Email is one of the most powerful marketing tools for businesses. Unlike social media posts or paid ads, email subscribers have chosen to receive messages from brands and can opt out at any time. If you treat your email list well, it will pay for itself many times over. However, email marketing is not foolproof. Poor practices can result in high unopened rates and a lot of people unsubscribing from your database.
Your email list is one of your most valuable assets, and it’s important to keep them engaged with your brand. The best way to do that is by creating relevant and timely campaigns. This is why it’s essential to know what emails are effective and how to craft them to maximize your subscriber engagement.
The first email was sent in 1971 and was a simple string of letters and numbers, marking the beginning of a new form of direct communication. Email has since evolved to include multimedia and interactive features. It can also be accessed on multiple devices, including mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. Email marketers can use email automation and segmentation to target specific audiences. They can also track their email performance metrics, such as open rate, click-through rate, and unsubscribe rate, to make informed decisions about their marketing strategy.
An email that is optimized for preview text, the brief paragraph of information that appears immediately below or beside your subject line, can improve your open rate by up to 30%. This is because it gives subscribers a clear idea of what they’ll find inside your email and offers them a reason to open it. Email preview text is also an opportunity to add a call to action to encourage recipients to take the desired next step, such as visiting your website, downloading a white paper, or purchasing a product.
Another type of email that’s often used to nurture existing customers and prospects is a newsletter, which highlights a business’s latest products and services. It can include articles, blogs, and customer reviews. It can also feature discounts and special offers.
Surveys are another common type of email that allows businesses to gather feedback from their audience and learn what they value. Business can then apply this feedback to future products, which makes them more likely to be successful.
While it’s tempting to bombard your email subscribers with promotions and sales, too much frequency can cause them to tune out your message or even unsubscribe from your list altogether. Choose a frequency that works for your business, and be sure to test it out with your subscribers by measuring your open rate and click-through rate.
An example of an effective email from personal finance company NerdWallet is the subject line, which focuses on benefits rather than features and uses the word ‘new’ to drive home the concept that there are new ways for them to save money. The email also includes a clear CTA to get started and links that are optimized for desktop and mobile viewing.