There have been many trends to emerge in the world of digital marketing, but emails still remain one of the most effective ways to boost business. They have been shown to produce conversion rates that are higher than social media. And for every $1 spent, they can generate $32 in ROI.
But in order for your email campaign to be effective, you must implement certain strategies. The emails you send must catch the customers’ attention. They must be relatable and provide useful information.
If you are thinking of launching an email campaign to improve your revenue, here are some strategies you should consider incorporating.
Personalize Without Including the Recipient’s Name
Personalizing an email is very important. It will make the email more interesting to the recipient and it will help it stand out from the many other spam emails they are receiving.
Once the most effective way to personalize an email was to use the recipient’s name. But today, with cyber security becoming more of an issue, this could scare some consumers off. They may be wondering how you got this information and what other pieces of their personal data you have stored in your system.
Instead of using names to personalize, start using personal preferences instead. If they are an existing customer, send emails about products you think they will like based on past purchases. If they are potential customers, use any demographic or browsing information you have to send emails you think they will find engaging… Just leave out the name!
Create an Engaging Subject Line
The first thing people will see when they receive your email is your subject line. Therefore, you want to make it as engaging as possible.
While your subject line shouldn’t be too long, you will want to include language that shows that the email is something that needs to be read. Therefore, you should include verbiage that lets the recipient know that it has valuable information or contains details on a can’t miss opportunity.
Using words like ‘hey’ or ‘wow’ are said to increase open rates while phrases like ‘buy now’ and ‘don’t miss out’ will promote a sense of urgency.
The length of the subject line is important as well. For the most part, you will want to avoid subject lines that are between 50 and 70 characters.
A study conducted by Adestra tracked over 900 million emails and found that those with subject lines of 49 characters and less and those with 71 characters or more were opened more frequently than those that fell in the 50 to 70 dead zone.
And although longer subject lines may be more engaging, keep in mind that if your subject line is too long is will get cut off when people are viewing it in their inbox.
Get Your Timing Right
The time you send your email will also factor into whether it gets opened or not. Studies show that sending an email between 8 PM and 12 AM and on weekends increases the chance that it will be opened. These hours are also prime time for click throughs and conversions.
There are a couple of reasons why these hours work best. First, most people are home from work between 8 and 12 giving them more time to spend with their emails and make purchases.
Also, because most companies send emails during 9 to 5 working hours, inboxes tend to be most crowded during this time of day. Sending emails later means less competition and an increased likelihood that yours will be opened and read.
If you have no one in your office to send emails later in the day, consider using an automated system that will send your messages at preset hours.
Give Something Away
If you really want people to open your email, make them an offer they can’t refuse. Giving them something free usually works.
An email with engaging subject matter or a how-to with instructions on a popular home project will provide free advice which will be valuable to many customers. But to make it even more interesting, offer an eBook, a free template or some sort of downloadable material that’s useful or relevant.
You can also send out emails advertising a sweepstakes or contest to win free stuff.
If you are giving away free stuff in your email, mention it in your subject line so people know they are spending their time wisely when they click on your message.
Make it Mobile Friendly
With so many people on their tablets and cell phones, it should come as no surprise that close to 50% of emails are opened on a mobile device. Make sure you are doing all you can to reach mobile customers by making your emails viewable across a wide range of devices.
Here are some quick tips for making your content mobile friendly.
- Reduce it to a one column format so all content fits on a smaller screen.
- Bump up the font size to make it readable on smaller screens.
- Follow iOS guidelines by making buttons at least 44 pixels wide by 44 pixels tall.
- Make call to action buttons easy to see and easy to tap.
- Put tappable elements in the middle of the screen. This will make it easy for users to tap them with their thumbs.
Re-Engage Inactive Subscribers
Over time, you will find that some of your subscribers become inactive. They may not be opening your emails and they are certainly not clicking through to yield conversions.
However, it’s easier to try and get back old customers than it is to sign up new ones. Therefore, you will want to employ strategies to re-engage your inactive subscribers.
A great way to do this is with a poll or survey. People love to give their opinions and giving them a means to do so may get them back in the fold.
