Olivier Choron
Let’s be honest, no-one likes to keep to the rules… it’s much more fun to break them, right? Well unfortunately it is not so for email marketing, unless you’re prepared to suffer the consequences that is. Here I have prepared 7 rules you would be silly to break. Can your brand risk losing their reputation? No? Read on and find out how to prevent this.
1. Unsubscribe:
Often through no fault of your own, some people will unsubscribe from your newsletters. But how many of you can say you have promptly removed these recipients off your mailing list? I personally have been subject to these annoying emails. Even though you have pressed unsubscribe, you continue to receive them. It really makes you despise the company doesn’t it? Why would anyone in their right mind ever want to buy anything from that company again? You are damaging your potential for repeat business. Ensure you actively remove these individuals before they despair, and write something horrible for all to see on social media. No-one wants that!
2. Keep it fresh:
I’m sure you’ll agree, everyone thrives on a bit of variety in their life. The same goes for email newsletters. This may be an unwritten rule, but it is nevertheless as important. Why would anyone want to receive newsletters that first of all always look exactly the same, and second of all showcase recycled content that has been used in previous emails? If there’s nothing new in it for your recipients, they will not open your email, it is that simple.
The answer here is to plan, plan and plan again. Get organised and decide way in advance what topics and themes you would like to adopt for your emails. Start by considering what information recipients would be interested in. Stuck for ideas? Why not subscribe to competitors newsletters, obviously with your personal email address. This may just give you some ideas of what you could implement.
3. One size does not fit all:
If you are expecting to receive high engagement, creating a targeted email is essential! This could entail sending a variety of emails based on your product range or potentially demographics of recipients. This way recipients will only receive content they are truly interested in.
But how can you achieve this I hear you ask? Some email marketing software such as newsondemand® makes this easily achievable. This software allows recipients to receive content solely based on their own preferences. This includes frequency of emails, language and topics. And the sender only has to open the dashboard, add a title, content and upload. The software will do the rest. Easy!
4. Keep it personal:
A simple ‘Dear Mrs Jones’ will make all the difference to your engagement levels. Personalisation makes your emails look like they are solely aimed at the recipient, and will encourage then to read your content. It may sound small but it will make all the difference. Why not try it.
5. Visual impact:
Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s all about the content. Images play a vital part in engaging readers. You don’t include images? Well expect a high bounce rate. Recipients want easy to read, clear content, and if images help this process then use them. This may be a basic rule, but believe me, it’s a rule many forget.
6. Subject titles:
Nothing annoys me more than misleading subject titles. The ones that trick you into thinking you have signed up to something or the ones that look like they are responding to your email. If you are looking for recipients to only click on your emails once, then use this method, but if you are expecting recipients to read and be interested in your company, then this is not going to work. A reliable, trusted brand takes years to build but will only take a second to break. Don’t make this silly mistake.
7. Check, check and check again:
Spelling mistakes, ugly formatting and hyperlink gaffes. These are all errors which are unforgiveable. One of the most important rules is to portray your professionalism. By double checking all emails before sending, you can rectify all issues before they are received.
So save the rule breaking for another day and adopt these pointers. Trust me, you will thank me later.
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