Are your email campaigns working? – Or could they be doing better?
The truth is, poorly written email campaigns are doomed to be marked as spam or deleted without ever being opened.
Now, you might be thinking, is there something I can do to help increase my email open-rates, and the answer is a proven yes.
Quite a few! start with these, and you’ll give your emails a fighting chance.
1. Choose a Campaign Style
Do you know which type of email marketing campaign you want to run?
There are several approaches you can choose from, two of the best-known ones are email (Blast and Campaign), by knowing what style you need, you can select the one that’s best for your campaign.
What are they you ask?
- Email blast campaigns work by sending a single email out to a broad audience that contains all the content for that individual campaign.
- Email Campaigns take a more logical sequence, engaging with audiences over a more extended period and leading to a pre-planned conclusion.
They both have their merits and work exceptionally well, which you use depends on what you want your campaign to achieve, find out more as to which approach might suit your campaign’s goal.
2. Pack a Punch with your Subject Line
Why did you open this post? I’m guessing it may have had something to do with the title.
So, how do you get your subscribers to open your emails? By creating subject lines that grab their attention and inform them that your email contains information that is of use to them, relative to their area of interest and can help solve a problem.
How do you write a powerful subject line?
By using specific simple and powerful techniques, such as:
- Subject lines that serve your reader.
- Scarcity tactics.
- Cliff hangers that engage their curiosity and leave them wanting more.
- Subject lines that are clear and concise.
- Avoid using weak or unnecessary words.
3. Follow it up with a Powerful Preheader
Your preheader is as important as your subject line for improving your open rates. Why?
The preheader text gives you an extra 50 to 100 characters, and by using it correctly, you can increase your chances of hooking the reader.
You can approach this using the following techniques:
- Sum up the content inside.
- Give them a compelling reason to read on.
- Request an action.
- Personalize the content
4. Keep It Short
Have I said enough already?
Seriously though, no one has time to read ten-line paragraphs before arriving at the point of the email, too much content will overwhelm your audience and get them reaching for delete.
5. Think Mobile when writing your Subject Line
Am I right in thinking your reading this on a mobile? Well, if not, the other 66% of the population is!
If you want the other 66% to open your email, trim the fat, make your subject lines concise by using the steps you just read, and your content will be mobile-friendly.
6. Frequently Split Test your emails
Once you hit the send button your emails are out there, but how do you know that the approach you`ve taken is working?
A/B split test regularly.
What is it, and how does it work?
A/B split testing is a method of checking which versions of your emails are getting the best conversion results, and with which audience, by separating them into multiple segments. The more you test, the more you will see which strategies are working and which need adjusting.
Elements to test are:
- Email copy
- Subject line
- Preview text
- From line
- Call to action
It’s a highly effective way of fine-tuning your email campaigns and getting the best results.
7. Get Engaged with your Audience
OK, not literally, but taking a, (It’s Nothing Personal, it’s Just Business) approach doesn’t work. People aren’t opening your emails to be sold too, even if that is the point of your marketing campaign.
Instead, look long term, build lasting relationships by providing your readers with a valuable brand, product or service-related content that delivers on what your subject line and preheader hinted. The more your readers get to know and trust you, the more likely you’ll get a return from your campaigns. Don’t rush them down the shopping aisle, start with an engagement!
8. Don’t overload your Subscribers
Does the saying (too much of a good thing) apply to your campaign?
Yes.
Consider its definition – (something beneficial of enjoyable that becomes bothersome or harmful in large quantities or over an extended period).
If you have subscribers it’s because they like hearing from you, love your brand or the service you provide, don’t ruin that relationship by being too pushy with your emails.
You can limit the email blasts you send to your subscribers by using frequency capping, once or twice a week is more than enough.
THE LAST WORD
Successful email marketing campaigns don’t happen overnight, but by applying these steps, thinking long term and staying patient, you will see positive results. Oh, I almost forgot, always look at it from your readers perspective, that way you will send them emails that they want to read rather than ones you want to send.
