Email marketing is an effective way of communicating with customers. Just like other marketing tactics, it requires a well-thought strategy to capture the attention of your readers and convert them to paying customers. Even in the face of social media, email marketing has still proven highly effective.
In fact, welcome emails alone generate 320% more revenue on a per-email basis than others on average. That’s powerful potential. Furthermore, 77% of consumers prefer to get permission-based marketing messages via email over other forms of promotional advertisement.
When done right, it’s cost-effective and influential to your subscribers. It entices them to take action, and spreads the word about your services and products. Your email marketing strategy should be as fine-tuned as possible. To increase your open rate and conversions, here are a few tips you should follow:
Write an Effective CTA
Your call to action (CTA) is critical: this is what truly determines whether your hard work was successful. This is the link that channels your customers from the email to the actual product or service. The perfect CTA might take some trial and error, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
The CTA should be short and sweet, and not exceed six words. A short CTA will allow your customers to quickly scan it and make a snap decision on whether to click. Pay special attention to your language and content, as it should motivate your visitors to click on the link. You wouldn’t use the same language to sell graphic tees as you would to sell medical equipment.
According to Internet marketing agency Power Digital Marketing, every aspect of the CTA button counts: from the language to the colors you use. “You want your audience to immediately know what the button is before they’ve even read its text,” they wrote in one blog post. “But be careful not to be too distracting. You want to pique someone’s interest, not startle them.”
When you look at some of the best CTA examples, you’ll find a common theme among them. As previously mentioned, the majority are quick to read and require little scanning effort on the part of the reader.
It usually reminds the reader that there’s no risk involved (such a trial) and gives them confidence to purchase. It also encourages them to respond right away, as most marketers understand that the chances of subscribers returning later are much lower than convincing them to take immediate action.
Split Test
Split testing is one of the best ways to learn more about what email marketing messages are working and what aren’t. Through split testing, you can send different variations of the same message to different people in the subscriber list, or test different elements of your email over a period of time. You can then use the results of the test to make educated decisions moving forward. You’d be surprised at the small changes that make a big difference.
The minimum subscriber count for split testing should be around 100. The more people, the better. Here are different elements of your email worth split testing:
- Subject line
- Call to action
- Body text
- Email design (typography, colors, layout)
- Personalization
- Send time
Check out these split testing ideas and results to learn more about how split testing works. Additionally, it might be beneficial for you to work with a knowledgeable marketing agency who can hone in on what’s most likely to garner better results for your campaign.
Keep It Short
The subject line is a solid example of how keeping it short works in your favor: 64% of subscribers will open promotional emails because of the subject line, and subjects with fewer than 10 characters had a whopping open rate of 58%. Many business owners don’t realize how powerful subject lines really are, and will instead attempt to pack it with as much information as possible.
The subject line should be attractive, inspiring, creative and eye-catching. One of the best ways to get the reader to open the email is with a short, personalized subject. If you collect data on your subscribers and your email lists are properly segmented, this is much easier.
The subject line isn’t the only that should be kept short, though. The body of your email should also be to the point. The body should explain the what and why: what the email is about, and why the reader should care enough to click the CTA.
Keep Your Subscriber List Organized
You should be constantly cleaning up your subscriber list for the most optimal results. By cleaning your email list regularly, you can decrease your bounce rate, increase your open rate, and even save money on your email marketing platform.
There are plenty of reasons why your current data might be inaccurate: emails are misspelled, some emails are duplicated, and others no longer exist. Small improvements go a long way in the overall scheme of things.
Segmentation is also important. Why? Because not all of your subscribers are the same. Your business could easily appeal to a variety of audiences, and your email should attract them based on their specific needs.
For example, let’s say own an eco-cleaning supply company. On the one hand, you might appeal to a large number of office managers who employ green cleaning practices in their office. On the other, you appeal to the average, eco-conscious homeowner. Rather than send the same email to both audience types, you should be able to segment your list to improve your open rate and email reputation.
Many email marketing providers charge for unsubscribes until you delete them – so that is a major incentive to stay on top of your email marketing.