Email marketing—is it still a viable strategy, or is it a relic of the past? For many MSPs, the question isn’t whether email marketing works, but how to make it work effectively!

 As someone with over 38 years of experience in the MSP industry, I’ve seen email evolve from a novelty to an essential part of a multi-faceted marketing strategy. Let’s get right into why email deserves a place in your marketing engine, as well as how to integrate it to get results!

Why Email Still Matters

Think of your marketing efforts like planting and nurturing crops. You prepare the field, plant seeds, and care for them as they grow. Similarly, your marketing strategy needs multiple streams working together—each at a different stage—to nurture prospects into loyal customers!

 Email is one of these streams. It’s not the only strategy, but it’s a critical one when done correctly. In fact, while the average open rate for emails is around 2%, my team achieved a 50% open rate and a 25% click-through rate—even on cold lists. Here are the steps we took to do it, starting with building a quality list.

Building and Maintaining a Quality List

Great lists are made, not bought, and this requires continuous effort! If you’re just starting out, focus on creating a list filled with relevant, interested recipients.

It’s a process that evolves over time, with people subscribing and unsubscribing regularly. If you need help, there are resources, like our free guide “Building A High Quality List.” Sign up / log in to our free Cloud Academy and download it here!

Writing Emails That Work

Whenever I write an email, I always keep three words in mind: clear, concise, and compelling! If the email’s purpose isn’t immediately clear to me, it certainly won’t be to my audience. I also aim to keep things short and engaging—nobody wants to read a novel in their inbox…

The subject line is the first thing your audience sees, so it has to be enticing! Make sure it’s relevant and brief while providing just enough intrigue to make the recipient want to open the email.

For example, I once used the subject line, “Why Are You Still Chained to Your Desk?” It resonated because it spoke directly to the audience’s desire for remote flexibility, resulting in higher open rates.

Structuring Your Email Content

When structuring the content of my emails, I also follow a simple, three-part formula: hook, why, and call to action. The hook grabs attention immediately, the why explains the purpose, and the call to action provides a single, clear next step!

For instance, in the email I mentioned above, my hook was, “The idea of being chained to a desk is as outdated as dial-up internet.” I then explained how cloud technology empowers mobility and ended with a call to action inviting recipients to schedule a call. No need to overcomplicate it!

Personalizing and Segmenting Your Audience

Personalization is another crucial aspect of successful email marketing. I address recipients by name and write as if I’m speaking directly to them: nobody wants to feel like just another name on a bulk email list! Using my real name and email address also adds a layer of authenticity, which builds trust and increases engagement.

Additionally, always segment your email lists to ensure that you’re addressing the unique pain points of each audience. Manufacturers, for example, have different concerns than attorneys, and I tailor my messages accordingly. This segmentation helps emails feel more relevant and increases their effectiveness.

Testing and Refining Your Approach

Whenever possible, use A/B testing to refine your approach. Testing subject lines, content formats, and send times helped our team understand what resonated most with our audiences, and we then tailored accordingly for future emails!

 It’s a valuable way to optimize campaigns and drive better results, so I recommend taking the extra time to test it out.

Double-Check Before You Hit Send!

Finally, we double-checked every email before sending it. Typos and broken links can damage your credibility fast, so make it a point to proofread thoroughly!

 Sometimes I’ll set an email aside for a few hours before reviewing it again, or I’ll ask someone else to read through for anything I may have missed.

Make Email Part of a Broader Strategy

To email or not to email? The answer is clear: email remains a valuable asset in your marketing toolkit. However, it shouldn’t stand alone!

Combining email with strategies like social media, webinars, and content marketing creates a more robust approach to nurturing prospects and growing your MSP.

I hope this blog has helped you to understand using email as a cog in your larger marketing engine!

Today, I’m going to leave you with a quote from Chris Grosser: “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” Thanks for reading and have a great week!