPT's response to the last one
Prompt #4: Interactive content for enhanced engagement
In an ever more competitive market, your emails have to do more than just inform—they must grab attention and keep it. There's genuine excitement about dynamic email additions that give the reader some control. With ChatGPT, you can dive into an array of interactive options like brain-teasing trivia, polls, or surveys.
Here are some prompt ideas
Think of a poll targeting thriller movie aficionados: Which movie ending left them on the edge of their seats? Design a trivia challenge all about world-famous landmarks? A dream for those with itchy feet. Design a survey designed for sneaker enthusiasts to identify the most coveted sneaker releases of the past ten years.
Here's ChatGPT's response to the last one
Pro tip: Sprinkle your personality into your content with emojis. 🌟 They're known to elevate interactivity but also leave a lasting impression on your audience. 💌🎉
Prompt #5: craft persuasive calls-to-action (CTAs)
Nothing seals the deal quite like a strong, persuasive CTA. In fact, a CTA can be the difference between the customer clicking through to your website and deleting the email without ever opening it. ChatGPT can help you generate CTAs that boost your conversion rates and increase your bottom line.
Here are some prompt ideas
Create 20 ideas for email marketing CTA buttons to get users to buy an eyeshadow palette for green eyes.Craft some CTAs to encourage small dog owners to switch pet food brands to a holistic, clean dry food for their pets.Help me generate a compelling call-to-action for my email campaign, encouraging customers to click through to my website and buy tech accessories for our Black Friday sale.
Here's ChatGPT's response to the last one
Enhance your ChatGPT marketing strategies with a Mayple Expert
While ChatGPT can provide an amazing springboard to jumpstart your campaigns, chances are your first results won't be exactly what you're looking for. This is why many brands use ChatGPT primarily as a form of inspiration and optimize the content based on their unique needs and goals. If you need some help in this area, Mayple can connect you with skilled marketing experts who can fine-tune your content to ensure that it resonates with your audience and boosts your revenue.
Marketing strategyHow to Determine the Budget for Your Email Marketing Campaign: 4 Keys to ConsiderAs marketing managers and business owners, we’re always grappling with our marketing campaign budgets. While platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Google ads are popular choices and can be effective, they come with a significant cost that can eat into our profits. However, there's a cost-effective alternative that has proven to be incredibly valuable: email marketing.
Email marketing is remarkably cost-effective with minimal cost per subscriber. Plus, with its potential for significant ROI, it’s a no-brainer for businesses, especially direct-to-consumer (DTC). In this blog, we look at 4 keys to help you determine your email marketing campaign budget:
Understand the cost efficiency of email marketingMeasure your ROILook for industry benchmarksTrack your email marketing progress
Meet the expert
Yaron Been is a renowned growth coach and eCommerce entrepreneur, having built and scaled multiple 7-figure stores. He also hosts The EcomXFactor Podcast and has managed over $10 million in Facebook ad campaigns for various DTC brands while enhancing his expertise on email marketing.
1. Understand the cost efficiency of email marketing
The main cost associated with email marketing is the fee email service providers (ESP) charge. Leading ESPs like Klaviyo and MailChimp usually charge based on the size of your email list. Plus, you may have initial setup costs, such as designing email banners and hiring a skilled copywriter. However, the actual cost of sending an email to each subscriber often amounts to just a few cents. Consider this:
As a digital form of communication, you completely eliminate costs associated with printing materials, postage, or physical advertising space.Many ESPs include automation in their packages, meaning you can save time and money by side-stepping manual interventions.Email marketing is scalable and can grow with your business.
What does this mean for your email marketing budget? You have more flexibility. Based on previous campaigns' performance and ROI expectations, you can make an informed decision about your budget allocation. If a particular campaign is performing well, you can allocate more resources to it. If not, you can reallocate those resources.
Try these tips to make sure your email marketing is cost-effective:Build and maintain a high-quality email list.Craft engaging and relevant content for your subscribers.Use A/B testing to optimize your email campaigns.Avoid sending too many emails. It can lead to email fatigue and unsubscribes.Ensure your emails are mobile-responsive.
