After having lots of work experience running multiple email campaigns at once, I can proudly say that I have finally mastered Email Marketing. While many think that writing an email is simple and easy to do, there are actually an astounding number of emails sent everyday that are ignored. So while sending emails can be simple, getting people to open them is much harder. But, by following certain tips, writing an effective email campaign with strong open rates is quite possible, so don’t give up just yet.
When starting your email marketing campaign it’s important to know your audience inside and out. Also, you have to assume that your audience is busy and only reads certain emails that either appeal special attention to them or are from people they know. In fact, come to think of it, I don’t know anyone that reads every single email in their inbox. For this reason, it is important to be “scan-ready”, or in other words make sure your email is appealing enough that a prospect will want to read more after only viewing the email’s subject line and if lucky, the first sentence of the email’s content.
So let’s talk about the subject line; which I believe is really the most critical part of an email campaign. What you don’t want to do, is say something like “XYZ’s Monthly Newsletter” because you have to assume that no one knows your company and will probably think there is no value in opening an email from someone they don’t know. A good subject line should clearly state what the reader can expect to read from your email message, what’s in it for them, and what you want them to do as a result of the email. Remember, there is not enough space to do all of them all the time. If you’re struggling with ideas, take a look at a newspaper and read some of the headlines, you will be sure to get some good ideas in no time. Also, I have noticed that some subject lines work better when you ask a question. When I worked in the IT field, staffing was a hot subject to write about so for one of my email blasts I used the subject, “What are your requirements?” Evidently the open rate was the highest I had ever seen, with an astounding 700% increase!
The second most important part of an email campaign is the ability to be “scan-ready” which like I said earlier means the ability to have the prospect read the email campaign under 10 seconds and still be interested. When being scan-ready, the overall design and layout is crucial. You need to make sure that the content and visuals of the email campaign are designed pleasing to the eye. Also, you need to consider the audience as a lost puppy; guiding prospects on where to click and read are a great way of getting your prospects to your ultimate goal, your website. Additionally, by inserting links at the top of the email template will help you gain understanding on what your audience likes to read about also based on the clicks.
Keep in mind tracking the analytics of your open & click-through rate are also just as important as the subject line. Remember, patience is a virtue and if you want to see results you need to take the time to make those improvements. No sale is an easy sale. For more information on how to succeed in the email marketing world, visit www.BreakMediaGroup.com.