Despite proclamations that the next seismic shift in business technology will disrupt everything people know, email marketing will still be at the top of the food chain when it comes to reaching your target audience in 2024. In fact, for every dollar he invests in an email campaign, the brand generates results. According to research by Campaign Monitor, this strategy has proven to be 40 times more successful in attracting customers than Facebook and Twitter combined.
Marketers across all industries can master the art of email and perfect audience segmentation for nurturing and drip campaigns to keep contacts engaged and deliver the right message and offer at the right time. I'm doing it.
These success initiatives are working just as well in the cannabis industry, but with the rapid increase and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, an emphasis on data collection, and a focus on attracting younger audiences. The need to understand still poses many challenges for brands. To know if you want to keep pinning messages in your inbox that resonate, inspire, and drive revenue.
Effective marketing emails are defined by engaging content, a hooking header, a clear purpose, and timely action points that capture the viewer's attention. Without these important elements, your efforts will be in vain. But while most marketers today understand a proven formula for achieving their goals, the industry is constantly evolving, so what worked last year may not work now. .
Take a look at some of the top-line trends we're predicting, based on insightful conversations with experts inside and outside the industry. We've rounded up some of the most notable email marketing trends we're looking at in 2024. We've put together a list to help you ring in the new year with the best engagement and conversion rates ever.
highlight data
Since its emergence, the legal cannabis industry has had to track data much more closely than other industries to stay on top of regulatory compliance. While it may seem boring at the moment, this practice gives carriers a significant advantage over traditional companies when it comes to analyzing metrics for personalized communications.
“Cannabis retailers have had to overanalyze data to stay in business. As a result, most companies are forced to examine deep-level metrics more intensively and thoroughly than any other industry. ,” said Brad Bogus, director of marketing at Happy Cabbage Analytics. “From there, the best way to finely segment your outreach is to use sales data to determine which shoppers are buying what. This will help you figure out what kind of event to host.
Bogus also recommended carefully building your email contact list. Don't just get an address, he advised.
“If you can ask someone two or three questions that are engaging and easy to answer, you automatically have an advantage,” he said. “Once you have that information, you can segment your messages more effectively. Now, I may be asking for information you don't really want to give, but I'm asking for information you don't really want to give, but I'm asking for information that you can relate to or understand. If I can ask in a way that makes me interested and aware of something I can do, then I have made a lasting connection with you.”
hook with subject
According to Kim Prince, founder and CEO of Proven Media, email subject lines should be compelling and creative.
“When I worked in mainstream media, I was in an organization that had a team of reporters who rigorously wrote compelling headlines. It's an art, but one that can be mastered,” she said. “If you have a CTA, [call to action], make sure it's clearly working. Avoid phrases like “10 percent off.” Instead, use accurate prices to increase interest. ”
Big retailers like California-based fashion brand PacSun, whose catchy, personalized subject lines regularly find success, agree.
“I like to focus on personalization, like adding your name to the email subject line and including the latest products you viewed or purchased in the body of the email,” says Amy Gonzalez, PacSun email marketing specialist. I am. “I've been playing around with the AI subject as well, and it's interesting to compare what I've written with AI performance data. If you have the tools available, even just to gather inspiration and ideas. , give it a try. Use it for keywords or when you're stuck. Be careful not to rely on AI if it doesn't mesh well with your brand voice.”
use fewer words
Convey respect without being cryptic.
“When sending an email, people think they need to cram in as much content as possible, but the more content you include, the more distracting and less effective the email becomes,” Bogus said. To tell. “Suppose the people you're trying to communicate with have a thousand things running and firing at once. The last thing they want to do is read your email. Respect the fact that you don't have much time and don't overthink or overdesign. Keep the topic and content single so that the person receiving your email doesn't have to struggle to understand your message. .”
At the same time, don't play too hard to get it.
