Common Mistakes People Make in Email Marketing and How to Avoid Them

I received a newsletter some time ago and there was an obvious grammatical error in the second paragraph. I can guess that the sender may have probably edited and proofread the email content several times before finally clicking on the send button but unfortunately realizing the mistake minutes after sending. While some errors are obvious, you can be lucky to have it unnoticed other times.

There is a saying that no man is infallible but then all errors that have to do with email marketing are avoidable. Do not fall into the category of marketers who set up email marketing campaigns without applying the right strategies.

With the potential of email marketing making you 42$ ROI for every 1$ spent, you may be missing out on a whole lot if it has not yet been included in your marketing strategy. However, it will be riskier if your email marketing is plagued with errors.

Email marketing is a powerful tool when used correctly, and can be an inefficient tool when used otherwise. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting out, understanding these pitfalls and learning how to avoid them can be a game-changer for your campaigns.

Let’s dive into the most common email marketing mistakes and explore actionable strategies to avoid them, this will ensure that your emails not only reach your audience but resonate with them. In short, avoiding these mistakes is the secret to boosting your open rate, click-through rate and conversion rate. The mistakes are:

1. Neglecting personalization
2. Ignoring mobile optimization
3. Overlooking subject lines
4. Failing to segment your audience
5. Sending emails too frequently or infrequently
6. Ignoring analytics
7. Not providing value
8. Failing to include a clear call to action
9. Not testing emails
10. Ignoring unsubscribe requests

Neglecting personalization

I want to believe that no email marketer still sends a “dear sir/ma” email to their users. The inability to personalize your subject line most importantly and the body of your email content is an invitation to an unsuccessful campaign.

A generic, one-size-fits-all approach should be thrashed because it fails to connect with the audience on a personal level. Just imagine you subscribed for a fitness newsletter on a blog and then you start getting an email about pet care.

Emails are supposed to be personalized with the receiver’s name, interest, specific details about them, purchase history, personal events like birthdays or anniversary, relevant CTAs and preferences. Use the data to tailor your messages.

Instead of “Dear Customer,” try “Hi Adeyemi, we’ve got something special for you!”

Ignoring mobile optimization

Most times, it is easier to focus on designing emails that look great on a desktop but are cumbersome to navigate on a mobile device. Be reminded that about 70% of your target audience will be receiving and reading your email on their mobile device so, optimizing your email campaign is non-negotiable.

Ensure your emails are responsive and mobile-friendly. This means using a single-column layout, larger fonts, and buttons that are easy to tap.

If you would have your audience rotate their smartphone, tilt their heads sideways or zoom in and out to get the content of your email, you are making it easy for them to ignore your emails.

Shorten your subject lines to 40 characters or less and use preheader text effectively. This ensures that your key message is visible even on small screens. Keep content to a single column, and use images that are no wider than 600 pixels. Test your emails on various devices to ensure compatibility.

Overlooking subject lines

Your subject line helps you to make the first impression which means, your email may not be opened if the subject line is not captivating enough. Do noy make the mistake of crafting subject lines that are either too generic, misleading, or lack appeal.

Spend time on your subject lines — they are the first impression of your email. Make them concise, relevant, and intriguing to encourage opens.

It is okay to be excited about your product launch, offers and more but you need to get your use of punctuation under control and steer clear of buzzwords in your subject lines.

A/B test different subject lines to see what resonates best with your audience.

Failing to segment your audience

It is a gross mistake to treat your entire subscriber list as a monolithic group by sending the same email to everyone. One important thing to note is that marketing is only effective when the message is targeted.

Segment your audience based on demographics, purchase history, engagement level, or other relevant criteria. This allows you to send more targeted and relevant messages, which can lead to higher engagement rates.

Create segments like “New Subscribers,” “Frequent Buyers,” and “Inactive Subscribers.” For new subscribers, send a welcome series. For frequent buyers, offer exclusive discounts or early access to sales. For inactive subscribers, try a re-engagement campaign to win them back.

Your customers or users have varying needs and the only way you can cater to their needs is to sort them into smaller groups.

Sending emails too frequently or infrequently

One thing you do not want to do is bombard your subscribers with too many emails, leading to annoyance, or sending emails so infrequently that subscribers forget about you. Just put yourself in their shoes, would you like to receive 5 newsletters in a day from a particular business? It doesn’t matter if the emails are well structured, they shouldn’t come too often or less frequent.

Find the right balance in your email frequency. You should have a regular sending schedule which could be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, just have a pattern and stick with it. This often involves testing and paying attention to your audience’s feedback and engagement rates.

Start with a moderate frequency, such as a bi-weekly newsletter, and adjust based on performance. If you notice a drop in open rates or an increase in unsubscribes, consider reducing the frequency. Conversely, if engagement is high, you might increase the number of emails slightly.

Ignoring analytics

Not tracking the performance of your email campaigns or failing to analyze the data is a mistake you should try to avoid by all means. You can’t just launch your email campaign and leave it into the fate of an email service provider to do to it what it may, you have to monitor its performance.

Use analytics tools to monitor key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. This data can provide valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not.

If you notice low open rates, experiment with different send times or subject lines. If click-through rates are low, consider improving your call-to-action or the relevancy of your content.

Not providing value

You have to ensure that you do not focus solely on sales pitches without offering any additional value to the reader else there will be a large churn on your email list. If you have promised to share email marketing tips with your audience, don’t bore them with unrelated stories from your last trip to France.

Balance your promotional content with valuable information. This could include tips, industry news, how-to guides, or entertaining content. Do not write to them as a salesman by being boring and irrelevant.

If you run a fitness brand, mix product promotions with workout tips, nutrition advice, and motivational stories. This not only keeps your audience engaged but also positions you as a helpful resource

Failing to include a clear call to action

Every email campaign should have a goal, which action do you want your audience to take? Never send emails without a clear and compelling CTA, it leaves readers unsure of the next step. Allowing your audience figure out what it is they should do can be so big of a request. A clear CTA induces your reader to perform a specific action.

Every email should have a clear and prominent CTA. Use action-oriented language and ensure it stands out visually in your email.

Instead of a vague “Click Here,” use specific CTAs like “Shop Now,” “Download Your Free Guide,” or “Join Our Webinar.” Use contrasting colors for your CTA buttons to make them easily noticeable.

Not testing emails

If your email campaign is not giving you the intended result, it clearly shows that something is not working. Sending emails without testing them leads to potential errors and poor user experience.

Always test your emails before sending them to your entire list. This includes checking for typos, broken links, and ensuring the design looks good on different devices.

Send test emails to yourself and colleagues. Check on various email clients like Gmail, Outlook, and mobile devices. Use tools that preview your emails on different platforms and devices to catch any issues.

Ignoring unsubscribe requests

Another dreadful mistake you should run away from is ignoring subscribers’ requests to unsubscribe or making it difficult for them to unsubscribe. As excited as you may be to see your email list growing, some people may decide to opt out. Don’t make the mistake of holding on to these people by force.

Make the unsubscribe process easy and straightforward. While losing subscribers can be disappointing, it’s better to have a smaller, engaged list than a larger, uninterested one.

Include a clearly visible unsubscribe link in every email. Respect unsubscribe requests immediately to maintain a positive reputation and comply with legal requirements.

Conclusion

Avoiding these common email marketing mistakes can transform your campaigns from mediocre to highly effective. By personalizing your emails, optimizing for mobile, segmenting your audience, and providing valuable content, you can build stronger relationships with your subscribers and achieve better results. Remember, email marketing is not just about sending messages — it’s about creating meaningful connections with your audience. Sign up on the best email marketing tool for your business today.