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54 February | 2023 Business The Value of Value Conforti says that you need to cull your email list only after a year, to qualify it. Freeman adds, " e quick and dirty way is to remove people based on metrics; for example, anyone who hasn't opened the most recent fi ve emails sent to them or who hasn't clicked through to your website." But, just because someone hasn't responded to your emails doesn't mean you shouldn't give them another chance. Freeman notes, "Create a list of people who haven't opened your emails, and send them a targeted message using a direct appeal in the subject line. Tell them they are about to be unsubscribed because they aren't reading your emails and that you don't want to continue to bother them if they are no longer interested in receiving your emails. Give them the option to confi rm their subscriptions and interests." So, how frequently (or infrequently) should you send emails to customers? We certainly don't want to pester people so that they hit the unsubscribe link. e frequency of your emails should depend largely on how much content you have available to share. People don't mind frequent messages as long as they are informative. In fact, according to research conducted in 2021 by Constant Contact, a popular email marketing platform, 99 percent of email users check their inboxes daily, and 61 percent of consumers like getting weekly promotional emails. "People don't mind frequent email messages as long as they are informative," Freeman states. " ey don't always have to be about the 'sale,' even though it is at the core of everything you do." As an example, he mentions Pupford, an online dog training and nutrition advice company. Pupford sends emails almost daily, and 90 percent of them focus on a blog post written during the previous three to four years. ese are helpful articles for dog owners, so their engagement is strong. "Some online fl orists send several sales-focused emails a week," Freeman adds, "but that's mostly 'spray-and-pray' marketing based on very little segmentation or audience understanding. Most brick-and- mortar retailers can do well with two to four emails per month. e key is delivering value so that people will continue to open and read your emails." As for developing lists dependent on segmentation, Freeman shares that fl ower and plant buyers are diff erent from typical e-commerce shoppers, who typically purchase for themselves and, therefore, shop according to their own needs, so it is easier to build a profi le from that. "Flower buyers are most often buying for others and may choose an arrangement, plant or other gift based on a recipient's preferences," he explains. " at's why it's helpful to do reminder marketing for known occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays for which customers have purchased before." Value. Both Freeman and Conforti agree that email marketing requires value—or else it won't work. "If you push garbage, they'll unsubscribe," says Conforti. "No one wants your overstock, but they do want great- looking arrangements at a good price." Most brick-and-mortar retailers can do well with two to four emails per month. e key is delivering value so that people will continue to open and read your emails." — Ryan Freeman "

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