Email Marketing Best Practices

Reading Time: 4 minutes

A targeted email campaign as part of an overall marketing strategy still stands as one of the soundest forms of reach.

At the same time, the sheer volume of emails sent per day means that getting heard, and being trusted, still takes much effort. Most of your target audience are probably overwhelmed with promotional content, a digital marketer needs to make sure they are sending email to those that want it. As an example, the average person receives 121 emails a day, and it has been estimated that small businesses only hold a 21.53% open rate.

To help you break through this barrier, time4design have created a short guide will help you make convertible campaigns.

The subject matter(s)

For years, people have been using bait-like subject lines that use overt advertisements to try and get people to interact. Your subject line needs to make an instant and enjoyable connection, and make them feel compelled to see what you are talking about. Try some A/B testing on subject lines and experiment – never set the subject heading in stone. Take for example results from Statista, they demonstrate how a personalized message has a 5.5% advantage over an email with no personalization.

Have a point

Sending out an email marketing campaign should only occur if you feel 100% certain there is a worthwhile message to tell. Before you schedule your email, or before you even compose it, breakdown and analyse your overall digital and marketing strategy goals. What is it you are trying to communicate to your audience? Are you looking for someone to sign-up, to buy something or to check out an informative piece of writing/media? Ensure this message is clear, this will result in retaining subscribers and push your business forward.

Be brash

One of the best ways to make your message heard as an email marketer is to be a little more ambitious in how you come across. Rather than leaving your call-to-action to the very end, have it after that very first opening sentences. Sell the idea to the person, and give them an immediate opportunity to jump in – it shows you are serious and there is something well worth exploring more.

Offer value

Are you making a claim in your email about a stat or a fact? Then back it up with some useful facts. Include valuable, referenced content that showcase and promote the service or product you are describing. Use your email marketing tactics not just to monetize, but to mature your audience and provide them with valuable links that backs your assertions.

Make it quick

On average, you have five seconds within an email to capture the attention of the reader. So, you must be quick and precise with your point. Read it over yourself, and have friends/family/colleagues read it over too, and see if it makes the full point of the email within the first five seconds of reading.

Personalize the letter

Personalize your content as much as you can. With email marketing, you need to avoid being too generic, universal and impersonal in your writing. Use the name of the recipient in the subject line, and break up who receives which version of the email based on how they signed up and how they have previously interacted. It takes a lot of work, but it’s not impossible by any means.

Scheduling the right day and time to send

A comprehensive study by MailChimp has found that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best times to send email. There should also be some extra thought to the actual time your campaign will be sent. Consider between 10am – 2pm ideally, 8pm is also an acceptable time to send. However, based on the nature of your email concerning your target audience, what day and time you choose will come down well researched statistics and analytics.

Always email with permission

Make sure you have direct permission to email. There should be no one on your campaign lists that did not either signup or give direct permission. As an example, if a member of an organization and you have access to a membership directory does not authorize you to extract from the database emails addresses. Always comply with all CAN-SPAM rules regulated by the FTC. By not doing so will only harm your reputation.

Final words

Diversifying your e-mail campaigns to meet the level that you desire takes a lot of work, practice is perfect of course. By adhering to the above ideas, you might find it a touch easier to make your point stick.