You can also try sending out emails with clever messages letting them know that you are providing updated information that’s worthy of their attention.
Use AB Testing
AB Testing is a randomized experiment that consists of playing around with variants. It is often used to determine which digital marketing strategies are most effective.
In terms of email, you can implement AB testing by varying the following elements:
- Subject Lines
- Call to Actions
- Colors Used
- Layout
- Body text
- Images
And the list goes on.
When conducting AB testing, only change one element at a time. For instance, try sending out the exact same emails changing only the subject line or only the images. If you change too many elements, it will be difficult to determine which one was responsible for an increase in open rates.
Use Social Proof
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others reflect the correct behavior for the given situation. It’s a bit like monkey see, monkey do, and it’s a great marketing tactic.
You can use social proof tactics in the body of your email by giving readers facts on how many people have read your emails or successfully used your products and services.
Testimonials are another type of social proof that can be effective in boosting open rates and conversions.
Cliff Hangers Work
If you’ve ever watched a TV show (and I’m guessing most of you have), you know how effective cliffhangers can be. That feeling of just dying to know what will happen to your characters the next week can keep you on the edge of your seat until that episode airs.
You can use a similar tactic in your emails. For example, you can start telling readers about a certain procedure such as how to repair your roof. Then you can say something like, “But your repairs won’t do much if you don’t weatherproof. I’ll show you how to do that next week”.
A cliffhanger like this will keep people looking for your next email and the fact you are providing valuable information will help to build trust.
Write a Welcome Email
After someone subscribes to your emails or newsletters, a welcome email will be in order. It will make them feel special and it will also give you an opportunity to tell them more about your products and services.
To make your welcome email even more effective, offer them a coupon or discount on their first order. This will increase the chances that they make a purchase and become a loyal customer.
Use a Call to Action
Every email has a purpose. Maybe you want the subscriber to buy a product, check out your web site or sign up for a service. The purpose of your email should be clearly stated somewhere in your text, ideally at the bottom.
Obviously, you don’t want your email to be overly salesy, so avoid urging readers to buy throughout the text. Instead provide valuable content.
But at the end of email set aside a line or two to let them know what you want them to do and how they should do it.
So instead of just writing ‘check out our website’, include a link that will take them there directly.
Connect Social Media with Emails
Research shows the consumers don’t make buying decisions based on the medium they get through one platform. Rather they will rely on several mediums that include blogs, emails, social media, web sites and more.
If you really want to make your emails hit home, connect with subscribers on social media as well. Include text in your email urging readers to follow you on various platforms to increase your following.
Being able to reach consumers through social media and email will also strengthen your connection.
Keep Getting New Subscribers
Email is a great way to reach consumers, but over time, your email list will get depleted. People’s accounts may become inactive while other subscribers will simply become disinterested in your emails.
In order to keep your email campaign thriving, you will want to keep getting new subscribers. You can do this by offering free resources in exchange for an email address, by adding a newsletter subscription landing page (if you don’t already have one) or by creating blogs consumers can subscribe to.
When it comes to strategies for getting new subscribers, the possibilities are endless. Follow this link to read an article with more ideas.
Drip Campaigns
A drip campaign is a digital marketing strategy that involves sending pre-written messages to customers and prospects over time. They are typically sent out after a particular trigger such as a new subscription, a resource download or a request for a demo. They can also be sent as a way to re-engage inactive subscribers.
Drip campaigns are great for lead nurturing as they move consumers through the sales funnel faster while educating them about your product and industry. They also provide consumers with more engagement with your company working to build trust over time.
Send Milestone Emails
Milestone emails are typically sent on a subscriber’s birthday or their anniversary as a loyal customer. They help the individual celebrate by offering them a discount or free item.
These types of emails are great because they are personalized. They let the subscriber know that your company has taken time out to make them feel special.
They also promote sales. Even if you give something away free, a customer may decide to buy something extra when they enter your store or make a purchase on your web site. Milestone emails also increase loyalty and trust.
Emails are one of the most effective ways to boost business. The strategies in this article will make your emails stand out to increase open rates and conversions. What approach do you take to help your communications grow your brand?
Some research for this article was sourced from:
