The email inbox is very important—it’s where connections are created, stories are told, and sales are made. Whether we accept it or not, the email inbox for most people has surpassed the real mailbox.

As such, it’s important to realize the true value of a strong email list and what it can do for your business. With social media, the platform has control over your content, with email, you have control over your content.

That’s why the email inbox is so important for promotional product suppliers and distributors—it’s the vehicle you can own and operate on your own terms rather than a platform’s terms. Nobody can take your email list away.

That being said, you can’t just jump into email marketing, sling a few eblasts, and expect amazing success. You need a strategy—a plan of attack that will convert subscribers into paying customers. We’re here to give you that strategy.

Here are the 6 ways you can start winning your customer’s inbox.

1. Weekly or Monthly Newsletter

The newsletter is one of the most effective ways to build a connection with your current and potential customers. It’s where you deliver industry stories and news, as well as tips, tricks, and even the occasional “thank you” to current customers.

What makes a weekly or monthly newsletter successful is that it delivers real value—we’re not talking heavy selling and product pushing, but rather knowledge, information, and insights. It should be a place where your customers can learn, grow, and find interesting stories about everything and anything in your industry. Think of it like a constant reminder that you exist so that those customers turn to you when they have a need you can fill.

How do I start a newsletter?

It’s actually very simple—find the email marketing software that best fits your business, commit to a cadence (weekly or monthly), and start seeking out the best articles/videos/social posts from your business and others in the industry.

From there, pull together a simple format that you can deliver consistently and start sending it to those people already on your email list.

If you’re looking for a great example, join our ZOOMcatalog Trends email newsletter where we drop nuggets of knowledge in your inbox every single month.

2. New Product Launches

New product launches are a great reason to hit your customers’ inboxes. Whether it’s an entire line of products that you share in a digital catalog, or it’s a breakout flyer that is focused on one item or category of items, this email serves as a notification to your subscribers that there’s something new coming their way.

These emails are the perfect tool to tease your current customers with new products that can help grow their business and enhance their brand.

Similarly, it can also serve as a way to create an exclusive connection with those already on your email list as they will get your new product emails before any non-subscribed customers ever see those products.

3. Product Promotions

Of course, regular promotional campaigns are a key part of the marketing mix. It’s your way of telling customers that certain products are on closout or there’s a special offer on an entire category of items and they should act fast before the deals are gone.

The promotional email is a simple and direct email that tells the reader exactly what is going on. Whether that’s a sale on current items, or a tailored email focused on one product, the promotional email should speak directly to the desires of your customer base. By doing so, you encourage them to move further down your marketing funnel and closer to a purchase.

The end goal of this email should be to create urgency that leads to action.

4. Upselling

The upsell email is like going to the fast food drive through and being asked “do you want fries with that?” This concept can be applied to almost any industry and the resulting eblast campaigns leverage your customer’s purchase history to determine relevant product recommendations.

For example, say a customer purchases several hundred branded tracksuits that consist of a sweatshirt and pants. Your upsell email should hit their inbox two days after they receive those products, telling them, “hey, we saw that you got our tracksuits, you might also want to grab this gym bag for everyone as well.”

This email doesn’t sell as much as it encourages customers by presenting that one extra item that could improve the other products they’ve already purchased from you. It’s the subtle sell that reminds your customer that you’re always thinking of ways to make their life better.

5. Seasonal Kickoffs

Promotional product professionals know the importance of seasonal selling. Seasonal catalogs and flyers are always important in your marketing effort, and adding them to your email strategy can be a major mover of your bottom line.

These emails inspire your customers to start thinking about upcoming events, important traditions, and other notable happenings. It’s a reminder to them that they need to get ahead of the game and prepare for what’s to come in the following weeks/months.

For example, S&S put out a “what’s new” catalog that talks about everything that will be coming in 2021. This plays into the season of the new year, while also giving customers ample time to find the perfect products they need to thrive in 2021.

6. Virtual Event Awareness

Everyone is aware of this thing called COVID. While most in-person event have been put on hold, that has not stopped businesses from putting on virtual events.

We see this with companies like PPAI who is hosting their first-ever virtual event called Expo Direct-2-You, where suppliers can connect with distributors in a variety of engaging ways all online.

The virtual event email is one that you should add to your arsenal because it is going to become a norm for the promotional product industry. With a growing digital ecosystem, these virtual events are only going to expand and letting your customers know about them is important for creating awareness and keeping your audience in the loop. 

This email should serve as a reminder to your customers that you are going to be attending this virtual event and if they want to interact with you more intimately, they should also tune in.

The inbox should be one of your biggest priorities when it comes to inbound marketing. It helps create deeper connections that go beyond social media’s grip and allows you to speak directly to each one of your current customers.

Take these 6 tactics and run with them, give each one a try and see what your audience responds to. Once you’ve found the ones that work the best, double down on your efforts and start hitting their inbox with impactful emails.

Have questions about how ZOOMcatalog can take your email marketing to the next level? Schedule a consultation with our team today and we will get you on the track to success.