Welcome to The Full Inbox! I’m Peyton Fox, your email marketing best friend, here to guide you through every subject line and CTA along the way. In today’s blog, we dive into building an effective monthly email marketing calendar.

Building Your Monthly Email Calendar: A Step-by-Step Guide

Building a monthly email marketing calendar can seem daunting, but it’s essential for maintaining consistent and engaging communication with your audience. Skipping the planning process can lead to haphazard content that misses the mark.

Key Steps to Building Your Calendar

1. Review Past Data and Analytics
   • Start by analyzing the data from the past 30 days to identify what resonated with your subscribers. Look at metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to understand what worked and what didn’t.
2. Segment Your Audience
   • Segmentation is crucial for targeting the right message to the right audience. Utilize the 70-20-10 rule:
     • 70% of your messaging should go to your general audience.
     • 20% should be segmented based on specific criteria such as purchase history.
     • 10% should target your cold or less engaged subscribers.
   • Segments can include highly engaged subscribers, recent purchasers, and inactive customers
3. Content Mapping and Planning
   • Develop content pillars that align with your brand. These can include customer stories, sales promotions, blog content, and educational pieces.
   • Plan your email content around these pillars, ensuring a mix of nurturing and sales-focused messages.
   • Incorporate seasonal themes and relevant holidays, but ensure they fit naturally with your brand’s voice and product offerings.
4. Leverage Social Media Insights
   • Use analytics from your social media channels to inform your email content. High-engagement posts can be repurposed or serve as inspiration for email campaigns.
5. Simple and Consistent Scheduling
   • Establish a consistent sending schedule, whether it’s weekly or bi-weekly. The exact day and time are less important than maintaining regularity.
   • Use high-level planning to outline the focus of each campaign, ensuring a balanced mix of content throughout the month.
6. Design and Testing
   • Small design changes, like adding a banner at the top of your email, can significantly impact engagement.
   • Test different elements within your emails, such as subject lines and call-to-action placements, to optimize performance.
7. Utilize Loyalty and Subscription Programs
   • Regularly remind your audience about loyalty points or subscription benefits. These emails often see high engagement and can drive repeat purchases.

Conclusion

Creating a monthly email marketing calendar involves a mix of data analysis, strategic planning, and consistent execution. By segmenting your audience, leveraging social media insights, and maintaining a simple yet effective schedule, you can enhance your email marketing efforts and achieve better results.

Want access to a monthly email content calendar each month? Be sure to check out The Idea Inbox for templates, calendars, swipes, and more!