Email remains one of the most effective marketing strategies B2B companies use to reach their target audiences. Assuming you’re following best practices for inbound marketing, your contact database is full of people who have already expressed interest in your product or services. Making the most of this opportunity requires a strategic approach. Below are five email marketing techniques financial services companies should keep in mind.

80% of all emails go straight to the dreaded spam folder. So, how can you earn a coveted spot in your prospect’s or customer’s inbox? First off, spam filters have evolved since their inception and are now much more sophisticated in that, instead of simply scanning subject lines, they actually judge the fate of your email based on the “reputation” of your domain. This is based on how many times a particular email source is reported as spam. To avoid this, don’t take shortcuts in building your email list. Ensure that everyone you email has opted in, and make sure that every email you send has a clearly marked “unsubscribe” option.

Segmented email marketing campaigns get 14.64% more email opens and 59.99% more clicks. The days of sending emails en masse are over. Consumers desire customization in every area of their digital lives, from the individual advertisements they see to what finds its way into their email inbox. Segmenting emails by job title, industry or even conference attendance is a straightforward way to see a significant lift in results.

3. Use Automation
Companies that send automated emails are 133% more likely to send relevant messages that correspond with a customer’s purchase cycle. To supplement the last point, automating emails can ensure potential customers are receiving relevant and timely content segmented by their interests. Offering a series of emails with similar content they may be interested in is a helpful and considerate way to push them further down the sales funnel. For example, if someone downloads a white paper about payments strategies, it is likely a good opportunity to send them a related blog post or product sheet about your payments solution.  By automating this, you save time without losing customization.

Many B2B companies still neglect mobile even though 35% of business professionals check email on a mobile device, and emails that display incorrectly on mobile are often deleted within three seconds. Considering that roughly half of all email opens happen on mobile devices, this can make or break a campaign. Display issues can include oversized images, missing alt text, and others. To avoid this, keep mobile users in mind when creating and testing your emails. Work with an email platform that automatically adjusts for mobile compatibility and send test emails to your mobile device in addition to your desktop.

23% of all email opens occur during the first hour after delivery.  After 24 hours, an email’s chance of being opened drops below 1%. For this reason, it’s extremely important to know the best day (and even time of day) to email your specific audience. Review your previous email sends and take note of any performance patterns. While most B2B financial services companies send emails exclusively between 9-5 on weekdays, you shouldn’t be afraid to try a different strategy. Continuously monitor and test your send times, as trends can easily change.

Far from a bygone technique, email is still a crucial aspect of any financial services marketing strategy.  By making a few simple changes and keeping these statistics in mind, you can achieve meaningful lift in the results of your emails.