2. Measure your ROI
ROI provides insight into how well your email marketing efforts are performing and also guides your next steps for optimization and growth. It comes down to whether the campaign is profitable or not. As we already mentioned, email marketing has the potential to deliver a high ROI. According to the Data & Marketing Association, it can be as high as 42:1.
Why?
Because email marketing offers a direct line of communication to engaged customers, fostering brand loyalty and driving repeat purchases. Plus, if you personalize your emails according to individual customer preferences, you can increase engagement and conversions.
So, using ROI figures from past email marketing campaigns can help you forecast future ones and influence your budget decisions.
Note: Tracking your ROI for email marketing can be challenging due to attribution issues. To overcome this, incorporate strategies like custom UTM parameters in your email campaigns to track and analyze ROI.Plus, analyzing campaign-specific revenue data rather than relying solely on overall revenue can provide better insights into the impact of email marketing on driving results.
3. Look for industry benchmarks
Industry benchmarks provide valuable insights into what’s considered standard or exceptional in email marketing metrics. This can help inform your budget, gauge your progress, and give you something to compare your activities to, especially if you're just starting out and don't have an extensive history yet. CampaignMonitor offers a comprehensive industry breakdown:
But don't refer to industry benchmarks in isolation—you have to use it in conjunction with other factors and considerations.
Industry benchmarks are a helpful reference point, but you should take your goals, target audience, niche, and circumstances into consideration. If you can, self-comparison over time is also very effective.
4. Track your email marketing progress
Tracking the effectiveness of your email marketing campaign is vital for making data-driven decisions regarding your budget and achieving continuous improvement. You can gain valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not by closely monitoring performance metrics such as:
Open ratesClick-through rates (CTR)Conversion ratesRevenue generated
This way, you can justify your budget allocation and ensure your marketing budget aligns with your objectives. By regularly analyzing your email marketing metrics, you can gauge progress, identify patterns, and uncover opportunities for further enhancement.
Sealing success in email marketing
Email marketing provides a cost-effective strategy for businesses to reach and engage their audience. By understanding cost efficiency, measuring ROI, considering industry benchmarks, and tracking campaign progress, you can determine an effective budget and maximize the impact of your email marketing campaigns.
At Mayple, we understand the importance of email marketing in driving growth and achieving business goals. We can help you find a top-vetted email marketing expert to help you set up email marketing campaign budgets, build an email list, segment your target audience, and more.
Marketing strategy8 Best Email Marketing Report Templates Using Microsoft ExcelConsidering about 59% of marketers say that email offers the best ROI bar none, it becomes easier to understand why marketers still laud email marketing as one of the most effective ways to engage with their audience. But, getting into the weeds of email campaign analysis can often feel like deciphering a complex puzzle, yet it's essential if you want to understand and improve your email campaigns.
This is where email marketing report templates using Microsoft Excel come in. This indispensable tool offers a structured and efficient framework for understanding and improving your email campaigns. Below, we share some tips on how you can make the most of it and a few templates to help you get started, including:
Campaign performance dashboardSubscriber growth reportEmail content analysisConversion funnel reportEmail revenue reportList segmentation analysisEmail deliverability reportMobile vs. desktop report
Meet the expert
Jameela Ghann is a seasoned online store owner with over a decade of eCommerce experience. Apart from running Alora Boutique, she's also the marketing manager for Fera Product Reviews.
» Using more than just email as a marketing channel? Try omnichannel analytics to get the full picture
Key advantage of email marketing report templates
Email marketing report templates are the secret sauce to streamlining your entire email campaign analysis process, saving you time and ensuring consistency. Instead of creating reports from scratch every time, you can simply input your campaign data, making it easier to analyze email performance and identify areas for improvement. The result is an expedited analysis of email performance, spotting areas where you can turn up the heat, making it easier to present your results in a way that makes total sense.
