What to Do with All Those Client Emails in Your Database

So you’ve built up a healthy amount of email addresses in your client database–now what should you do with them? Well, one thing’s for sure: With the proper email marketing strategy, your client database can be a gold mine of opportunity. If you’re wondering what your next steps should be, below are some ideas and recommendations to help you get the most out of your client email database.

1. Upcoming Events

If your business hosts events (e.g., meetings, seminars, webinars, shows, etc.) on certain calendar dates, be sure to send this information out to your email list to let them know. If the event requires some type of R.S.V.P., registration, ticket purchase, etc., be sure to include the link in the email to make it more convenient for your subscribers. Once the event has passed, consider sending out a recap for those who might have missed it.

2. Company News

If you’re releasing a new product, making a major change in your product line, discontinuing certain products, etc., that’s information you definitely want to share with your client database! Use this opportunity to share any positive press your company might have received, too. Simply put, if it’s newsworthy, send it out as a news update!

3. Special Sales and Promotions

Include special sales, limited-time offers, and even some exclusive subscriber-only promotions to make them feel even more special. Creating offers only for email subscribers creates an added incentive for people to join your list.

4. Popular Social Media Content

Perhaps one of your Facebook posts racked up a ton of likes and comments, or maybe your recent tweet garnered dozens of retweets and favorites. This is something worth sharing with your database, just in case they haven’t connected with your social media accounts yet. Not only will this further promote content your readers will probably find interesting, but it can help you boost your follower count on your various social platforms as well.

5. Exclusive Content

The reason why people sign up for your email list is that they want to become more engaged with your brand to some degree. These people have basically set themselves apart from the casual visitors, and they deserve to be treated as such. Think of ways to create exclusive, subscriber-only content that will make them feel special for being a part of your brand’s inner circle. It could be a personal note from the CEO, some handy tips or advice, or maybe even a multiple-part mini-course relevant to your product or service.

Pick 1-4 items from the list above to create your campaigns each month. Be careful not to overdo it; you don’t want to bombard your subscribers with incessant or redundant messages. Just use your judgment to determine which types of emails will be the most appropriate based on scheduling, seasonality, etc.

Maintain Proper “Database Hygiene”

True to the laws of entropy, your email database can easily devolve into a disorganized, bloated mess if you don’t keep it well-maintained. Be sure to practice proper “hygiene” by staying on top of these database maintenance items:

• Purge your email list of duplicates, misspellings, undeliverables, unconfirmed subscribers (if you manage a double opt-in list), etc.
• Use tags to categorize or label your contacts (e.g., “Prospect”, “VIP Donor”, “Twitter Follower”, etc.)
• Segment your list based on relevant client data (e.g., gender, geographic location, purchase history, length of time as a subscriber, etc.)
• Put a plan in place to regularly monitor your results. This helps you develop a high-quality list of contacts who will open and read your emails, and consistently interact with your brand on a more meaningful level.