Email marketing is widely deployed in businesses all over the world today. This is one of the most effective marketing tools available to companies at present.
Why is email marketing so popular?
You can personalise your message to suit the person in question.
You engage in frequent communication.
It is a low-cost method of marketing.
You can generate effective calls to action.
It is easy to track.
You can reach anyone anywhere.
And, return on investment (ROI) is typically positive.
Nonetheless, you will only reap all of these fantastic gains if your email marketing campaign is effective. You don’t want your emails to end up going straight into the trash!
Read on to discover the top tips and tricks to ensure this is the case…
Creative Flair
People receive tons of emails on a daily basis. Why is yours different from the rest? What is it about your email that is going to make it be read rather than thrown in the trash? If you can’t think of anything then your email needs a bit more sparkle.
The Diversion Test
You open your company’s email, where do your eyes divert to first?
This is imperative. You want the viewer’s eyes to immediately be gripped by the most important part of the email – the call to action, the discount that is going to make them spend money at your store, the sales that have just started, and so on and so forth.
Don’t fall victim to “images are not displayed”
If you are considering dedicating hours looking for beautiful handwritten fonts then don’t. Keep it simple and stick to the basics, such as Arial.
Web embeddable fonts are not compatible with emails when in HTML – which is how they will initially appear in your inbox (and your first email to potential customers is the most important).
If you don’t use HTML compatible fonts and features, then you can end up with an email whereby nothing appears the way you designed it. Instead you get grey boxes with small headings.
The problem is that the viewer’s attention is likely to be lost and, therefore, the delete button seems like a more attractive option than taking the effort to see what this email is all about.
Use arrows and big typography
Do not underestimate the importance of the obvious. Pointing people in the right direction is hugely effective.
When you see an arrow, your eyes immediately divert to the area it is pointing to. Moreover, when you see oversized texts, your eyes immediately divert to the words that are screaming out to you.
Seems like common sense doesn’t it? You wouldn’t believe how many people overlook these simple tools.
Don’t make your viewer do any hard work
Make sure your call to action and the pulling point of your email is on display first. After all, this is what is likely to make people visit your website. New arrivals, discount codes, etc – these make people click. You should never make your viewer go searching, because they simply won’t bother.
Moreover, if your email is over 600px wide then you are asking for it to be thrown in the trash – no one likes horizontal scrolling. You also need to make sure this lack of work continues once people arrive on your website.
Integrate other platforms of communication
A good web designer will see your email as an opportunity to expand your other digital platforms. They will link your email to your social media accounts for example.
This presents you with the opportunity to progress your brand as a whole. Not only that, but some people prefer different online mediums.
People may check one or two of the emails you send but you may find that no matter what you do some people simply don’t like to read everything that hits their inbox. Instead, you can ensure they are kept up to date via Facebook or Twitter account.
Short, Concise and Relevant
Don’t fill the emails to the brim with information that is not relevant and don’t send an email just for the sake of it. People like the Internet because it is quick and information is snappily available.
Mobile Display
Making sure your emails can be easily viewed on a mobile device is important. After all, mobile Internet is truly taking over at the moment. It is now the preferred choice in terms of Internet use, and so you will be doing your business a huge detriment if your emails are difficult or impossible to view on a smaller device.
Use A/B Testing
There is nothing more unprofessional than an email that does not function properly. Test everything to ensure proper functioning.
How are people supposed to subscribe to your website if the subscription box has failed? Not only this, but play around with different colours and fonts until you get the most gripping design.
Make Sure Your Website Lives Up To The Email Hype
You can send a winning email but if your website is a let down, what’s the point? Your email is going to include a compelling CTA, which tempts people to visit your website. If your website has not been built well and performs poorly, those people are going to leave your site as quickly as they entered it, rendering your email campaign useless. This post of the best website builders is a good place to start if you think your website is letting the team down.
Get Feedback
And finally, if someone decides to unsubscribe to your emails, then inquire why. Send an email asking for feedback regarding the reasons why he or she left. No one likes to hear negative things about their company or the tactics they are using, but it is essential for growth.
If you follow the tips and tricks mentioned in this article then you will have the foundation for a great email marketing campaign.
Bio
Kerry is an experienced content writer, with a First Class Hons Degree in Multimedia Journalism. She currently works for UK Web Host Review, providing content on SEO, web hosting, web performance, UX, web security, web design, and much more.
