Conducting an Audit
Where to begin when reviewing your campaigns
It’s a tall order: create data-driven automated programs that produce results. But the upside is impossible to ignore: Email has the potential to be a highly profitable channel for comparatively less cost than channels like digital ads.
So where do you begin? It starts with an email marketing audit.Before you can improve on something, take stock of what you’ve got. The beauty—and pitfall—of email automation is that it runs without you, so it’s easy to “set it and forget it.” The first step to success is an email marketing audit. Do it once a quarter, or at least twice a year. This will set you on a path to regularly uncovering what’s working and what’s not, and it will lead you to uncover opportunities where you can enhance your lead generation and the customer’s experience with your brand.
What sorts of things should you be looking for in an email marketing audit? We’ll let our own email marketing superstar, Kelsey Yen, explain:
Formulas and tables to provide holistic, top level reporting
Space to measure top email marketing KPIs
Layout that displays campaign results as well as individual messages
and More!
Schedule regular audits: Don't let automations run unchecked. Aim for quarterly or bi-annual reviews to stay on top of performance.
Metrics matter: Analyze key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions for each automation. Identify low-performing campaigns.
Workflow scrutiny: Dive deep into the workflow structure of each automation. Are triggers and actions aligned with your goals?
Uncover hidden gems: Look for opportunities to optimize automations, like adding personalization or refining content based on user behavior.
Don't fear the audit: Low reach isn't always a bad sign. Investigate the cause: are previous emails performing well, or is something amiss?
Exit strategy evaluation: Ensure your exit criteria are accurate and not prematurely removing contacts from automations.
Audience alignment: Verify if the targeted audience for each automation is correct. Address any misalignments leading to opt-outs.
Embrace the "why": Don't just identify issues, delve deeper to understand the root cause. Why are messages not reaching intended recipients?
Resource optimization: Allocate resources effectively by prioritizing high-performing automations and pausing or optimizing underperformers.
Deliverability and engagement go hand-in-hand: Combine audit findings with deliverability and engagement analysis for a holistic understanding.
Download our email campaign audit spreadsheet to get started
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By following these tips, you can transform your email automation audits from a burden to a valuable tool for improving lead nurture programs, boosting engagement, and maximizing the return on your email marketing efforts.
Remember, the power of regular audits is the ability to uncover hidden potential and improve your email marketing effectiveness.
