Email marketing is thriving, even if open rates are sagging.
If your emails are not being opened, the problem is not that email marketing is losing momentum – it simply means your program requires redressl.
Here are 5 keys to improving your email open rates.
1. Subject lines
Subject lines make or break email marketing campaigns. It’s the first thing customers see when they receive your email. It has to prompt curiosity and interest.
Before sending out an email, you must consider your buyer persona and the message. Keep it snappy and fun. Being provocative can help if this fits with your brand and buyer personas.
The subject line is also a great place to include personalization for the contact. According to a new report from MailerMailer, average email rates increase by up to 32% just by personalizing the subject line.
2. A/B testing
Consider A/B testing to identify which subject lines create the deepest impact. You can send the same information with various subjects to your customers and collect data on which emails have the highest open rates. This then allows you to optimize email marketing campaigns.
3. The ‘from’ field
As with the subject line, the ‘from’ field is important. Let recipients know more about you or the person who is sending that email by mentioning their name and designation followed by the company name. For example, ‘John from LED Manufacturing Company.’ You should also consider using different names in the from field. If an email is of, say, a technical nature why not use the CTO’s name. Likewise if you’ve got great news concerning a new partnership maybe the email should come from the CMO.
4. Segment your contacts
No matter how niche your products may be, your contact list can always be segmented into smaller categories. Based on the forms you use and data you collect when a prospect clicks on an offer, you you can separate younger buyers from older ones, males from females, etc. After sending a few emails, you can further segregate the groups into those who interact more often and those who never open your emails. This will allow you to personalize your email campaigns further and achieve a higher open rate.
5. Delivery times
There is no wrong or right delivery time. You gotta play around. Experiment and determine which time works best with your target audience. Send several emails in the morning and then move over to afternoons and evenings. Depending on the content of the message, your buyers may like the distraction they offer from works tasks while others may want to wait until they are home and free to make the much-needed purchase.
Good luck and here’s to a big spike in your open rates!
