As a fellow marketer, you know the value of building a solid marketing plan before beginning with your efforts. Building an email marketing plan and template are no different.

This piece will discuss the basics of building an email marketing plan template and some simple tips to keep in mind. Enjoy.

BUILDING AN EMAIL MARKETING PLAN TEMPLATE

email marketing is an effective way to reach your desired audience, specifically an audience that is actually listening (they’ve opted in to receive more info or signed up for some form of communication from you).

Just like any other marketing endeavor you must first outline your plan; similar to a general marketing plan, business plan or budget. As always to begin define your PURPOSE, YOUR AUDIENCE, and GENERAL PLAN OF ACTION for each email marketing campaign. To help you get started with building a general email marketing plan template I have outlined simple steps below that are a must of any email marketing campaign:

Step 1: Define Your Audience or Readers

This will help you reach only those that you are intentionally trying to as well as get your message in the hands of those who will be more receptive.

Step 2: Write Out Your Intent and Overall Purpose

Decide what your purpose is; to increase sales, to build up your contact list, to promote new product, etc. and then define it.

Step 3: Set and Outline Your Goals

Along with your purpose, you need to set your goals as well. You will never know how well you are doing if you don’t first define goals to measure with.

Step 4: Gather Ideas and Create Content that Aligns with Each Element Above

In order to reach your target audience you will need to brainstorm and gather ideas to reach your goals (purpose). This is where you actually write out your message and content for your email(s).

Step 5: Determine Contact (email) Frequency

Depending on your goals or overall purpose, your frequency may change. Frequency is a good area to research before coming to a conclusion. All audiences and messages are different and will require different rules for frequency and timing.

Step 6: Outline Your Desired Timeline for Communication(s)

As mentioned above timing will need to be determined based on your specific audience and message. Timing is crucial to monitor as well due to different time zones, product launches, cultural differences, work schedules and holidays.

Step 7: Define Tasks and Outline Ownership of Each

This is more for internal purposes only. Define who will be in charge of each task needed and assign a checks and balance system for ownership.

Step 8: Define Testing Parameters and Auditing for Campaigns

Again an internal use. Testing is always needed to see where you are at, how well you are or aren’t doing and what changes may need to be made.

SIMPLE TIPS TO REMEMBER

When building an Email Marketing Plan Template, you can consider the below tips to guide you through remembering each phase:

Plan – create a strategy that you can realistically follow.
- Resources – use tools to help you implement your plan and reach your goals.
Manage – review your strategy and put systems in place to manage the outcome.
- Reach – grow your audience as far as it can reach online.
- Act – encourage and nurture brand interactions and leads.
Optimize – utilize all SEO tools and concepts available to get the best return on your investment.
- Convert – increase sales and contacts through positive thoughts and actions.
- Engage – build customer loyalty and social interactions though positive interactions and content.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There isn’t an exact science to building an Email Marketing Plan Template, only guides to help you and your individual company meet the needs of your target market and be as successful as possible.

Your best strategy should to first build a plan and strategy to follow. Once you have this plan in place, it can be used as a template for all further email marketing campaigns to come.

“If Opportunity doesn’t knock, build a Door.” – Milton Berie

How to Develop an Email Marketing Plan Template