“It's important to keep subject lines short and to the point, but don't be too cryptic,” says Caitlin McKenzie, director of content and strategy at Wana Brands. “'5 Ways to Cope When You Get Too High' tells you enough to want to know more, but 'You won't believe this!' found in fluffy clickbait Very likely. ”
Build in interactivity
Botani Managing Director Alex Boone believes interactive communications will become a defining trend for cannabis marketers, motivating recipients to take action.
“Interactive email, including polls and surveys, is replacing static email,” Boone said. “There's no denying this: interactivity increases engagement rates and leads to a better customer experience. This may look like linking to a landing page with product images and descriptions, inviting purchase opportunities. ”
Boone also classifies valuable content as interactivity. This might come in the form of enticing information that your recipients will want to come back to, such as a list of the top 10 local places to bookmark when you're hungry.
zoom out
When sending marketing messages via email, keep your company's big picture in mind.
“Treat bulk email as part of a larger marketing ecosystem,” says Wana's Mackenzie. “How can I use email marketing to drive social traffic? How can I use social media to grow my email sending list?”
Consolidate all your marketing efforts and integrate them as much as possible to ensure you don't run out of the best content or lose sight of your main objective.
Adopt modern tools
All the go-to email marketing platforms regularly update their systems with the latest power tools in the industry. This includes MailChimp's new AI features and SMS builder, HubSpot's TikTok integration, and Kajabi's enhanced email reception. By keeping yourself and your team informed, you can stay ahead of the competition, reach new levels of engagement, and work smarter, not harder.
James Mao, marketing director of Deep Roots Harvest, said: “Use these tools to focus on the quality of your emails, not the quantity.” You should also leverage these to ensure your emails are mobile-optimized.”
Maintaining compliance
Mao also emphasized the importance of remaining compliant with federal law and local industry regulations, something cannabis operators cannot afford to forget.
“Make sure your compliance department reviews and approves all email campaigns before you run them,” Mao said. “This avoids the potential headache of potentially wasting all the time you spent creating email campaigns for small compliance-based monitoring.”
Get inspiration from traditional industries
The cannabis industry is very young, and many brands are still learning standard email best practices. With that in mind, it's important to know where to look for inspiration, backed by years of trial and error with other people's money.
“One of the best practices cannabis email marketers can adopt is to follow what high-priced retailers are doing,” Prince said. “Take a look at the companies that are investing millions of dollars to find out what works, whether it's Walmart, Target, or Amazon. You don't have to reinvent the wheel to get there. Big companies are already putting money into figuring out what makes users click. Study it. It will save you a lot of grief and hopefully make you a lot of money. I guess.”
Generation A, B, Z
A new generation of consumers is entering the market, and it's important for email marketers to understand exactly what these consumers want and how they want to be presented with opportunities. is.
“Gen Z/Millennials are one of our largest audience segments, but based on cart transactions, they spend the least,” Deep Roots’ Mao said. “This group is bargain hunters, but also the most tech-savvy. For this group, sending offers, deals, and incentives via email is the most effective strategy. Deals have value and competition Keep in mind that it needs to be priced with power.”
Also, younger consumers don't have the patience to scrutinize long emails, so make sure your campaigns are fun, short, interactive, and actionable. Thankfully, you don't have to get this right on the first try. Reviewing your analytics will help you understand how to reach newer audiences. Also, classic tactics like A/B testing different subject lines, messaging, and CTAs allow you to make improvements as needed.
remember the basics
This last point is simple, but also timeless.
“In my opinion, the hottest new trend in cannabis email marketing is really about going back to basics,” Mao said. “Other companies in the industry are making advances, but email marketing platforms that directly address our industry include the most fundamental elements such as variable e-blasting, A/B testing, and customer journeys.” The basics are still missing.
“The best way to combat this is to protect yourself by following proper email etiquette and best practices, ensuring you collect clean data, leveraging customer segmentation, and considering email automation. It’s about moving it forward,” he added.
