News flash: email is still a valuable tool for marketers. Shocking, huh? I was skeptical too, especially considering the large quantity of marketing emails that I delete daily without even reading the subject lines. However, according to MarketingCharts.com “surveys have found both US and global marketers [rate email as] the most effective digital marketing tactic and the one that delivers the best ROI.”
Whether you are a Marketing Director for a Fortune 100 company, or a public speaker promoting an upcoming presentation to a short list of email subscribers, it is vital to maximize the potential ROI of email marketing. The secret to successful email marketing is in the details. For example, subject line, timing, and frequency of emails all impact the success of an email marketing campaign.
Below are 33 tips to help your emails stand out in crowded inboxes, and generate the engagement that you need to achieve your marketing goals.
1. Start using marketing emails now. “Email reaches three times more people than Twitter and Facebook combined.” @Buffer http://ethr.ee/10f6gYv
2. “Quit wasting people’s time. Only email when you have something truly valuable or helpful to say.” @HennekeD http://ethr.ee/10iZ7H2
3. Need inspiration for your next email? Use your social media metrics to identify your most popular content. @AWeber http://ethr.ee/10j0pBI
4. Send skimmable emails. Write in short paragraphs. Use subheadings and visuals to break up blocks of text. @Forbes http://ethr.ee/10j1XMc
5. Send mobile-friendly emails. 63% of US consumers delete emails that aren’t optimized for mobile. @MarketingCloud http://ethr.ee/1wrArIS
6. Write subject lines to intrigue your mobile audience. 60% of email opens happen on mobile devices. @SproutSocial http://ethr.ee/1wYiOR4
7. Be brief. Some mobile email servers show only 38 characters in the subject line. @CIOonline http://ethr.ee/1rRJ9tR
8. The preheader, the “text that’s above the header image,” is viewable from the inbox. Use it wisely. @DJWaldow http://ethr.ee/10j3Fx7
9. Make sure your emails provide something of value. “Answer the “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM) question.” @HuffPostBiz http://ethr.ee/1wrBoBb
10. Send special offers to your most loyal subscribers, the people who consistently open your emails. @AlexIvanovs http://ethr.ee/10j5HgF
11. “A good rule of thumb is the more frequent your emails, the shorter they should be.” @CampaignerEmail http://ethr.ee/10j7673
12. Design emails that are easy to read. Feature your logo, images, a clear CTA, and minimal content. @ConstantContact http://ethr.ee/1wrCwVb
13. Master CTAs. “Be clear and direct with your users, telling them exactly what you’d like them to do.” @VeroApp http://ethr.ee/10j9yug
14. Don’t be self-centered. Focus on your subscribers, not on yourself. “Use less ‘we’ and more ‘you.'” @MitchLapides http://ethr.ee/1wrDiBQ
15. 3 phrases to avoid in your email subject lines: “Help, % off, and Reminder.” @Econsultancy http://ethr.ee/1wrDDED
16. Simply put, email subject lines should “describe the subject of your email.” @MailChimp http://ethr.ee/1wrDDED
17. Ask questions. As subject lines, questions typically perform better than statements. @LitmusApp http://ethr.ee/1wrDDED
18. Don’t send overdo it. Typically, as marketers increase email frequency, subscriber engagement goes down. @DavidMoth http://ethr.ee/10jcS8I
19. Learn from @Buffer; send personal emails. Share revenue goals, describe a failure, or tell a story. @MarketingLand http://ethr.ee/1wrF1XD
20. The first step for email marketing: define your audience. Then, determine the type of content they want. @MailChimp http://ethr.ee/1wYjGoM
21. Organize your list with audience segmentation tools. Deliver content that is customized for each segment. @EmmaEmail http://ethr.ee/1wYkM3S
22. Develop a system. With a process, you can spend more time being creative, and less time putting our fires. @HubSpot http://ethr.ee/1wYqXVu
23. Don’t send large files. The longer an email takes to load, the higher the bounce rate will be. @EntMagazine http://ethr.ee/1wYrneE
24. Use a landing page. Your email content should lead to a landing page customized for email subscribers. @LalwaniVikas http://ethr.ee/1wYrIhn
25. Help. “If your emails no longer solve a problem, then your subscriber will no longer open them.” @EmailDelivered http://ethr.ee/1wYstqG
26. Keep your list organized. “Establish data de-duplication best-practices across departments/systems.” @MarketingProfs http://ethr.ee/1umEMOG
27. To build your email list, offer an interesting and valuable incentive to signup for your emails. @KimanziC http://ethr.ee/1umFJGW
28. Don’t only send emails when you need to sell. Schedule content-based emails to be sent consistently. @KISSmetrics http://ethr.ee/1umGsI0
29. Emails with “boring” subject lines perform better than subject lines that are “salesy” or too sensational. @TutsPlus http://ethr.ee/1umHp36
30. To find the best time to send emails, mine your data. Don’t have data yet? Send emails on weekend mornings. @KevanLee http://ethr.ee/10f6gYv
31. Run A/B tests on emails to find the optimal CTA, subject line, design, personalization style, and more. @Unbounce http://ethr.ee/1umJ48V
32. Avoid the inbox traffic jam. Most marketers send emails on Thursdays at lunchtime; don’t send at this time. @ClickZ http://ethr.ee/1umKCj9
33. Collect leads in Slideshare using LeadShare. Use a CTA to get email readers to view one of your decks. @Ethos3 http://ethr.ee/10f7Zgm
Use presentations to grow your email list and engage your subscribers.
We can show you how. Email us at: [email protected]
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Question: What is your favorite email marketing tip?
