According to a study by a New York market research and consulting firm market.us, there are now more than 4.48 billion email users worldwide, making email essentially the universal form of communication with countless people. The ability to send somebody an email, however, does not necessarily guarantee the email will be opened.
Despite this problem, email communication remains enormously important because it has a higher median return on investment than channels such as social media, paid search, or direct mail. Many consumers prefer to be contacted by email rather than by phone, direct mail, or social media.
Email newsletters specifically have the highest reported positive experience by consumers in a recent survey. Caution is needed with emails, however, because failure to send emails aligned with customer interests risks unsubscription.
Segment your audience
A 2017 study by MailChimp examined 11,000 segmented campaigns to almost 9 million recipients and found that the segmented campaigns outperformed their non-segmented counterparts across every metric. Audiences can be segmented based on their interactions with your company or website, so emails will be related to their experiences and feel more authentic and personal.
When determining how to segment your audience, start with basic demographics such as age, sex, and location. Other popular options could include engagement or behavior.
Behavioral triggers to purchases are incredibly common, but you could also establish triggers for unsubscriptions, cart abandonments, or other cancellations. With these steps, you can ensure the right kind of email is sent to a customer at the right time.
Understanding the goals of your email
When you are writing an email, you are either going to take a narrative approach that tells a story, a descriptive approach that provides information about a service, an expository approach that teaches the reader how to do something, or a persuasive approach convincing the reader to do something. All of these different kinds of emails will have different tones and goals.
All of these different kinds of emails allow for different ways to incorporate graphics and links to websites that promote additional actions. You must be certain that your inclusion of these elements feels natural and authentic.
In virtually all cases, you will include a call to action, usually by clicking a link to a website that promotes a purchase or provides the information you are seeking. It will again be useful to have emails created for responses to certain consumer actions or other behaviors.
Writing the perfect email
Knowing how to write the best email for your company requires following the five steps. Make sure you know why you are emailing your customers and understand the different kinds of emails that could be sent.
When you are focusing on responding to behavioral triggers, begin by compiling your list of subscribers. Segment your audience as best as possible to maximize your effectiveness.
The subject line
According to HubSpot, 35 percent of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone. You have to keep a subject line short and to the point because longer email subject lines get cut off, and recipients will not see the entire message.
The key to winning subject lines is using teasers that encourage people to click to open emails for answers. In other cases, a clever pun could be the difference in getting a recipient to open the email.
Keep it short
The internet initialism “tl:dr” stands for “too long; didn’t read” and reflects a common reaction many people have to various online sources. It is especially common with emails, as many people who see a large amount of text will immediately delete it.
When you are seeking an intended action, do not waste any time getting to your point. Include relevant links within the introductory paragraphs. In general, make sure your emails only take a matter of seconds to read, not minutes.
Include relevant information and a call to action
You want to make sure that your email includes all the relevant information for your communication. It should also include a call to action encouraging the recipient to respond.
You need to keep in mind that many people check email on mobile devices, such as personal cell phones. For this reason, ensure that any links to websites are optimized for mobile use so you do not limit engagement.
Make second-person first priority
The word “you” should play an important role in your email so the person you are writing to feels as though you are really speaking to them. When you attempt to speak directly to customers, they are much more likely to pay attention than when they feel like just another number.
The inclusion of “we” can also connote a sense of relationship. The general idea is to avoid generic descriptions that make the email recipient feel like an outsider, not involved in the process being discussed.
Subject emails to editorial review
All emails need to be checked for basic grammar, as a simple typo could lead to a number of unfortunate outcomes. A typo in the subject line could trigger a spam filter that gets you blocked.
Have all intended emails go through multiple rounds of review to ensure clarity and consistency. Try to have at least two rounds of review.
Email Marketing Services in Houston, TX
If you need assistance with email marketing, SERP Matrix can provide the solutions you seek. We have a content writing team that is fully capable of helping craft winning emails for your company.
If you are concerned about mobile optimization, we also perform mobile app development services. SERP Matrix can ensure that email links opened on mobile devices are displayed in the best possible way.
We will identify all your growth opportunities and propose a design based on our analysis and your requirements. Our mobile app developers will then create and test your application before we help you maintain, update, and improve it as your business grows.
SERP Matrix also handles link building, press release services, and social media marketing. We are a full-service digital marketing agency.
SERP Matrix also handles newsletter advertising, including email newsletters. We understand the tremendous advantage that e-newsletters can offer and will be able to help you maximize your return on investment.
We comply with all best practices of email correspondence, so you will not have to worry about being blacklisted by an internet service provider (ISP). SERP Matrix will provide metrics such as open rates, bounce rates, and click-through rates.
Our company understands the delicate nature of email communications and is ready to assist you in a meaningful and beneficial way. Call (713) 287-1134 or contact us online to take advantage of a free consultation to review your case and discuss all the options available to you.
