News flash: Most companies, if not all, are using email marketing to reach their target audience today.
This means the inbox is a battlefield. There is a continuous stream of competing emails flowing in. So, how do you make your email campaign stand out from the rest? Below are tips on how to improve the two most important parts of an email campaign to increase the chances of your email being read by your targeted audience: The subject line and the content.
The Subject Line
The subject line is crucial. It is important because it is the first thing the receiver sees, and it will determine whether or not they want to further pursue your email. The most effective subject lines are short, sweet, and to the point. Research carried out by Informz has found that subject lines fewer than 10 characters long had an open rate of 58%. The subject line should set-up your receiver’s anticipation of what to expect in the email. According to MailChimp, “When it comes to email marketing, the best subject lines tell what’s inside, and the worst subject lines sell what’s inside.” Do not write your subject line like an advertisement. It should just spark the interest of the receiver, making them want to continue exploring your email campaign. Also, avoid writing subject lines that appear spammy. Certain phrases, trigger words can make your email campaign look like a spam campaign instead.
The Content
Don’t write a novel! No one likes to read a long and dry email, and plus, an average person receives 100-300 emails per day. We don’t have time to read through every single email. Another fact to consider is that a lot of people use their smartphones to check emails while they are on the go, so that is another reason to keep your emails short and sweet. You can always redirect your prospect to longer documents on your website or blog. That is the goal anyways, right?
Imagine that your email receiver is late for their meeting, looking for his other shoe, and let’s throw in the kids that need to be dropped off at school. He will not read your dull email, unless it catches his attention. If the receiver thinks the product is boring, they are not going to be interested. A way to get their attention is to focus on the prospect, not the product. Personalizing the email by using their name or mentioning a product they purchased before and following up is a great way to get your foot in the door. It shows them that you and your brand know who they are and care about them. Do not be afraid to add some human emotion and personality into the body of your email. According to research by the University of Pennsylvania, viral content that is awe-inspiring, emotional, positive, or surprising tends to be popular. The product/service you are trying to promote doesn’t have to fancy or flashy in order to gain someone’s attention. Adding some pizzazz and character into your email campaign will intrigue someone’s attention.
One other important element of a successful email campaign is the email design. I won’t go into detail about HTML design or how to create templates. I would just like to add that it is important to keep your email design easy-to-read and visually appealing. These simple adjustments can make the difference between your email being read or ignored.
If you need further assistance with creating a good email campaign, please feel free to check out our email campaign 101 blog post. You can learn more about email spamming and the CAN-SPAM law on our blog as well.