How to Promote New Products Using Email Marketing

Email Marketing New Product Launch – Preparation

You should prepare well if you want your email marketing campaign to be a hit. The best place to start is to analyse your current customers. You want to know their preferences, buying habits, and purchases.

You can combine this information with data from past email marketing campaigns to see who would be interested in the new product, who is likely to purchase on launch, and who needs some encouragement.

When done right, this preparation can help ensure very high conversion numbers, as sending the right emails to the right people will increase the likelihood of them completing a purchase.

Product Launch Emails – Send a Teaser Email

There are two types of emails you need when promoting a new product. The first is your teaser email, and the other is the main product launch email. A teaser email is not a must, but they have worked very well to build anticipation in the past, depending on the type of product audience, messaging, and brand.

A teaser that tells your audience something new is coming or keeping an eye on their inbox for something exciting can capture the attention of your subscribers. This leads to high engagement when you send additional emails after the first one and before the announcement.

When designing a teaser email, remember not to include too many details about the product. Adding too many details to the initial teaser email(s) leaves your subscribers without a reason to open your main announcement email because they already know everything.

Make your subscribers curious by alluding to things, so they are surprised when the main announcement drops. If you are unsure about how to design or what to add to your teaser email, you can check out some pre-launch email examples that will show you what to add and how to design one.

Consider Early Access Emails

Many brands use a pre-launch strategy to give people early access to their new products. The criteria for choosing the people to receive these emails vary from brand to brand, but generally, you want to reward your best and most loyal customers with the chance to be the first to get new products when they launch.

You can also use your past marketing, browser, and purchase data to find out which customers have expressed interest in products similar to the one you are launching. Because these people are already open to purchasing the product, giving them early access can lead to very high conversions.

You can sweeten the deal using a coupon code, but the exclusive access is often enough to get people who are interested to convert.

The Launch: Creating Your New Product Announcement Email

The product announcement email is the most essential message when launching a product, so you should get it right. Remember that this email is the key to conversions and revenues and can make or break your product launch.

Many assume that including as many details as possible about the product yields the best results, but that is not the case. You want a balance between content, curiosity and intrigue, as the right combination of the three can drive intent, clicks, and conversions.

When creating a new product announcement email:

• Keep it short
• Use a prominent heading and subheading that introduce the product and tell people a little about what it does (for example, what is SOAR?)
• Highlight the product’s features and benefits, and show how it serves a need
• Use a prominent call to action
• Include product images

Do not forget to create a landing page beforehand where people will be directed once they click on the call to action. You can also use a special product page on your website, but ensure it is designed to promote and sell the new product.

Send Your Product Launch Email at The Right Time

Past data also comes in handy in letting you know the best time to send out product launch emails. Analyse your email marketing data to see when your emails have the highest open rates. You can also collect data for when your customers make the most purchases.

Sending your product launch email at the right time increases the new product’s visibility, while sending them right when your customers make a purchase can increase conversions.

Product Reviews Can be Your Secret Weapon

The emails you send after the main product launch email allow you to use everything you have to convince those who may still be undecided. Highly targeted campaigns can work very well, as can customer photos, testimonials, and reviews that show customers love your product.

Having reviews from unbiased customers can be significant in giving your product credibility. Product reviews can do a much better job because people already assume you are biased in promoting your product. However, customers typically are not, and this is why they are a credible source of information for those who are yet to be convinced.

Product reviews can work as social proof as people are more likely to take products seriously and even consider buying them if they see other people have done so and love the product.

You can include a review section on the product page, links to online review sites in your emails, and even get reviews from your social media pages. Ensure they are all verified to avoid any reputation issues that can arise if they seem solicited.

Customer Testimonials Will Also Help

Customer testimonials differ from customer and official reviews, but they serve the same purpose. Here, real customers tell potential customers about their experience with your product, how great it is, and why they love it. Having such positive experiences to use in your email marketing can make your product promotion campaign even more effective.

While someone from your marketing department can produce a glowing review and testimonial, a customer’s testimonial carries more weight. A testimonial can also highlight some issues with the product.

While it is not a good idea to use testimonials with many negative sentiments in them, using ones that are overly positive but mention something negative about the product can make the customers who left the reviews seem more trustworthy and truthful.

Leaving such testimonials also allows you to address the issues raised. By providing solutions or acknowledging the problems, you show that you respect customer feedback and are committed to working on them to improve future products.

Building such a reputation will help you in your future campaigns.

After The Launch

Once the initial product launch is finished, you need to continue promoting the product. Before you start, segment your subscriber list, so you only send these emails to those who have not converted.

Sending them to customers who have already purchased the product can be annoying and even harm future campaigns. You can send these emails to those who did not open your launch email or who did not convert at any stage of the purchase journey.

If your product has more than one use, you can take advantage of these uses to create an email series. When presenting different uses and benefits, keep your message short and simple. This is so that it is easier to understand and it is memorable. Use targeted campaigns to send different messages to different customer segments, and then product analytics to assess the usage.

Offer Great Deals

Including great deals and promotions is a great idea when promoting a new product through email marketing. Adding them also increases the chances of a customer forwarding the message to a friend. Therefore, they help promote the product further and make the campaign an even more significant success.

Diversify Your Marketing Channels

When done right, email marketing is very profitable and has a very high return on investment. You can increase your campaign’s effectiveness and ROI by combining it with other marketing channels and strategies.

As you run promotional campaigns, do not forget to talk about your new products on social media and promote them on your website’s front page. If you have the budget, consider other marketing channels, such as paid ads, SMS marketing, video ads, and cross-promotion with similar businesses.

Promotional Email Campaign Checklist

Planning and Strategy

• Define your email marketing strategy for an effective email marketing campaign.
• Identify your target audience, including new and existing customers.
• Choose the type of promotional email to send (e.g., flash sale promotional email, free resource promotional email, event announcement emails).
• Use an email planning template to outline your promotional campaign.

Content and Design

• Craft compelling subject lines to grab the attention of your email subscribers.
• Create promotional emails with sleek-looking designs that align with your brand.
• Include an informative promotional message that is both engaging and increases sales.
• Ensure the email is optimized for mobile devices.

Special Offers and Incentives

• Decide on customer-exclusive deals or discount codes to include.
• Consider a customer referral program to boost customer loyalty.
• Plan for seasonal promotions like the holiday season.

Execution

• Use professional email templates for a consistent look in your promo emails.
• Personalize the sender name and include your company name for better recognition.
• Test different subject lines to see what resonates with your audience.
• Send the same promotional email to a small segment first to gauge its effectiveness.

Monitoring and Analysis

• Track metrics to determine the success of your successful promotional emails.
• Monitor for emails landing in the spam folder and adjust your effective email marketing campaigns accordingly.
• Analyze customer journey data to refine future successful promotional emails.

Additional Tips

• Look at great promotional email examples for inspiration.
• Aim to write promotional emails that are very informative and designed to increase sales.
• Use promotional tools like A/B testing to refine your marketing emails.

By following this comprehensive checklist, you’re well on your way to launching a successful promotional email campaign that not only engages your audience but also drives sales and customer loyalty.

Conclusion

When promoting a new product through email marketing, you must prepare well, ensure you do the launch properly, and follow up after the product has been launched. All three will yield the best results and help you see the return on investment and revenue you expect from your new product.