How to approach email marketing report templates
Addressing initial challenges
If you're new to email marketing report templates, the following fundamental guidelines can be beneficial:
Template selection: Opt for a user-friendly, customizable template that meets your requirements.Get help from an expert if needed: Don't hesitate to seek guidance from experts in the field when configuring and implementing your chosen template.Focus on key metrics: Direct your attention toward the most critical metrics, such as open rate and click-through rate (CTR), as a starting point for analysis.Data visualization tools: Incorporate data visualization tools to enhance the clarity and impact of your email marketing reports.
Vital email marketing metrics to track
Once you start using email marketing, it's important to track specific metrics to measure the success of your campaigns. These essential metrics include:
Open rate: This metric shows the percentage of recipients who opened your email. For example, if you sent an email to 1,000 subscribers and 300 of them opened it, your open rate would be 30%.Click-through rate (CTR): This metric measures the percentage of recipients who clicked on a link within your email. If 50 out of those 1,000 subscribers clicked on a link, your CTR would be 5%.Conversion rate: This shows the percentage of recipients who took a desired action after clicking, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. For example, if 10 of those 50 clickers made a purchase, your conversion rate would be 20%.Unsubscribe rate: It's also important to monitor the unsubscribe rate, which tracks how many recipients opted out of your emails after receiving a campaign. Keeping this rate low is crucial to maintain a healthy email list.List growth rate: This reflects the pace at which your email list is expanding. For example, if you started with 1,000 subscribers and gained 200 new ones monthly, your list growth rate would be 20%.Revenue per email: If you're running an eCommerce store, tracking the revenue per email can help you understand your ROI.
Unearthing hidden insights with lesser-known metrics
Beyond the standard metrics, the following lesser-known indicators can offer valuable insights as well:
Email client and device data: Knowing which email services and devices your subscribers use to open your emails is essential for optimizing your email design. For instance, if a significant portion of your audience opens emails on mobile devices, prioritizing mobile-friendly designs might be a good idea.Spam complaint rate: A high spam complaint rate can threaten your reputation and cause email providers to block your messages.Forwarding rate: A high forwarding rate indicates that recipients find your email content valuable, as they're willing to share it with others.
Prioritizing metrics with limited resources
If your business has limited resources, you should focus on tracking the conversion rate. Tracking conversion rates is crucial because it directly measures the success of your email marketing campaigns, allowing you to identify the most effective campaigns for leads and sales. This information can then be used to refine your email marketing strategies and increase ROI.
Here are a few tips to effectively track conversion rates:
Use a CRM system or email marketing platform to track which subscribers convert into customers or leads.Add UTM codes to track campaign performance, segment email lists, and send targeted emails to different groups of subscribers.Experiment with different email formats and content to find what works best for your audience.
» Use transactional emails to land more sales and connect to your audience.
Harnessing the power of email marketing report templates in Microsoft Excel
Using email marketing report templates in Microsoft Excel is a fantastic way to keep tabs on your email campaigns and spot where you can improve things. These templates are typically user-friendly, customizable, and potent, making them a perfect fit for email marketers at any skill level. Of course, you can always hire a pro marketer if you need help figuring things out initially.
The two main benefits of using Microsoft Excel templates are consistency and data organization. Templates ensure a consistent format and structure, which is essential for comparing multiple campaigns or monitoring progress over time. Furthermore, Microsoft Excel's spreadsheet capabilities make handling even vast piles of data a piece of cake so you can analyze and draw conclusions from your email campaign data.
8 best email marketing report templates using Microsoft Excel
The following templates are all available on this master template since most of the metrics we discuss can be applied to almost any template. Therefore, you're welcome to customize the template however you see fit. Our example dataset is on the first tab while the second tab showcases the data visually. You can customize the graphs on the second tab by inserting your data in the first tab.
1. Campaign performance dashboard template
This template does exactly what its name implies: it can help you understand how your email marketing campaign is performing, where you're excelling, and where you might be falling short.
Because so many factors can influence your campaign's performance, this template can become extensive, so it's up to you to decide which metrics are the most applicable to you. Key metrics can include:
Open rateClick-through rate (CTR)Bounce rateConversion rateList growth rateUnsubscribe rateROI
For example, if you choose to focus on unsubscribe rate and list growth rate, your data can show that fewer users unsubscribe each month while your list is growing. This suggests you're close to hitting the sweet spot in terms of email content, frequency, and more.
