How do you grow your email reach without spamming people? One key solution is targeted email marketing, a wholesale marketing solution.
It’s an effective way to connect with the right audience, and 77% of marketers have seen increased engagement with it, according to HubSpot.
At Zoe Marketing & Communications, we’ve helped businesses tap into pre-qualified email audiences — people who have opted in to receive relevant messages — since 2020.
Here’s how it works, including how recipients are selected, how quality is ensured and what it costs.
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What targeted email marketing is
Targeted email marketing delivers messages to people who have opted in to receive them. These subscribers are more likely to engage because they’ve already shown interest in related topics.
This approach is powerful because:
- It reaches people most likely to convert.
- Email remains essential, with 4.6 billion users expected by 2025.
7 key things to know about targeted email marketing
1. Where the audience comes from
People opt-in to receive these emails through:
- Surveys
- Contests
- Subscriptions
- Event registrations
- Website actions requiring opt-in
Clear language informs them that submitting their info means agreeing to receive relevant emails.
2. How quality is ensured
Spamming people is a quick way to get blacklisted. That’s why providers maintain strict quality controls. At Zoe, we partner with Site Impact, a wholesale leader in targeted email marketing, which ensures:
- Email lists are verified for validity and deliverability.
- Each contact has up to 400 demographic details for precise targeting.
- Federal CAN-SPAM compliance is maintained.
This differs from buying email lists, which are lower quality and don’t include opt-ins.
3. Why you need an agency
Wholesale email providers don’t work directly with individual businesses. They partner with agencies that manage campaigns for multiple clients.
This benefits businesses by:
- Providing direct access to advanced email platforms.
- Ensuring expert targeting and message refinement.
4. How audience targeting works
Campaigns start with geographic targeting, then filter by interests, behaviors and demographics. If an audience is too small, adjustments help expand reach.
Common filters include:
- Location: ZIP code, city, county or designated market area (DMA)
- Demographics: Age, gender, income, education, occupation
- Interests: Travel, fitness, home improvement, pets, philanthropy and more
- Lifestyle: Homeownership, family size, political affiliation, job-seeking status
5. What kinds of emails you can send
Marketing and promotional emails should be concise and tailored. Two common styles:
- Display emails: Short (25-100 words of body copy) with a strong image and call-to-action. Ideal for promotions and sign-ups.
- Copy-rich emails: Longer, with more text and links to deeper content, like blogs or product pages.
6. How retargeting works
After sending an original email, you can send retargeting follow-ups to people who:
- Opened the initial email
- Clicked a link in the email
- Didn’t open the email at all
A best practice is sending a new email seven days after the first, tweaking the subject line and copy. A second follow-up a week later can reinforce urgency.
7. What it costs
Pricing varies by provider. At Zoe, we offer:
- 50,000 display emails: $1,650
- 100,000 display emails: $2,700
- 50,000 with retargeting: $2,950
- 100,000 with retargeting: $3,900
- Sponsored content emails: 50,000 for $800, or 100,000 for $1,650 (minimum three emails).
Next steps for targeted email marketing
Targeted email marketing expands reach and drives engagement. In this blog, you’ve learned how it works, why agencies are needed and what it costs.
If you're ready to explore your options, talk to us at Zoe Marketing & Communications. Since 2020, we’ve helped businesses grow with digital marketing strategies that deliver results.
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