Email marketing is a good way to keep your business in front of existing customers, whether you are sharing an offer, promoting a service or simply sending something useful. The problem is that none of that matters if people are not opening the emails in the first place.
So, what can you do to improve your open rates?
Start with the subject line. It is the first thing most people will see, and it has to compete with everything else sitting in their inbox. “Our latest news” does not give someone much reason to click. A subject line that tells them what they are going to get from the email gives them a much better reason to open it.
It is also worth considering who you are sending the email to. There is little point sending the same message to everyone in your database when your customers have completely different needs.
This is where segmentation can make a difference. Someone who bought from you last week might appreciate advice on getting the most from their purchase. Someone who has never bought from you may need a better introduction to what you offer.
If an email closely matches someone’s interests, they will be more likely to open it.
What you put in the email matters too. If every message is another attempt to make a sale, people will soon learn to ignore them. Give subscribers a reason to look forward to hearing from you instead.
How often you send them matters too. Email too frequently and customers can become tired of seeing your messages. Leave it too long and they may forget who you are.
There is no magic number of emails that every business should send. A retailer with regular promotions may have very different requirements from a professional services firm that has something useful to share once a month. The important thing is to find a frequency that suits your customers and gives you something worthwhile to say.
The important thing is to find a balance that keeps your business visible without overwhelming your subscribers.
It is also worth looking at when your emails are being sent. Your audience may be more likely to open emails at certain times or on particular days. This can vary depending on the type of business and the people you are targeting, so testing different times can help you find what works.
Your email marketing results can tell you what is working. Look at open rates alongside click-through rates, enquiries, sales and unsubscribes. If certain subjects or types of content consistently receive more engagement, this can help shape future campaigns.
Do not judge your entire email strategy from one campaign. An individual email may perform well because the subject is particularly relevant, or poorly because it was sent at an unsuitable time. Looking at trends across several campaigns gives you a much clearer picture.
Improving email open rates is ultimately about giving people a reason to open your emails. Relevant subject lines, useful content, sensible frequency and good audience segmentation can all help.
At Engage Web, we can help businesses make email marketing part of a wider digital strategy, and can help your business reach the right people and encourage meaningful action online. If you want to start getting the right level of engagement, get in touch with our team today.
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