269 billion.That's how many emails are sent. every day In the world.
As a smart 21st century business owner, you're probably already luring your customers with special offers and unique promotions via email. But as more and more companies embrace unobtrusive email as a powerful marketing tool, it can be difficult to make sure you stand out in a crowded inbox.
Fortunately, developing an email marketing strategy for your small business doesn't require a lot of time or technical know-how.
Here are four easy tips to get your emails read.
1. Remember that consent is key
No one wants their inbox to be clogged with unsolicited or irrelevant email, much like unwanted spam was in the iconic 1970 Monty Python sketch.
The first rule of email etiquette is actually very simple. Send emails to people who have signed up for your newsletter on your website and have requested to receive messages from you. The old adage, “It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to get permission,” doesn't apply to email marketing.
Additionally, anyone who wishes to unsubscribe should immediately be removed from your email list so they can easily contact you. Not only does this help you avoid potential legal trouble, but it also correlates with your open rate (the percentage of people who receive your email who actually open it) as well as your prospects and customers. It also helps improve click-through rate and conversion rate metrics. .
2. Attract your readers with the perfect subject line
Although it seems like a very small and insignificant part of an email, the subject line should never be an afterthought. A quick glance at the subject line of an email in your inbox determines whether you want to read the rest of the message.
Imagine eating a sandwich on a jam-packed day and then returning to your inbox full of unread emails. Before you panic, skim the subject line. How do you decide which ones are most important? When you quickly complete a BLT, only the most important, smart, or relevant ones are opened for immediate perusal.
Keep the subject line short, but not too short. Must be 40-50 characters, including spaces. Anything much longer will make it seem rambling and wordy (and may get cut off depending on how your inbox is viewed), and anything much shorter won't convey enough information to interest a busy customer.
For example, to make your subject line enticing to click, tease the reader a little about the content.
If you title your email “50% off everything this Saturday,'' few people will click on it because you've already told them everything they need to know. So what motivates someone to open an email? But simply saying “news and announcements” isn't particularly persuasive either. Instead, try “Limited Time: 50% Off” or “Go Go Go Go!” This sale will end soon. ”
Get creative and try different wording and frameworks to see what resonates best with your audience. You can also go back to your own inbox and see which subject lines get attention and what you can learn from them, then turn that into a subject line formula and test it out.
3. Give a clear call to action
Once someone opens your email, your next goal is to get them interested in the content of your email. Think about the main purpose of your email: the call to action (CTA).
What do you want from your customers? Is it to buy a refrigerator online, fill out a digital customer feedback survey, apply for a small business loan, or write a blog? Is it for people to visit and learn about recent customer success stories, or to download a free guide?
Structure the content hierarchy in your emails accordingly and place CTAs (whether links or buttons) in key positions where they can't be missed.
Give your readers multiple opportunities to engage with your CTA. The most important opportunities are those that are “above the fold,” meaning those that appear above the fold when you open an email.
Get creative by changing the type of call-to-action. For example, if you're selling chairs, instead of just saying “Click here to buy,” say something more appealing like “Make your guests more comfortable” or “Please sit down and stay a while.” Try using a phrase as your CTA.
4. Choose the perfect sender
Who exactly is the email from? Is it from you personally, the company itself, or other parties?
It may seem trivial, but even small details like this can impact your open rates. Think about what your message is and who your customers are likely to recognize or appreciate from you. In most cases, this is your business or brand name. Consider testing several options if possible. For example, an email from Bob's Brick Business and an email from Bob Brickton himself.
Similarly, consider which email address you use. If you're sending an email from Bob, your email address would need to match something like bob@bobsbricks.com.
Alternatively, if the email is from our excellent customer support team, you can send an email from support@bobsbricks.com instead. Whenever possible, keep sender and email addresses consistent and legible. Sending an email from roberttylerbrickton@bobsbricks.com and signing the email from Bob is not ideal.
Making these simple changes to your small business email marketing plan will help your message stand out from the crowd, and better emails for your audience mean better business for you.
