A well-implemented email marketing strategy can be a very useful way for logistics companies to generate leads and convert prospective clients into returning ones. Email marketing not only provides the greatest advantage of being able to reach a large group of people but also allows the possibility of customizing the email content according to the needs and wants of the clients. The best part is that the receiver of the email who are the prospective clients of the logistics company can review the information at a time convenient to them. In today’s blog, we are going to discuss several tried and tested email marketing strategies that will help independent freight forwarders like you to successfully convert your leads into customers.
Email marketing tips for logistics companies
· Keep the width of your email between 500- 600 pixels
The size of your email template determines its readability. In case your email template is over 650 pixels your audience will need to scroll horizontally to read its content. This is a rather annoying task which most recipients don’t like to do unless it’s an important email from a known sender. Therefore, in all probability emails over 650 pixels will end up in the trash folder of the recipient and this will adversely impact your conversion. You should make sure to have your email template fit the standard format for enhanced readability and user experience.
· Include a catchy subject line
The subject line of your marketing emails plays a crucial role in determining its click-through rate. Including a catchy subject line with an incentive will prompt your potential clients to open your email and read what you are offering. Moreover, most customers tend to disregard a marketing email with a generic subject line. As a freight forwarder, you can consider including ‘free quotations’ in the subject line and adding corresponding CTAs within the email. The subject line of your email should not contain more than 30- 50 characters including spaces since subject lines with additional characters are usually cut off by the email providers. Lastly, your subject line must give the reader an idea of what they can expect within the mail.
· Customize the greeting
Instead of sending a generic email to all your potential customers, it is always a good idea to customize the email greeting and add a personal touch. For instance, personalizing the greeting of the email with the first name will help to attract the attention of the recipient right away. Moreover, customizing the greeting line with 60 potential customers’ names doesn’t mean that you have to manually write and send 60 emails. Most email marketing tools you will find in the market come with the functionality of sending a personalized version of the same messages.
· Avoid using ‘no reply’ in your email address
As you surely must have noticed, many bulk emails come from addresses with ‘no reply’ as the sender’s name. This prevents the recipient from responding in case that person wants to get back to you with further questions. Your potential customers are much more likely to click through a mail when they know that it’s coming from a human being rather than a machine.
· Add an email signature
Although as an independent freight forwarder, you are sending the email on behalf of your logistics company, it is always a good idea to add a personal touch in the form of an email signature. Your prospective client will be more interested in your offering if they know that the email is coming from a person rather than the marketing team of a freight forwarding company. In other words, adding an email signature will allow you to grab the attention of the reader.
· Include Call to Actions
The ‘Call to Action’ buttons are text buttons with a hyperlink directing the audience to a relevant page from where they can take further action. The CTAs provide a clear explanation to your potential customers regarding the action they should take as the next logical step. This helps to channel the visitors to your website down the sales funnel. Keep in mind that your potential customers are conditioned to seek out the CTAs to help them proceed with their inquiries and even purchases. They depend on the CTA at the bottom of the email to take the next step.
Some of the CTAs that are commonly used by logistics companies include:
Get a quote! Follow us! Contact Us! Request a quote!
· Routinely clean your mailing list
Many of the recipients on your mailing list might never open the emails you are sending without unsubscribing from your email campaign. Even though it might be attractive for you to spread the word about your freight forwarding company to as many potential clients as possible, keeping the least-engaged receivers on your mailing list will adversely affect your opening rate. This is because the recipients who never open your emails will make your email campaign look worse. Precisely for this reason, it is always suggested that you remove the least-engaged recipients regularly. Moreover, this strategy will also help you get an accurate open rate. Apart from cleaning up your mailing list, it would help prevent any possibility of bombarding your potential customers with constant emails.