From Hype to Reality: Leveraging ChatGPT for Impactful Email Campaigns in Startups

Aren’t you just tired of hearing how great ChatGPT is?

But beyond the hype, how is it revolutionizing your startup?

Maybe it's time to shift the conversation from “ChatGPT is awesome” to “How can we maximize its potential?”

90% of marketers who have employed AI in content creation testify to its effectiveness.

We at Selzy are a part of that statistics as we know there is definitely a thing or two you can use AI for to get the most from email marketing. But first, why is email marketing still important going into 2024?

With over 4.26 billion email users worldwide, the potential reach for startups is enormous. 77% of B2B buyers prefer email over any other communication form.

More than just a communication tool, email marketing serves as a lifeline to sales growth, audience engagement, and investor relations. 72% of marketers affirm the excellent ROI of email prospecting while 59% rate it as the most important channel for lead generation.

This data clearly signals to startup founders where their focus should lie.

Yet, the real challenge lies in executing this with limited resources, which is always a reality for many startups. This is where mastering ChatGPT and AI-based email marketing becomes crucial.

Let's break down five ways AI can turn your email marketing from occasional blasts to a key money-making and resource-efficient part of your startup's marketing toolkit.

Easily Create Email Marketing Content Plan Ideas and Content

For startups, where every role often wears multiple hats, creating a consistent and engaging email marketing content plan can be daunting. The challenge is not just in the creation but also in the ideation.

Considering that an Email Marketing Manager in the US earns an average annual base salary of around $97,000, startups may find it financially challenging to dedicate a resource exclusively for this role.

This is where ChatGPT becomes a game-changer. It's not about delivering a perfect final product but rather sparking the creative process. “Thinking with the machine” becomes a reality.

ChatGPT can churn out multiple content ideas — some may be average, but often there's a gem that captures your attention and just needs a bit of polishing. This reduces the time, resources, and effort required to produce engaging email content.

Repurpose the Content to Get Maximum Value for Your Efforts

You are likely to have a well-crafted pitch deck with all of the information about your startup and its products. And you don’t have time to write emails.

Well, with ChatGPT, the content, while primarily designed for investor meetings, can be turned into a goldmine for creating compelling email sequences.

By breaking down your pitch deck into digestible, engaging emails, you're not just sharing information; you're crafting a narrative that leads readers right to your website.

For instance, one email could highlight a case study from the pitch deck, teasing the reader with impactful results. Another email might discuss in detail the technology behind the product, made digestible by ChatGPT. All that is left for you to do is to include a link to your website.

With ChatGPT, transforming existing content into emails becomes almost effortless, enabling startups to maximize the value of their existing resources.

Generate Response Templates to Popular User Questions

Answering the same questions over and over again can be tedious. And you have to regularly prepare tutorials and clear guidelines, too. Sounds like a nightmare for a one-person company with very limited resources.

Whether we like it or not, when queries and complaints are managed well, customers feel valued and connected, which is essential for startup growth and retention.

This led to user frustration, reflected in poor reviews and a decline in user engagement. It was a clear case of a startup overwhelmed by its success, failing to leverage the right tools for customer communication.

If DataDive Analytics had integrated ChatGPT into their email customer support routine, the scenario would have been different.

For common issues like syncing problems, ChatGPT could instantly generate laser-focused, easy-to-follow solutions. Billing queries would be answered swiftly, with clear information on cycles and upgrades.

When users suggested new features, ChatGPT could craft responses showing that their input was not just received but valued. And this level of responsiveness can sometimes turn a casual user into a loyal advocate.

Maximize Opens With (Almost) Effortless A/B Tests

A Harvard-led study revealed that a culture of continuous experimentation, including consistent A/B testing, can boost online startups' page visits by around 10% in the first months after the launch.

However, implementing A/B testing into email marketing means more than just tweaking emails. It's about systematically learning what resonates with your audience and adjusting accordingly.

Their emails were too technical for some and too basic for others. Without A/B testing, they couldn't identify or fix these misalignments, leading to poor engagement.

Now, let’s see how a different fictional startup, StreamlineCRM approached the same challenge.

That way, they quickly acquired content variants to test various angles — from informative to playful — to see which could lead to higher open rates and, subsequently, more visits to their website and more conversions.

Deliver the Right Information to the Right People to Win Their Attention

According to the Oracle Email Marketing Trends Survey, personalization ranks among the top five most impactful trends. Why does this matter? Because it can directly influence how well you connect with your recipients.

Let’s look at two examples:

This lack of personalization led to a disconnect with their audience, resulting in unsubscribes and a stagnant user base. Had CodeStream Solutions leveraged ChatGPT, they could have crafted personalized emails for each group of subscribers, addressing specific needs and interests, thus significantly improving engagement and conversion rates.

In this approach, each email was not just another notification in the inbox; it contained targeted, useful information.

StreamlineDev might have sent fewer emails than CodeStream Solutions in a given period, but each was more impactful, resulting in higher engagement rates and better customer retention.

Using ChatGPT saved them time and effort, as they didn't need a dedicated team to craft these tailored messages, just a smart AI tool that understood their users' diverse needs.

Final Thoughts

To wrap up, these examples are just a glimpse into the ways startups can use ChatGPT for email marketing. It saves time, cuts costs, and makes every email count.

While there’s much more to explore, applying ChatGPT can make a tangible difference for startups looking to get ahead in their email strategies, helping to ensure your messages hit the mark without draining resources.