Quick Tips for Email Marketing Success

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal. It is primarily used to communicate with clients and to acquire and retain customers. This subject has been discussed on a number of occasions and has been (and still is) something of a trending hot topic.

Today I would like to offer you 15 quick tips that would take your next email campaign to the next level!

For your consideration, here are some facts outline why email marketing is important (in case you are still not convinced):

As of 2013, there are 3.6 billion email accounts (source)
91% of customers check their emails at least daily (source)
74% of customer prefer to receive marketing messages via email (source)
Almost half (48%) of all emails are opened on mobile devices (source)

As you can see from those figures, email marketing is very much happening. I you haven’t jumped on the band wagon yet, it’s high time that you did. And if you are already sending emails to your customers, then here are 10 tips that would help your open and click-through rates sky rocket!

#1 Offer value

Try to shy away from the salesy tone. People don’t open emails because they want to buy, they open them because they expect something of value inside. Fail to offer something of value (i.e. an interesting industry insight, a useful tip, a discount code) and you will soon find your email in the spam folder.

#2 Be Social

Don’t forget to put links to your social accounts at the bottom of your emails. This would instantly turn your readers into brand ambassadors. Encourage readers to share the content of your email and spread the word.

#3 Select the right software provider

The market for email software is flooded with options. Prices vary depending on the features that are offered and the complexity of the system. Shop around, try out different options and see which software fits your level of expertise and meets your company’s needs, objectives and budget. Try InTouch for example, and discover all the features and tools we offer for yourself.

Who knows, InTouch may be just what you are looking for!

#4 Personalize the message

Long gone are the days when it was acceptable to send emails to your dear Sir/Madam. Make use of your customer database and personalize the email and content as much as you can. Research suggests that personalized emails are so much more likely to be opened and lead to a sale.

#5 Spell check

To be perfectly honest, this is a point I need to learn myself. I have personally experienced the horror of sending out a campaign only to find a spelling mistake 30mins later. It is not the end of the world (or at least this is what I am telling myself in these situations), but to be on the safe side, always ask a colleague or a friend to proof-read the campaign before you press send.

#6 Design responsive emails

To refer to the numbers above again, almost half of all emails are now read on mobile devices. Make sure that what you are sending looks good on smaller screens. Whenever you are about to send a campaign, send a test to yourself and open it on as many different devices as you can (mobile phone, tablet etc). See what your message looks like.

Design-wise, use hi-res images and stick to shorter paragraphs. Try to be concise and avoid too long emails. People want short and sharp messages, not lengthy emails that would put War and Peace (the novel) to shame.

#7 Subject line

What’s the point of sending out a beautifully designed email campaign, only for the email not to make it to the intended receiver’s inbox? Spam filters pick up words such as Free, Sale, Promotion etc. and register the emails as spam instantly.

Go for a subject line that prompts the receiver to open the message. Look at those two versions of the same subject line for example, ‘We announce a sale’ or ‘50% off this season’s hand-picked must haves!’ Which one sounds better in your opinion?

#8 Don’t use ‘no-reply’

Try and make emails as personal as possible, and this involves not only personalizing the content but also the sender’s email. Whenever I receive a no-reply email, I feel like the sender is simply pushing their content and don’t really care about what I have to say.

Instead encourage responses. Reassure people that they can contact you if they have any questions or queries.

#9 Make use of your reports

Email reports are not to be ignored. They offer an amazing insight into how your email was received. Think of them as your campaign’s performance review, look at open and click through rates. Maybe you could follow up with customers who have looked at a certain item but haven’t purchased? Bottom line is, make the most of your reports. They are there for a reason.

#10 Unsubscribe

People unsubscribe all the time. It is not what you want, but it is part of the process. Add an unsubscribe button at the bottom of emails, it is good practice and shows that you are a responsible business.

I sincerely hope that these 10 tips will help your business and your marketing campaigns achieve better results. If you would like to find how to make the most of email marketing and many other tools and strategies, have a look at our Small Business Growth Formula.

Let me know how you get on. What are your secrets to designing a great email campaign?