I love email marketing. I love it because it’s not only effective (it offers some of the highest ROIs out of all digital communications platforms), but it gives marketers the opportunity to personally connect with specific customers. If you need more convincing on why your company should be sending emails, read this post here.
It may sound strange, but email marketing is like an art form. A specific, yet very basic set of elements are needed to get your audience to open, read, and act on your email.
The graph listed directly below, Email Benchmarks by Yesmail, depicts email industry standards. Check to see if your click-through rates are on par with your industry’s standards.
If you’re finding your email click-through rate is on the lower side, or you’re just getting started with email marketing, here are the basic elements needed for a successful marketing email.
Catchy Subject Line
An eye-catching, actionable subject line is must for a successful email. You want to pull the readers in, but still leave something to be desired. Good subject lines speak directly to an audience’s needs, pain points, and emotions. I don’t buy into the hype that subject lines should be a certain character length – good subject lines will get the reader to open the email regardless.
Writing tip: Like my first content manager told me, if you’re not satisfied with the first subject line, keep writing (in rapid fire style, nonetheless) until you create something that sticks.
Design and Copy Fit for Skimming
It’s no secret that we skim-read and speed-read everything. Emails are no exception. Depending on the nature of the content, the email could be relatively short or newsletter long. In either case, you’ll want to use headings, bullet points, bolded words, and images to break up the information into digestible chunks. Using visual breaks will get the reader the information he needs, and be just the descriptive nudge he needs to download or click your offered content.
Informal Language and Tone
Would you rather read an email from a friend or bank? My guess is friend. Why? Because no one likes reading emails from dry, boring companies. But, your company doesn’t have to read as dry or boring. In fact, while I create email campaigns, I try to write as if I’m writing to a close friend or colleague.
Don’t be afraid to use contractions, direct “you” statements, direct “I” statements, or a humourous tone. However, don’t go overboard.
Writing tip: If your email’s language feels a little too casual or avant garde, it probably is. If you have to question it, don’t send it. Get a second opinion or play it safe and keep drafting.
Segmented Contact Lists
Your total audience can often be chunked into smaller groups. For example, say there’s a coterie of 10 leads and all seem very interested in your service. You know this because they all have consistently clicked your emails in the last three months. You can then create an email designed specifically for that group to nudge them into contacting you.
On the flip side, you wouldn’t want to send that specific email to your entire contact list as that information is irrelevant to all contacts, and you run the risk of unsubscription.
Segmenting your contact list will not only help you get to know your audience, but create more defined, tailored messages.
While no email needs to look or sound the same, they should always incorporate these specific elements. What are your tips for a successful email marketing campaign? Comment below!
