Despite the number of channels competing for consumers’ attention, email remains one of the integrated marketer’s most potent and powerful options. In fact, email marketing can be up to 20 times more effective than other tactics at moving readers into action.
Tips from Chief!Marketer’s special report on email marketing reveal how to improve your email response.
Sweat The Subject Lines
Long or short? Funny or factual? Though marketers still hotly debate the answers, most agree it’s imperative to align subject-line voice to audience and industry expectations.
For example, using a cutesy or flippant tone to promote healthcare or financial services might come across as cavalier or disrespectful, but be just right (and even expected) when targeting millennials. Bottom line? Understand recipients’ sensibilities, and craft subject lines accordingly (65 characters or less is ideal).
Write Copy That Clicks
- Be Direct. A rambling, unfocused tome will cause readers to glaze over and bail out.
Get to the point quickly. Put clear calls-to-action near the top and link to a dedicated landing page where you can elaborate. Sweeten the anticipation with teasers and videos that can increase opens and click-throughs. - Be Specific. Skip vague promises of “actionable insights” and “valuable updates” when asking consumers to subscribe to or request something. Describe exactly the type of content you’ll supply and weave in some benefits while you’re at it. Readers favor preference-based content—a choice of information types—because it gives them control of their ‘payback.’
- Be Original. Never directly share or duplicate email images or content when co-marketing with partners. If Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have tagged them or their content as spammy, your campaign—and possibly your domain—could suffer blacklisting, the kiss-of-death for email marketing.
Oops-Proof Your Design
Making emails readable on any device will do wonders for your open and click-through rates. Integrate responsive web design (RWD) to accommodate today’s breadth of screen sizes.
Make buttons big and inviting, and images small and compact, so pages load up and deliver content quickly.
For other tips on improving your email marketing, read Two Fast Ways to Write Better Email Headlines or Use Video in Email to Push the Marketing Envelope.
