Too many people overlook email marketing in favor of other marketing platforms such as social media or print advertisement. With nearly 80 percent of marketing emails sent to adults weekly never actually being opened, can you blame them? Why spend all that time crafting an email that is just going to be ignored?
This is where strategic planning comes into play. Just like every form of marketing, if there isn’t a proper strategy in place to launch your campaign, you may be pouring your time and resources into something that isn’t going to produce the results you’re hoping for.
Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is a powerful marketing tool and has a unique opportunity for a high level of returns. For every $1 spent, email marketing produces an average return of $38. Believe it or not, that’s a purchase rate nearly three times higher than social media.
According to a MailChimp report, the average email open rate across all industry sectors is between 20 and 40 percent, but that doesn’t mean email marketing should be overlooked. Instead of disregarding email marketing, focus on getting your email to be one of the 20 percent that consumers open.
Here are five tactics to optimize your emails and not only drive individuals to open the email but also click through and convert.
Add a Personal Touch
Treat the recipient as an old friend. Address your reader by name and include personal details they can relate to and appreciate, such as mentioning previous purchases or suggesting future purchases. The email should stay conversational, simple, and should never overwhelm the reader.
Focus on One Goal
Start with a subject line that gets the goal of the email across and addresses the reader directly. This gives the reader incentive to open the email, and if they open the email they are more likely to convert. We also know that the shorter the subject line is, the better the results. A six to ten word subject line typically has the highest open rate, and your readers should be able to see the entire subject line on a browser or mobile device without having to open the email. The opening content is also key, it’s important to use the first line of the email to pull the recipient in with direct language that specifically addresses the reader.
Get them Motivated
Focus on the value your email and website provides, and show the reader exactly what benefit they will get from converting. The value proposition and what is being offered to the reader is the number one factor in determining whether they will want to continue reading or hit the delete button. Encourage them to directly move forward to action. For example, instead of using the phrase “Click here to read more,” use “Click here to download our free eBook.” Adding urgency triggers such as “now,” “today,” “limited” or “final” can also help encourage the reader to respond.
Get the Timing Right
Marketing emails are more likely to be opened on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before 11 a.m. Most people don’t open emails on Saturdays or Sunday morning and afternoons, so keep that in mind when you are sending your emails. However, some people do look at their emails on Sunday night when they are preparing for the week ahead, so depending on your target audience this may be a great time to reach out.
Find the right fit
Make your email as easy to read as possible. This means keeping it brief and to the point; 150 words and five sentences or less is optimal. Also, be sure to use a readable font and ensure that there are plenty of line breaks and whitespace as this will make your email easy to skim. Additionally, many readers access their email via a mobile device so it is important to make sure that the email is responsive for mobile access.
Need help with your digital marketing?
In the jumble of email promotions readers receive daily, it can be tricky knowing how to get your emails opened, read and responded to. Enilon is here to help you through your marketing ventures such as optimizing your email strategy. If you are a serious marketer ready for your emails to stand out in the pack… Contact Us.
Sources:
http://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2016/30684/how-to-write-an-email-that-gets-opened-read-and-responded-to-infographic?adref=nlt092016–
http://mailchimp.com/resources/research/email-marketing-benchmarks/
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