Ignition - Inspired Thinking
Tips On Email Marketing
March 10, 2008 at 10:40 am | In Sales & Marketing
More and more of our clients are looking to employ email marketing as part of their marketing strategy but are unsure as to best practice. In this article (which first appeared in the March Issue of LBV), we look at some key tips.1. Start with a killer “subject line”Your email subject line motivates the user to open your email. If it is dull or meaningless, it’s not going to be opened. Avoid teaser subject lines that entice people to click to find out more - they don’t work. Anything vague, cute or clever is also likely to be dismissed. You’ve got 6-10 words to put across your message so get straight to the point but avoid words that are commonly associated with spam emails such as SEX, FREE, ££.2. Quality content gets quality responsesYou’ve written a great subject line and managed to persuade your reader to open it. Now you’ve got to deliver great content that will get a response. Web users are so goal-driven and impatient that content needs to provide fast answers and be useful to the user. Your email needs to be short (no longer than 2 paragraphs or it just won’t get read) and to the point. The two main questions asked by the user when judging content are ‘what’s in it for me?’ and ‘how does this help me solve my problem’ – answer either of those in your email and you’re onto a winner.3. Timing is everythingChoosing what day and even what time you send your email is crucial. There are exceptions but generally an email launched at lunchtime-to-mid-afternoon and about midweek will normally find audiences at their most receptive. Don’t email early in the week as anything superfluous arriving at that time is likely to be deleted quickly. Equally, an email arriving late on Friday is unlikely to get serious attention.4. Good email design is importantWell-designed, eye-catching email pays dividends in any marketing campaign as it presents your message in the best light and draws traffic to your website. Use good design to guide readers through the email - leading them to a call to action. The email should be easy to scan so users can decide what they want to read. Elements such as a contents panel or ‘in this issue’ panel can be useful to help users navigate.4. Stay LegalRemember that under UK law, email marketing to individual subscribers requires:1. Prior consent (opt-in), or an existing customer relationship2. Clear identification of the sender3. The provision of an address that the recipient can contact to withdraw their consent (unsubscribe)P.S. This article only covers the real basics but if you want more information on email marketing or any aspect of marketing and design you can contact us here.