First Week on the Job as an Email Marketer

Email marketing sounds old school; outdated and uncool. Digital marketing is supposed to be about creating cutting edge campaigns that everyone talks about. Email probably isn't what you had in mind as your first digital job, but if you’re lucky enough to have scored that gig, chances are you won't want to leave it now. Your first week will be a whirlwind of learning about clients' campaigns and your company's methodologies.

My journey into email marketing only truly started about 8 months ago. Coming into the new position I was confident that I knew everything I needed to know about the industry. After all, I was the head of marketing at my previous job, responsible for everything marketing. I quickly learned that my knowledge was far less than I thought. I found myself scrambling to catch up. Additionally, I realized I had been doing a poor job at the company I came from (even though I thought I was the best).

The first week on the job can be very stressful, especially when you’re new to email marketing. It took me a few weeks to realize what I needed to do, but I could have figured things out sooner. Here are some tips that can set you up for rapid success the first week on the job.

Ask questions.

Take your questions beyond the basics of campaigns. Ask why things are done the way they are. Why are emails sent the time they are? Why is content worded the way it is? Why are campaigns set up the way they are?

These questions will help you get a broader view of what you are doing. As you ask questions, you will probably start to notice inefficiencies, or start to think of ways to make the process run more smoothly. Perhaps there are more efficient ways to set up campaigns. Or maybe the strategy and tactics don't line up. Your outside perspective brings something no one else has, so use it to your advantage.

Learn to code their way.

Okay, you probably know how to code already; but how well? This new position might require a lot of coding and you don't want to be working late hours because you are too slow. Also, can you adapt your coding style to match that of the company you are at now? Many places will have their own style that most of your coworkers will code in. Be sure to learn that style to make your emails easily editable by everyone else.

Discover weaknesses.

If your new company is struggling in certain areas, see if you can make it better. If you can improve what your company is doing in your first week, you are likely to be rewarded with bigger responsibilities early.

These weaknesses will be uncovered while asking questions. Never be afraid to ask 'why' often. If there isn't a solid answer to the 'why', then there may be a weakness.

Learn the trends.

Email marketing evolves and innovates quickly. With millions of marketing emails being sent daily, companies have to compete for attention in the inbox. Find out what these companies are doing and talk about it with your coworkers. This will show that you follow the industry closely, but more importantly, it might spark conversation and innovation.

Do an unofficial audit.

Take time to look at what your company is doing on your own. Evaluate the templates, copy and CTAs that are being used. Learn how subscribers are getting into the database. Are they signing up for the email list on a website? Are lead generation forms being used? Are the lists bought?

Find out how frequently a subscriber will get emailed in a week or month. See if there are triggered emails in place. If there are, what triggers them? It is email activity? Or is your company more advanced and triggering off of specific website activities?

The first week on the job is stressful enough. Don't stress yourself out by worrying about saying or asking the right things. You were hired because you are able to do the job, so don't feel like you have to prove yourself the first week. Instead, focus on setting yourself up for success in the future.

If you asked the right questions and understand the campaigns enough, you will be able to improve them. Don't be afraid to suggest small changes; there is nothing wrong with a quick win.