Let’s not pretend anyone has an attention span anymore. You’re probably scrolling social media, skimming news feed headlines, and listening to a podcast while reading this post. We all do it, which means any marketing email you send needs to engage and persuade fast. There are no secrets to doing that right, but there are strategies.
HERE’S WHERE WE START
When it comes to delivering marketing emails that stand the best chance of being opened and interacted with, here are a dozen key points the content pros at Street Level Studio keep in mind:
1. Think of Email as Only the Beginning
Email shouldn’t exist in an outreach vacuum. Think of it as one channel, and consider what other means of prospect contact will complement an email campaign. Perhaps it’s an SMS message with a discount code or a push to brand-specific social media participation. Whatever the overarching objective, email marketing can be the foundation of a strong omnichannel effort.
2. Build Better Contact Lists
Buying an email list might seem like a sensible shortcut, but you’re trading quality for quantity. Instead, build a healthy list of your own using catchy campaigns and incentives or offers that compel recipients to engage.
Also, make it easy to opt out of deliveries with conspicuous placement of an unsubscribe feature at the top or bottom of the delivery. You’ll shed unwanted contacts and keep your list robust. Review it every few months, cull out the nonrespondents, and keep cultivating its healthy growth.
3. Segment the Audience
Tailor your email content to specific audience segments based on their interests, preferences, or demographics. It’s worth the extra effort to be relevant.
4. Keep Design in Mind
When it comes to reading, especially online, everyone skips and skims. Our eyes land on what’s interesting, which is why giving email deliveries some structure and style is just as important as giving them substance. Experiment with designs that lead with a strong image playing up your logo and a primary site link.
5. Copy Should Be Concise and Scannable
Similar to the idea above, make your content easy to absorb. Short paragraphs, bullet points, and subheadings will:
- break up text
- guide eyes to key points
- highlight key information
- make important details easily identifiable
See how well that works? 😉
6. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
This is the opening opportunity to capture someone’s attention. Make it concise, intriguing, and relevant. Simply including the recipient’s name can increase open rates. And be wary of over-hyping—too many exclamation points won’t make it past the spam filter!!!
7. Send from a Viable Address
If recipients see a sender address reading “No-Reply,” you’re telling them in advance there’s no opportunity for conversation. Yes, you hope there’s interaction with the delivery itself, but many people want to know that the email originated from a human being—not some anonymous delivery platform—and reply directly.
8. Consistency Is Key
Many types of email marketing (think e-newsletters or weekly industry updates) provide recipients with comfortable familiarity. Stick with a consistent delivery schedule to help set recipient expectations. This builds trust and credibility and reduces the chance of deliveries being flagged as spam. It also holds you to a solid production schedule so email outreach remains an internal priority.
9. Add Personalization and Customization
Personalize your emails whenever possible! Use the recipient’s name, job title, or other relevant details. You can also consider dynamically adapting content based on a recipient’s past interactions or preferences. Are they a former client or member? Tailoring messaging with a “Welcome back!” or “We miss you!” feel and matching that to an exclusive offer or promotion can be a powerful content combo.
10. Optimize for Mobile
This rule applies to just about everything authored online. Your emails simply must be mobile-friendly, displaying well on myriad devices and assorted email clients. Use responsive design techniques, keep layout clean, and use an easily readable font size to optimize user interaction.
11. Test, Analyze, and Repeat
Email outreach is easy to test, refine, and adapt. Try different subject lines, tweak content emphasis, swap out CTAs, and adjust other elements to see what works best for your audience. You can evaluate the impact of subtle changes on open rates, click-through, and conversions. That’s solid gold for refining future campaigns. Also, be sure to send yourself a test email before delivery, noting template appearance, CTA placement, etc.
Also, don’t settle for tracking open rates and click rates alone. It’s possible to measure more valuable information such as:
- IP reputation
- conversion and delivery rates
- subscriber health
These can all create a much clearer picture of email ROI.
HERE’S WHERE WE END UP
When it’s time for your organization to create an email marketing campaign with some real teeth, reach out to the Street Level Studio team. We’re ready to hit those inboxes with impact, influence, and inspiration. Which leads us to our last tip:
12. Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)
This is the Big Kahuna: Clearly state what action you want the recipient to take and make it prominent in your email. Make a call? Send an email? Visit a website? Use action-oriented language that makes the intention obvious. You can add a sense of urgency or exclusivity for more motivation.
Need convincing? The Street Level content team is happy to buy the coffee and explain how we can amp up your emails. Click here to set up a cup! (It’s just that easy.)
