Email marketing remains a key component of effective B2B lead generation and B2C sales promotion. But among all the emails that people receive, its hard to cut through the noise and make sure your subscribers actually read them and respond to your calls to action. Here are some tips that will help get your emails opened and read:
Email Subject Lines
1. Keep it short, concise and personal
The subject line of your email is the first impression and usually what prompt someone to read you email or not. Short and concise subject lines produce higher open rates, so keep your subject lines to a maximum of 50 characters.
Make your email as personal as possible by including a signature with your name. Never have your emails sent with “noreply@company.com” as the sender. Not only does it make it look less personable (therefore less likely for your recipient to open it), it also stops people from adding your email to their address book.
2. Match content and voice to brand and reader expectation
Do not try to get your email opened by making false promises. This will irk your audience and probably get you on the dreaded unsubscribe list. Instead, entice the reader through your subject line but don’t “bait and switch.” Include in the content what the reader expects there to be.
3. Ask a question or add a sense of urgency to pop interest
Asking a question in the subject is a great way to entice someone’s curiosiy about your message. “How to’s” draw people in particularly well. Don’t ask Yes or No questions unless you want readers to self- select before open.
Email Content
1. Write to the reader’s self-interest
People are going to read your email thinking about what your product or company can do for them. Emphasize this fact upfront and downplay what you do. The reader cares about you/your company in context of their needs/ wants and desires. Recognize their pain points and offer your solution.
2. Features tell, benefits sell
Features are the physical detail of your product or service. Benefits reflect the “how and why” of the reader’s mindset including product use, emotions engaged, desire met and fears diminished. Use these aspects to appeal to people’s hearts and their self- interest.
3. Design to enhance, not impede
The design and layout of the newsletter must enhance reader’s ability to engage with the message. Everything you do in design is about supporting the reader’s ability to get the information they need. Make your call to action the stand out among the other copy.
4. Front load Call to Action with finesse
Be clear about what you want your readers to do. It’s always better to be clear over clever. Try to get creative about what you’ve asking people to do. Replace”Click Here” with a richer, benefit-centric call to action.