Email marketing offers numerous advantages for businesses of all sizes, including cost-effectiveness, targeted reach, measurable results, automation, brand awareness and much more. But how do you make the best use of email marketing as a tool? And how do you get higher open rates and optimise those all-important conversions?
In a nutshell, increasing open rates and conversions in email marketing requires a combination of strategic planning, compelling content, and optimisation techniques.
Here are some of the best ways to help you improve your email marketing performance:
Personalise:
It always helps to build a strong relationship with your customers if you call them by their name, and it’s the same for emails. Add a recipient’s name to the greeting of your email, and it will perform better than a generic ‘Dear customer’. Then tailor the content to their interests or past interactions with your brand.
Subject Lines Are Important:
The subject line is the first thing your recipients will see, so it needs to grab their attention and invite them to open the email. Experiment with different styles, and make them curious to find out more. Urgency-inducing, or benefit-focused subject lines are really effective, such as ‘Don’t miss out’ or ‘Exclusive deals for Summer’ tend to have more success than boring subject lines. Analyse their performance to identify what resonates best with your audience and see what works for your business.
Segment:
Divide your email list into smaller, targeted segments based on demographics, behaviour, or preferences. This allows you to tailor your messages to specific groups, making them more relevant and engaging.
Design:
Ensure your emails are visually appealing, easy to read in plain English, and mobile-responsive. Use clear calls-to-action (CTAs) and strategically placed buttons to guide recipients towards the desired action.
Add Value:
Deliver content that provides real value to your subscribers, whether it’s educational information, exclusive offers, or entertaining stories. Focus on solving their problems or addressing their needs to keep them engaged. Customers are bombarded with information, so make sure yours is something they want and provide content they’ll continue to engage with.
Test What Works:
Continuously test different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, sender names, content, and CTAs, to identify what works best for your audience.
When to Send:
Experiment with different days, times and even times of the year for sending your emails to find the best results. Consider time zone differences and the behaviour patterns of your subscribers to maximise engagement.
Maintain Your Lists:
Regularly clean your email lists to remove inactive subscribers, invalid email addresses, and spam traps. A smaller, more engaged list will result in higher open rates and better deliverability.
Monitor Your Performance:
Keep track of key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, replies, and unsubscribe rates to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns. Use this data to improve and refine your campaigns.
Stay Compliant:
Being found guilty of spamming customers is no joke and can lead to fines from the Information Commissioner. Ensure that your email marketing practices comply with relevant regulations such as GDPR to maintain trust with your subscribers and avoid legal issues.
