Email tips to improve your open rates

Email has officially overtaken direct mail as a marketing method to generate more sales, but how do you make sure you are getting it right?

We at Incognate focus on what you need to do to get your email communications noticed.

1. Subject Line – This is one of the most important elements: a scan of the subject line will determine whether the email is opened or ignored. The best approach is to put a topical subject line, based on the recipient’s interests, and always keep it professional and specific.
2. And you are who? People are more likely to open an email from somebody they recognise or from a company they know, otherwise this could be the second point at which the recipient is likely to delete your email.
3. Brand is important – This is again an important point and reflects a little on the first two things we have covered, but if recipients are not likely to have heard of you, it is even more important to have tip-top content.
4. Content in context – Is your content relevant to your target database? What do you know about the potential recipients? What content is going to grab their attention and get the results you need? It is critical you know who you are targeting to ensure that your email is effective.
5. Quality of content – What is the reader going to learn from your content? Is it topical and compelling? Too much information about your company can soon switch people off and you can quickly lose future readers.
6. Personal touch – Writing your newsletter in the first person is much more likely to get people coming back for more.
7. Data quality – Quality, quality, quality… I can’t say it enough. A quality list of a few hundred contacts is going to get far better results than an email sent to thousands of people. Segmentation can be implemented much more cost effectively than with conventional postal direct mail. You are also less likely to fall foul of unsubsribes and SPAM reporting.
8. Frequency – Mailing too often will drive your open rates down. On the other hand, mailing too infrequently could mean that you do not achieve enough brand awareness, which, in turn will also lower your open rates.
9. Times and seasons – When you send the mail can also have a major impact on open rates. Yet there are certain days and times that achieve higher open rates and are more likely to get more click-throughs.
10. Opportunity knocks – What offering should you be offering and when? You should be thinking about taking advantage of changes in legislation, holiday seasons or other significant events that could help you to push your products and services.

The Incognate email solution can ensure that you are delivering the right content, in the right context to help you achieve the right sales results. Contact us now.