Email marketing is a vital part of any business’ marketing plan. The global market value of email marketing was $16.9 billion in 2017 and is predicted to reach $26.9 billion by 2023.
When used effectively, email marketing can help businesses of all sizes and in any geographic location reach their audience and potential customers. In today’s world, everyone and their mother is trying to sell you something, and you can be certain that they’ll flock to your email inbox to do so. So if you’re wondering how to make the most of this vital marketing tool, then this article is for you.
The Anatomy of an Email
Anyone who’s ever sent an email will know that it can seem like a magical document that transforms into something tangible. That’s because the average email contains around 220 words and takes around 20 minutes to read. That’s not including attachments! So just how does the everyday email work? Let’s take a quick look.
The Header
The header is literally what you see at the top of your email. It’s the first line of a typical email and, as you’d expect, it contains a list of the email’s sender, recipient, and frequently used subject lines. There’s also a template header included at the top of every email that you can customize.
So let’s say you’re the CEO of a start-up and you’re sending out regular updates on new product developments and exciting milestones. You might want to consider using a template header that looks like this:
- Hi [recipient],
- Thanks for receiving this important communication. On behalf of [product name],
- We would love to hear your thoughts on this important topic. If you’re interested, here are some more helpful articles you might want to read:
- Do you know what would make this email even better? Save this email address – [mycompany].com – in your address book. When you’re ready to purchase, simply visit our homepage – [company website] – and download the app.
As you can see, the CEO of this company went through the trouble of generating a useful email header for the product he’s selling. It’s not too long, but it contains all the relevant information that someone might need to know about his company.
The best part about this header is that it’s completely customizable. So if you have a special offer or campaign you’d like to promote, you can do so simply by replying with the subject line “[special offer]: Promo Code for [product name]”.
The Body
Once you’ve gotten your header set, you need to switch to the body of your email. The email body is where you’ll find the bulk of the message itself. For those who struggle with long paragraphs, the body of the email is typically where you’ll find the results.
The best part about the body of an email is that it’s a place you can really let your creativity flow. So if you have a special offer or campaign you’d like to promote, you can do so simply by replying with the subject line “[special offer]: Promo Code for [product name]”. This way, when your readers get to the body of the email, they’ll know exactly what they’re getting themselves into.
Attachments
Attachments are similar to forward-looking statements in that they aren’t part of the actual text of the email. However, unlike forward-looking statements, which can often be found at the end of an email, attachments can appear anywhere within the text of the email. That means if a reader sees something helpful in regards to the information they were initially supplying, they might not even realize the link between the two!
For example, if you’re using email to send out an article or some interesting new information, you might want to consider adding a related attachment. That way, when your readers click on the link, they’ll be able to quickly find what they need without having to search for it in the text. It also gives you the chance to offer something free in exchange for their attention!
When it comes to email marketing, content is paramount. The easier you make it for your readers to find the information they’re looking for, the better off you’ll be. If you think that a free download might be just the thing that your readers need to solve a problem, consider attaching their download to your email! It might just be the thing that leads them to take action and become a customer or lead of yours. So don’t be shy! Get creative and find ways to make your email stand out! And if you’ve got an interesting topic that you think will help someone, don’t keep it to yourself. If you believe that someone might find your advice useful, then consider sharing it with the world!