The Importance Of The Subject Line

Posted by Michael Herman

What do you think is the most important part of email marketing? Some people still believe that using certain keywords is essential. Why? You’re sending someone an email, not trying to get seen on search engines! Keywords are irrelevant because the email is being sent to thousands of people. This doesn’t mean it will be seen however and having compelling content is not nearly enough. The vast majority of emails sent by customers to prospects never get opened because the subject line isn’t compelling enough.

Make Them Curious

People are exposed to thousands of adverts per day. Whenever they receive an email, they immediately look at the subject line. If it contains a generic phrase it will be discarded. If it appears to be some sort of advert, it will be binned. You need to create emails which have subject lines that arouse curiosity. Some great subject lines that have been used successfully by companies include ‘You got me worried’ and ‘Are the rumors about you true?’ because they seem personal and have made you want to see what’s inside.

Don’t Follow The Herd

Certain companies who attempt email marketing campaigns go overboard when it comes to personalization and start to use the recipient’s name in the subject line. While ‘Hello John’ may have worked at one time, so many companies are now using this device that it is deemed to be generic and is immediately deleted. When crafting a compelling subject line, remember that there is a CAN-SPAM Act which prevents companies from using deceptive practices in a bid to get the recipient to open the email. Therefore, you can’t use a subject line which is completely different to the contents of the email or else you will violate the principle of being non-deceptive.

Join The Dots

As we have already mentioned, it’s vital that you avoid making your email look like an advert. This includes the subject line which must be devoid of phrases such as ‘profit’, ‘free’, ‘sale’, ‘buy’, ‘discount’ or similar terms which give off the scent of commerce. Include any of these terms in your subject line and you can be sure that the recipient will delete the email without opening it. One of the best devices to use in a subject line is an incomplete thought. The human brain hates an incomplete puzzle and is desperate for information that helps it close the topic. Only by opening the email can the brain rest.

Don’t worry about what to put in the email until the subject line has been sorted out. Once it is and an interesting title has been found, you’ll have completed the most difficult part of email marketing which is to get the prospect to open the email and start reading.

Create a consistent Email Schedule for 2012!

Posted by Michael Herman

Have You Forgotten About Email Marketing?

A mistake most companies make when the time comes to launch a product or service online is to rely mainly on SEO content writing as their main plan of attack. While SEO content is vital, missing out on the power of email marketing really is criminal. It is a form of marketing that can reach more customers than any other, is inexpensive and when done correctly, will see your profit margin dramatically rise.

Customer Retention

One of the best things about email marketing is its ability to help you keep existing customers. SEO content writing helps you get the customers while email marketing enables you to keep them. According to industry statistics, it can cost 400% more to market to new customers than old ones. Your regulars know your company and use up less of your customer service time. They are also familiar with your product, know what they want and tend to purchase more than new customers. Therefore, it makes sense to market to those you know before targeting a new audience. With old customers, all you need to do is provide them with updates on new products as well as offering the occasional incentive.

Be Personal

Did you know that almost one trillion emails are sent per day and that more than 50% of email users check their email at least four times a day? Email marketing gives you a greater opportunity than any other form of advertising. One problem is the number of spam each email user endures. As a result, your email should sound like it speaks directly to one person. This doesn’t mean that you must spend all your waking hours typing individual emails to each person, it just means that you avoid sending generic emails that scream out ‘SPAM’! Remember, modern internet users define spam as unwanted email. In days gone by, spam was seen as unsolicited email.

Remember Your Purpose

Email marketing is nothing like writing web content. There are active spam filters and you need to avoid making your emails sound like adverts even though their sole purpose is to generate sales. To get your email opened, you need a great subject line which arouses interest. To keep them reading, the content must be concise and to the point because people don’t have time to read verbose emails. No matter how flowery your prose is, if you don’t make sales, the entire email marketing campaign has been a failure.

We have 52 Tips for emailing every week of the year. Let us know if you would like us to send that to you. You can call (512) 870-8413 ext 202 to make your request for your 52-week marketing plan.

Email Marketing At Christmas

Posted by admin

You don’t need to be a marketing expert to know that Christmas is one of the most lucrative times of the year for businesses. Consumers go wild with excitement when purchasing gifts for loved ones and they are far more likely to make impulse purchases and snap decisions. This is one of the reasons why email marketing at Christmas can be profitable but only if you use the power of email wisely. Here are some quick email marketing tips that will provide you with wide scale benefits over the festive season.

Timing

Remember, your email marketing campaign revolves around your customers, not you. Always focus on commencing your campaign at a time that best suits your customers. The great thing about the holiday season is that people are off work and have more time to check their email. Then there is always the fact that employees often get half days. Therefore, it’s better to send your emails in the afternoon rather than the morning where they will remain unopened for hours. This benefits you because your email will be one of the first they see and open.

One Offer

Remember that consumers are inundated with advertising during the holiday season. This means you have to make your offer stand out and the best way to do this is to concentrate all your efforts on a single offer. A number of businesses make the mistake of having several offers which serve to confuse the consumer. As a result, none of the offers are taken up. By having one generous promotion, you can focus all your efforts on delivering a memorable marketing email which will be remembered ahead of the rest of the dross in the average person’s inbox.

Consumer Friendly

As the major benefit of using email marketing during the holiday season is more access to people who are in the mood to spend, it’s no surprise to learn that company’s ratchet up their marketing efforts during this time of year. It’s a massive mistake to increase the frequency of your emails however. This is a stressful time of year for most people and they may construe extra emails as an overly aggressive marketing strategy. This is never well received and you can expect to have a horde of people unsubscribing to your emails if you do this. If you must increase the frequency, let the recipients know beforehand and explain to them the amazing offers the extra emails will contain.

The holiday season may be the best time for email marketing but if you overdo it, your conversion rate will remain dismal. This is the perfect chance to end the year on a high so don’t blow it!