In the digital age, running a business is all about finding new and innovative ways of grabbing people’s attention. Unfortunately, with all of the content we are inundated with on a daily basis, it can be difficult to reach your target audience, particularly with email campaigns.
The problem with email campaigns is that it is all-too-easy for customers to subscribe and delete their messages without opening them, which can reduce the profitability of email campaigns significantly.
So, how do you reach your target demographic and maximize the efficacy of your email blasts?
The answer is surprisingly simple…
1. Personalize Your Campaign.
One of the best things about email campaigns is that they are extremely customizable. Take advantage of this option in your email campaigns and instantly see results.
According to Campaign Monitor, emails with personalized subject lines are about 26% more likely to be opened by customers. The best way to personalize your emails is to get as much subscriber information as possible. You can have your subscribers sign up with more than just their names and email addresses; including other personal details such as gender, zip code and age range to personalize your campaigns even further.
An extremely effective tool for marketers is the ability to segment your email lists. For example, you can section off your VIP customers for special offers or send coupons to those with items still in their shopping carts to incentivize their return to your site.
2. Choose a Compelling Subject Line.
The average person deletes about 48% of their emails, so the key to having your emails make the cut is as simple as choosing a compelling subject line.
A compelling subject line will include an incentive for subscribers to open their emails. Words advertising special offers and deals, as well as words that inspire action (such an “important,” “hurry” and “urgent”), are more likely to catch a reader’s eye.
Speaking of catching a reader’s eye: you need to format your email campaigns for several platforms. The average person uses at least two devices per day, including mobile devices, laptops, and iPads. Mobile-ready email templates are essential in today’s fast-paced marketing world.
Remember to be brief, as well! If the email’s subject line is too long, you risk losing his or her attention.
3. Integrate other marketing techniques.
The content of your email is just as important than the subject line.
If the email’s content is too long, your subscribers will lose focus. The key to capturing attention in today’s market is to keep your emails short, sweet and interesting.
Start with keeping your audience’s expectations in mind, and integrate other marketing techniques to meet these expectations.
If your company is advertising a sale, include something like a “shop now” button to direct customers to your site. Buttons for sharing emails via social media outlets and incentives for inviting other subscribers also work well to increase your company’s profit and outreach.
Including bite-sized pieces and taglines to hook your reader’s interest and directing them to your website is also a great way to increase views and drive traffic to your page.
4. Send Smartly.
When you send your email blasts is key to the success of your company.
If you flood your subscriber’s inboxes with emails, you’re going to lose your demographic. Time these emails smartly; experiment with sending your emails once or twice per week or biweekly to see what drives the most traffic to your page.
Don’t forget to do your research!
You can send a campaign out every day, but that still won’t matter if your emails aren’t being opened. According to research conducted by GetResponse, most emails are opened between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and noon.
Many email campaign hosts, such as MailChimp, include analytics to notify senders of when their emails have been opened. Google Analytics also offers insight into when your site experiences the most traffic, which you can use to time your emails for maximum campaign engagement.
Mobile marketing is all about experimentation. While these tips provide a good general outline for maximizing marketing results, there is no one-size-fits-all technique to increase your email campaign’s efficiency.
You’re demographic, your company’s values and your product all play important roles in how your business uses email campaigns.
Try a combination of the above to see what works best for your company! Happy sending!