2. Subscriber growth report template
Subscriber growth reports are essential for monitoring the health of your email marketing list and evaluating the success of your list-building strategies. They can help you identify areas for improvement, refine your email acquisition tactics, and ensure your list remains fresh and engaged. Key metrics can include:
New subscribersList growth rateUnsubscribe rateChurn rateSource of new subscribers
For example, you can track how many new subscribers you get each month, indicating your outreach is working, or you can focus on new subscribers by source to know which channel should get the most resources.
3. Email content analysis template
This type of template can help you assess the effectiveness, engagement, and overall impact of your email content. This allows you to learn from past campaigns, optimize your content strategies, and create more engaging and effective email marketing materials. So, you'll get a clearer understand of what's resonating with your audience. Key metrics can include:
Open rateCTRBounce rateUnsubscribe rateSubject line performanceEmail body performanceLink performance
For example, you can compare open rate to CTR. A higher open rate may indicate that your email content isn't resonating with your subscribers because they're not engaging with it.
4. Conversion funnel report template
This template provides insights into how email recipients progress through the different stages of engagement, from opening an email to taking a desired action (e.g., making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a form). The purpose is to identify where drop-offs or bottlenecks happen in the conversion process and to optimize your email marketing strategy accordingly. Key metrics can include:
Website traffic from emailLead generation rateConversion rateCustomer acquisition cost (CAC)
For example, you can track traffic to your website as a starting point (top of the funnel) and your conversion rate as the end point (bottom of the funnel).
» Need help with your conversion rate? Try these browse abandonment subject lines.
5. Email revenue report template
An email revenue report shows you the direct impact your email marketing campaign had on revenue (ROI). This report helps you understand which email strategies are most effective at driving revenue and how to allocate resources for the best return on investment. Key metrics can include:
Revenue generatedAverage order valueCustomer lifetime valueReturn on investment
For example, you can track your email revenue per month or per campaign, giving you either a holistic view or a breakdown of your most successful campaign.
6. List segmentation analysis template
List segmentation analysis reports are valuable because they allow you to tailor your email campaigns to specific audience segments, ultimately leading to more relevant and effective communication. By understanding which segments perform best and how they respond to different campaigns, you can optimize your email marketing efforts for better results. Key metrics can include:
Open rateCTRBounce rateUnsubscribe rateConversion rate
For example, you can compare the open rate and CTR of different email campaigns to drill down into how different audiences responded to each campaign.
7. Email deliverability report template
This template can provide insights into how successfully and effectively your email campaigns reach recipients' inboxes. It focuses on monitoring and analyzing factors that impact the deliverability of your emails and not be classified as spam. Key metrics can include:
Delivery rateOpen rateBounce rateSpam complaint rate
For example, if your delivery and main inbox rates increase and your spam complaints decrease, you can easily achieve and maintain a good sender reputation.
8. Mobile vs. desktop report template
Mobile vs. desktop reports can help you tailor your email campaigns to the devices your audience prefers, ensuring a positive user experience and higher engagement. Understanding how recipients interact with emails on different devices can also help you optimize design choices, content strategies, and the overall approach to email marketing. Key metrics can include:
Open rateCTRBounce rateConversion rate
For example, you can compare the open rates of different email campaigns to see if users prefer accessing your emails on desktops or mobile.
Key recommendations to successfully use email marketing report templates
Choose your templates thoughtfully: Choose templates that align with your objectives and requirements.Customize templates: Tailor templates to your unique needs, incorporating or excluding metrics as necessary.Regular updates: Maintain a schedule of regular updates to keep reports current and relevant.Compliance with data regulations: Make sure your email marketing report templates comply with relevant data protection regulations to safeguard data security and compliance.
Excel at email marketing
So, to wrap it up, using email marketing report templates in Microsoft Excel can be an effective way to figure out and supercharge your email campaigns. These templates aren't just helpful—they're downright essential. Embracing them can help you unlock valuable insights, streamline analysis processes, and enhance your email marketing strategies. And if you decide to hire an email marketing expert to help you make use of them, you'll know where to start.