There can be a wide range of reasons our emails don’t achieve the goals we set for them. In this blog we’ll take a look at some of the most common pitfalls and some simple steps to take notes on so that you can improve your poor performing email.
Set achievable goals
Before you build your email campaign, the most important thing you can do is set achievable goals. Consider your database. Who would benefit from the campaign you’re preparing? How many of your customers will already be aware of the campaign through ads and social media?
If it’s B2B, how many of your customers are interested in the specific thing you’re promoting? If B2C, is the campaign going to be relevant to all ages, genders and people in every stage of the buying cycle?
Quality is much more important than quantity. If you know your email is only relevant to a portion of your database, set goals that the portion can achieve. If it’s a campaign that’s getting a lot of air time in other places your customers will see it, exclude any recent purchasers for the send. If it’s something that’s only being sent by email, make sure the offer is competitive enough to stand out.
Send Time
The time you send your email is one of the most important decisions you will make while planning your campaign. Too early in the day and people may be too busy to follow through on your call to action. Leave it too late and they miss your content, buried amongst the other brands vying for attention in their inbox.
The truth is there is no set send time that is more effective than another. The key to nailing your send time is understanding how your customers interact with your brand and making your emails an extension of that.
Whether your product is B2B or B2C, the best place to start is your website. Look at your most popular days and times and try and line your campaigns up with when people visit your website organically. Your website is a fantastic indicator of how and when people are thinking about your brand, make the most of it!
Subject Line
Subject lines are the thing that make your emails stand out in an inbox full of emails. It has to be the right balance of attention grabbing, insightful and intriguing. Give away too much and people know what’s inside without having to click. Too little and they may not care enough to click and find out. So, what’s the secret?
There isn’t a single answer, but there are some elements you can always strive to include to have the most impact.
Explain your email’s purpose in a succinct way. Are you offering them a discount? Have you written a blog they’ll find interesting? Help your reader understand what’s in store for them when they open.
Create intrigue by explaining only part of your email’s purpose. “Take $50 off all these and more!” “Check out the solution to problem X”. These subject lines let people know what’s happening, but leave enough unclear to make people want to know the rest.
Personalise your message so it stands out. This is more than just using their name. If they’re B2B, mention how your email relates to the service they engage you for. If it’s B2C, mention a product or product category you know they’re interested in. People expect brands to understand their needs, show them how much you care!
Call to actions
Getting people to open your email is a great result. A key part to ensuring people continue to open them is by giving them a smooth, simple and visually engaging experience every time they do.
If you use image heavy emails, incorporate a call to action regularly throughout your structure. If you have a balance of text and images, use buttons that clearly contrast from copy and provide readers with a clear path to find out more.
More than 50% of all email is now consumed on a mobile device, so ensuring your CTAs are flexible and dynamic is vital. If they’re incorporated into an image, ensure they are big enough that they’re still clear and legible when resized for mobile. If they’re text buttons, Make sure they’re at least 48 pixels tall, which is the size of a thumb’s contact with a screen.
With this simple checklist, you’ll be able to ensure your emails stand the best chance in the competitive arena of a subscriber’s inbox.
Want to know more about effective email marketing strategy and how to improve your ROI? Join the Andzen community or contact us directly today!