Have you ever found yourself ignoring email marketing? Maybe you’re unsure what email marketing metrics are, have no idea what is A/B testing means, or just don’t see email as important compared to social media or other strategies. Do you think email marketing is outdated or not as powerful as social media? Think again! With a jaw-dropping ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, email marketing is one of the most effective tools to grow your business.

Think about it this way—email marketing comes into play once your customers are already interested in what you offer. You’ve done the hard part: building trust. Now, it’s all about nourishing that trust and keeping them engaged. When done right, email marketing can take your business to the next level. So, why let this opportunity slip away?

In this blog, we’ll uncover the most common mistakes business owners make with email marketing and why these errors hold them back. Plus, we’ll show you how virtual marketing assistants (VAs) can help turn things around. Let’s dive in!

1. Ignoring Email Marketing Metrics

What are marketing metrics? Many business owners send emails but don’t track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversions. Without these insights, it’s hard to know what’s working or fix what isn’t. For example, low open rates mean your subject lines aren’t engaging, while poor CTRs suggest your content or CTAs need improvement. Tracking metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions helps you understand what’s working and what isn’t. If your open rates are low, your subject lines might need a refresh. A poor click-through rate? Your content or call-to-action (CTA) may need tweaking.

Other important metrics include bounce rates, unsubscribe rates, and list growth rate—all of which help measure your campaign’s health.

Why It Matters

Sarah, who launched a skincare brand, didn’t monitor her email performance and saw poor sales. When she finally checked, her open rate was just 12%, and her CTR was 1%. After improving her subject lines and CTAs based on this data, her results improved. Using lead marketing metrics tools to measure performance like Mailchimp or HubSpot makes tracking these metrics easy.

Once she began tracking key metrics and using tools like Mailchimp, she pinpointed the problem: weak subject lines and CTAs. By optimizing these elements, her sales doubled in just three months.

2. Neglecting A/B Testing

What Is A/B Testing? A/B testing means creating two different versions of an email and sending them to small portions of your audience to see which one works best before sending the winner to your entire list. Many business owners make the mistake of sending the same email to their entire list without testing variations. This limits insights into what resonates with their audience.

For example, A/B testing can help you determine whether emails sent on Wednesdays perform better than those sent on Tuesdays. You can also test subject lines, CTAs, designs, or even segment-specific content to discover which audience engages most with your product.

Why It Matters

Sarah ran an A/B test for her email campaign with two subject lines:

• Option A: “Transform Your Skincare Routine Today!”
• Option B: “Discover the Secret to Radiant Skin.”

Option B outperformed Option A by 25%, resulting in higher open rates and better campaign results. A/B testing gave her valuable insights to improve future emails and tailor content to her audience’s preferences.

3. Overlooking Personalization

Generic emails like “Dear Customer” fail to connect with your audience. Consumers now expect personalized messages tailored to their preferences, location, or purchase history.

Why It Matters

Sarah initially sent generic emails to her customers, resulting in low engagement. She later switched to personalized messages, such as: “Hi Emily, we thought you’d love this new moisturizer to pair with your cleanser!”

This small adjustment significantly increased her click-through rates and repeat purchases. Personalization not only boosts engagement but also builds customer loyalty, making your email marketing campaign more effective.

4. Failing to Segment Your Audience

Sending the same email to your entire list ignores the diverse needs and behaviors of your subscribers. Segment your audience by demographics, purchase history, engagement level, or even geographic location. For instance, send holiday promotions to customers based on their time zone or season. Not all customers are at the same stage of the buyer’s journey, and segmentation allows you to tailor your messaging to meet their specific needs.

Using segment A/B testing, you can go even further by testing what works best for different audience groups. For instance, you might test whether new subscribers respond better to a welcome email with a discount or an email that highlights your brand story.

Why It Matters

Sarah segmented her audience into three groups and ran A/B tests to refine her campaigns:

• New Subscribers: Tested a discount offer versus a brand introduction email in her welcome series.
• Repeat Customers: Offered loyalty discounts in two formats—percentage-based and free shipping—to see what drove more purchases.
• Inactive Subscribers: Sent a re-engagement campaign testing a 20% discount versus an exclusive product preview.

By combining segmentation with A/B testing, you can refine your approach even further. For example, test different welcome emails for new subscribers in various age groups.

5. Failing to Comply with Email Marketing Laws

Laws like GDPR and CAN-SPAM ensure your audience only receives emails they’ve agreed to. Neglecting these rules can lead to penalties and damage your brand’s reputation. Tools like Mailchimp automate opt-in forms and ensure compliance, so you can focus on creating great content.

Why It Matters

Sarah once emailed customers who hadn’t opted in and forgot the unsubscribe link. Her email provider flagged her account, disrupting her campaigns. After fixing compliance issues, she avoided further problems and restored her campaign performance.

By switching to one of the best email marketing platforms, like Mailchimp or HubSpot, she was able to automate compliance checks, include opt-in forms, and ensure her campaigns met legal standards. After fixing these issues, her campaigns ran smoothly, avoiding further penalties and restoring performance.

How a Virtual Marketing Assistant Can Help You Avoid Email Marketing Mistakes

With 79% of marketers using email as their primary channel for generating leads, it’s essential to avoid common mistakes and optimize your campaigns. Virtual marketing assistants (VAs) can play a crucial role in making this happen.

• Establish tracking systems, generate reports, and suggest improvements to your campaigns, saving you time and helping you get better results
• Set up tracking in tools like HubSpot or Google Analytics and prepare weekly performance reports.
• Conduct A/B tests, monitor real-time results, and implement winning strategies across future campaigns, ensuring your emails consistently perform better
• Implement personalization tags, manage customer data for accurate targeting, and create tailored templates to ensure your audience feels valued and understood
• Organize and update audience segments, create dynamic groups that adapt in real time, and send targeted campaigns to ensure every subscriber receives relevant content
• Audit your campaigns for compliance, manage opt-out lists, and ensure your emails meet legal standards to protect your brand and reputation

With a skilled VA on your team, you’ll have a dedicated partner to handle the nitty-gritty details of email marketing while you focus on growing your business.

Conclusion

By addressing these five common mistakes, Sarah transformed her email marketing strategy. With the help of her virtual assistant, she tracked metrics, tested campaigns, personalized messages, segmented her audience, and ensured compliance. Her sales soared, and her email list became an engaged community rather than a neglected database.

Email marketing is a powerful tool, but it requires a strategic approach. With the right tactics—and the support of a skilled VA—you can unlock its full potential and grow your business. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll not only improve your email marketing performance but also build a stronger, more engaged audience.

At Ready Set our Virtual Assistants (VAs) bring a comprehensive skill set tailored for managing all aspects of your email marketing efforts. Equipped with hands-on experience in platforms such as Marketo, Klaviyo, and HubSpot, our VAs ensure your email campaigns are executed with precision.

From improving click rates to ensuring compliance, we help businesses build smarter campaigns that convert.

Learn more with our services today.