Hi, I’m Scott Wingo, and I’m the Founder of DigitalMarketingSchool.com. Thanks for checking out my blog post on getting your average open rate above 90%!
The Importance of Email Marketing
So why are email marketing campaigns so important?
Well, according to HubSpot Blogs research, consumers spend over 4 hours per day engaging with brands via email. With consumers spending so much time in email, now is the perfect opportunity to grab their attention and make a lasting impression.
But how can you stand out from the masses of marketers trying to catch the attention of consumers? How can you make sure that your email gets noticed?
Here are a few tips on how to accomplish that:
Focus On The Basics:
The first and most fundamental rule of Email Marketing is to keep it simple. While it’s tempting to try and add every feature your platform offers to your email marketing strategy, keep things basic and easy to understand.
For example, instead of using fancy fonts, use the basics – bold, italic, and the like.
It’s also important to keep your subject lines short and sweet. Many marketers stuff their subject lines with dozens of words when they could’ve simply used an attention-grabbing tagline.
Make It Personal:
Letting your subscribers know that you’ve heard of their situation, that you’ve been there and that you understand what they’re going through is extremely powerful. This is called “getting personal.”
When a subscriber feels like you’ve connected with them on a personal level, your chances of engaging with them or getting them to act increases by 50%.
However, you don’t want to overdo it and make it too personal. Going too far into details can make a person feel rejected or even attacked. So find the right balance between being personal and not overly so.
Make It Actionable:
As a marketer, you’ve heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And it’s completely true. When someone is reading your email and they see a graphic or an image that helps them understand what you’re saying, you’ll increase your open rates by 20%.
However, this doesn’t mean that fancy visuals and pretty fonts will get you there. The key is to find a way to connect with your audience on a human level and make them understand what you’re saying and why they should care.
So, while a picture may be worth a thousand words, a good piece of written content can be worth that same amount. Make sure that you tie your marketing content back to buyer personas and use data to back up your claims.
Length Is Everything:
When someone says “email marketing,” the first thing that usually comes to mind is short and sweet. After all, social media has taught us that brevity is the best tactic. But, while quick and to the point may be the order of the day, that doesn’t mean that short emails are the way to go. In fact, there’s a reason that many companies opt for longer, more elaborate emails.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, when it comes to getting the most out of your email marketing campaign, the key is to make sure that your emails are between four and six paragraphs. More than six paragraphs and your open rates start to drop dramatically.
Here’s the thing about brevity: oftentimes, when people are pressed for time, they’ll skim over lengthy emails and miss out on important information. So, while you may want to keep things short, make sure that your email is packed with enough content for someone to go through it completely and not feel like they missed out on anything.
Avoid Rehashing:
Avoid rehashing old news or facts. Instead, find a way to relate it to something interesting or unique to the individual receiving the email. For example, if you’re sending an email to someone who already subscribes to your channel or blog, don’t simply spam them with more content. Instead, find a way to relate that content to something new that’ll make them interested in what you have to say.
If you find yourself rehashing old news, there’s a good chance that your email is a little outdated. It’s important to keep an eye on the current trends and what’s happening in your industry so that you can stay relevant and interesting to your audience.
Make Sure You Include An “Action Taken” Section:
An “action taken” section at the end of your email is a great way to close the loop with your subscribers. Not only does this give them the opportunity to follow up with you regarding the information in the email, it also gives them that tiny little piece of ego gratification that comes from knowing that you actually took them seriously and did something about it.
The best part is that it doesn’t have to be long. One or two sentences will do. Just make sure that you include some sort of action in your email so that your reader knows that you’ve received their email and are taking their suggestion seriously.
Test Different Formats:
Nowadays, with the explosion of platforms like Aweber, MailChimp, and HubSpot that make it easy to set up and send out automated campaigns, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating different types of emails.
For example, did you know that there’s a specific pattern that most successful businesses follow when it comes to email marketing? If you want to get your open rate up, it’s a good idea to try and replicate that pattern in your own emails.
According to HubSpot Blogs’ research, businesses that email their customers most frequently end up with an open rate of 90%+ and a click-through rate of 10%+. So, if you’re looking to increase your open rate, focus on emailing your subscribers frequently and consistently. And to make sure that they actually get your emails, make sure that you use a legitimate email service provider.
Use Specific Words:
If you’re looking to send the right message to the right audience, it’s important to use specific words and phrases that they’re likely to understand and relate to. If you want to raise your open rates, go through your emails and look for instances where you’ve used general terms or slang instead of specific ones. For example, instead of using the words “signature chili” or “molasses cookies,” which are both in the culinary world, you could use “chili” or “cookies,” both of which are more common parlance.
As a general rule, try to avoid using terms that are so general that someone else could easily replace them with something else. This could lead to a bit of confusion for your readers and hurt your credibility as a business person.
A quick tip in regards to writing compelling email content – make sure to write like you’re talking to a friend. When you write like this, it takes less words to get your point across and makes the content more effective. Your subscribers will love it when you write in this casual manner because it shows that you truly understand their perspective and are trying to be as helpful as possible. Your open rate will thank you for it.
Make It Personal:
As mentioned above, it’s important to make sure that your emails are personal. Even if you’re writing to a large audience, find a way to relate that information to something that the individual receiving the email will understand and relate to. Make sure that you include a picture of someone that your subscribers will recognize. If you do a good job, people may even think that you know them personally. The key is to make it personal.
So, while it’s important to keep your emails short and sweet, make sure that you find a way to add a personal touch. This could be as simple as a handwritten sign by the door or a short note attached to the individual email. Anything that makes it personal and gives it that extra bit of charm will help boost your open rates and make the content more memorable.
Back to You:
Thanks for checking out this blog post on how to get your average open rate above 90%. Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools in any marketer’s arsenal. By keeping things simple and using proven tactics, you’ll be able to get more out of your email marketing campaign than you ever could with a fancy email marketing program. And that’s what really matters in this world.