According to the 2023 State of Marketing to Engineers survey conducted by TREW Marketing, 89% of engineers reported subscribing to at least one email newsletter and 54% subscribed to at least three. With so many prospects interacting with email and newsletters, it’s impossible to deny the versatility, effectiveness, and far reach of a well-thought-out industrial email marketing strategy.

B2B email marketing enables you to improve customer engagement by quickly and efficiently distributing information on new products or services, sharing industry news and trends, and providing other relevant insights. A robust industrial email marketing platform will develop subscribers into qualified leads and active customers, but don’t rush ahead! While it can be tempting to fire out emails immediately, particularly as we head into the busy tradeshow season, it is critical to take the time to develop an intentional B2B email marketing strategy.

What NOT to Do for Successful Industrial Email Marketing

Before we get into B2B email marketing strategies that work, let’s review tactics that don’t. These common industrial email marketing missteps can result in lower engagement, fewer qualified leads, and a rise in unsubscribing rates.

Sending Too Many (Or Too Few!) Messages

Of surveyed engineers, only 7% of respondents said they prefer daily emails. Frequent messages can result in a wave of readers unsubscribing or reporting your emails as spam. On the flip side, only 3% of engineers preferred quarterly emails. By sending too few messages, you may find you are not achieving goals at your expected rate. We find the sweet spot is sending approximately one or two emails a week.

Purchasing Email Lists or Contacting Unsubscribed Individuals

Nothing damages trust more than buying email lists from third parties or contacting unsubscribed readers. Doing either can violate privacy policies and GDPR, a protection law pertaining to collecting, storing, and using personal data. To avoid legal consequences, your email recipients should always choose to “opt in.”

How to Increase Customer Engagement with Your B2B Email Marketing Platform

1. Target Specific Audiences Through Segmented Lists

Your subscribers already know and trust your brand enough to have provided their contact information. However, a subscriber does not automatically translate to a high-quality lead. Industrial email marketing presents a unique way to build trust, strengthen awareness, and grow your brand one-on-one with your subscribers.

Segmenting subscriber emails allows you to tailor your audience’s experience depending on their occupation, industry, position on the buyer’s journey, or any other relevant demographic. Once segmented, you can send relevant content explicitly chosen for that group of prospects. When content is relevant and adds value, readers are more likely to click into your website and interact with your products or services.

2. Provide Personalized Experiences to Every Subscriber

Roughly 41% of engineers spend between a quarter and half of their buying process entirely online, with 33% conducting over half of their purchasing decision online before contacting a sales rep. This makes personalized and individualized internet experiences not only preferred but expected. Personalization strategies for B2B email marketing could include, but aren’t limited to:

• Addressing the subscriber by name in the email or subject line
• Sending birthday or anniversary greetings
• Reminding prospects of upcoming events or following up after an event occurs
• Distributing targeted discount codes

3. Use B2B Marketing Automation Platforms

B2B marketing automation services are computer-based programs designed to automate processes, freeing your valuable time for more pressing matters. By establishing marketing automation systems alongside your email marketing, you can continue to provide a tailored customer experience while not getting stuck completing busy work. Consider incorporating these B2B marketing automation strategies into your industrial email marketing:

• Establish email templates to construct and send messages quickly
• Set up autoresponders to reply when users take specific actions
• Launch workflow programs to create segmented lists and other personalized responses

4. Partner with an Experienced Agency Certified for Quality B2B Email Marketing 

If the above steps have left you feeling lost, confused, or overwhelmed, don’t worry—you’re not alone. B2B marketing automation and industrial email marketing services can be a lot, so it’s essential to work with a B2B industrial marketing agency that is an expert in your industry and certified in B2B marketing automation platforms, such as Ecreative. We offer:

• Experts certified in Salesforce Marketing Cloud
• Comprehensive knowledge of the CAN-SPAM Act and other relevant regulations
• Dedicated copywriting team to craft personalized B2B email marketing content
• Digital marketing and marketing automation specialists to tailor your industrial email marketing strategy
• Over 20 years of successfully supporting industrial B2B clients

Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how Ecreative can help you reach your target customers and drive better engagement. Our expertise is at your disposal, and we’re ready to create the best industrial email marketing strategy for your business.
 

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