Because businesses are constantly competing to get attention, the average person’s inbox is bombarded with emails before they even hit the snooze button. You spend a lot of time and effort into putting together and sending out emails to boost sales, so the more that are opened the better. However, if your analytics reveals that your open rate is low it’s important to know why to correct any issues. While email marketing isn’t an exact science, there are several strategies you can implement to help you achieve higher email open rates and email marketing success.
Create Great First Impressions
First impressions are crucial and start with a subject line. Effective subject lines should be short, sweet, and to the point. Businesses are given only a few seconds at most to catch someone’s eye, so the subject line really needs to stand out.
Personalize It
Most people would rather open and read an email from someone they know than a faceless business. Putting the recipient’s name into the subject line or greeting is also a great way to make an email more personal. Also, consider using your first name for the “from” email address instead of something impersonal like “info@”.
Include Special Offers
Emails can also gain more attention when they hold an exclusive (and we mean exclusive) special offer. These offers can be, but are not limited to:
- Discounts
- Free Trials
- Special Event Invitations
- Free Webinars or Whitepapers
- New Product Release Information
Change Content Regularly
If your business is sending the same offers repeatedly with little to no diversity, it may actually cause recipients to unsubscribe.
Create a Posting Schedule
Set up a regular email sending schedule. Weekly or bi-weekly emails are enough to get the word out, but not too little to be forgotten about.
Segment According to Interest
People choose the emails that they open based on their own interests. If you are not segmenting your emails there is a good chance they are going to people who do not want them. A great way to do this is to ask customers their preferences. Not only does this give businesses a better understanding of their demographic, but it also gives subscribers a way to know what to expect. These interests can even be met in the subject line.
Make Your Email List Count
The phrase “the more the better” is one that doesn’t always apply to email marketing lists. Companies that have large subscriber lists may actually be emailing inactive addresses. It is crucial to collect addresses responsibly, making sure that they are not only valid, but that they are interested in your content.
Implement Sign Up Strategies
Email sign up forms should always be placed on high-traffic website locations that can be accessed on different devices. Many websites will use purchases to ask for email addresses, giving customers a chance to opt-in for future deals.
Be Clear and Concise
This not only improves branding, but it also increases open rates. Put yourself in your recipient’s shoes and use what you would want to see in YOUR inbox. Writing to appeal to a large number of people isn’t easy, but writing in a way that feels personal can and will make the difference.
Regularly implement these tips and before you know it, your analytics will steadily reveal higher open rate percentages. Comment below to let us know what strategies have worked for your business!
