Did you know that typically, an email will yield, on average, an ROI of $43 for every $1 spent? While that is a huge advantage, there is also the disadvantage of competition. Every day, consumers receive an inbox full of emails, including yours! So, here’s the question – what can you do to increase the likelihood of a reader opening your e-mail? Here are some tips.
Review your list. It is more important to have high-quality emails than a high quantity of emails.
Review your content. More than ever your content needs to be relevant and not just noise. Not sure what each customer wants? Ask them and then cater marketing to their specific individual needs.
Personalize. The tips above are just the tip of the iceberg. When we say personalize we aren’t merely talking about the subject line (although that helps increase the open rate to over 40%).
Engage. Remember, in person, we try not to talk TO others; instead, we try and talk WITH others. Adopting the mentality of wanting to have conversations with clients will carry through to the tone and feel of the email. Also, don’t be afraid to start a conversation requesting feedback or a question regarding new or desired products and services.
Don’t try to be everything to everybody. This one is hard to do but is the most important. As you work on your email campaigns, remember that while you want to personalize and engage, your organization is not going to be a perfect fit for everyone. And that is ok.
Have a plan. While this may seem self-explanatory, it is critical to long-term success. Plan a reasonable and maintainable schedule for your emails. Remember, balance is vital. You don’t want to overwhelm people with so many emails that they will unsubscribe, but you also want to stay top of mind. This balance can be a little bit challenging to achieve. One way to help ascertain what works best for YOUR customers is to ask them. You will be surprised how many will be happy to offer their feedback.
Measure and adapt. Be careful not to fall into the trap of doing the same thing time and time again. Review your results, and leverage those to see how and what you can improve.