How to Send Emails Like a Pro [Infographic]

215.3 billion emails are sent and received every day. 70% of digital marketers consider email marketing to be great for ROI, but this isn’t the case if your emails are badly-crafted, badly-timed, or badly-targeted. Sending the wrong message to the wrong person means that you’ll probably be sent straight to the oblivion of the Junk folder – this can even happen if you send an email to the right person, but use the wrong subject line. 22% of opt-in emails don’t even make it to the inbox. Ouch. With everything that can go wrong with emails, it’s understandable that a lot of marketers aren’t really sure how to get the most bang for their buck. Luckily, OnBlast Blog offers a comprehensive primer on sending out emails like a total professional. Let’s see what they have to say.

How to Write a Killer Subject Line:

• Promise something good
  
• Keep it short and sweet and provide a clear benefit
  
• Use numbers or statistics
  
• Use an exclamation point or emojis
  
• Try to tickle the reader’s curiosity or ask a question
  
• Use power words
  
• Add personalization, like geo-localization or the recipient’s name
  
• Point out common mistakes
  
• Make the recipient feel special
  
• Show a sense of urgency

How to Boost Engagement:

• Make sure that your call to action is located near the top of your message, so that the reader doesn’t need to scroll down to see it
  
• Make sure that your message is optimized for mobile – 67% of people use mobile as their main device for checking email, so your message is likely to be ignored if it doesn’t work on a phone
  
• Start small – your first emails should introduce your readers to your company and products, and you should build trust before aiming for bigger goals
  
• Use pre-headers to grab your reader’s attention

When to Send:

• 24% of emails are opened within the first hour after they are sent, but your chances depend on the time and day you send, and your target audience
  
• The best hours for opening rates are 8am-9am and 3pm-4pm. 38.7% of emails are sent between 6am and noon, so most people’s email boxes will be cluttered at that time
  
• If your audience is 30-50 years old, try to send in the early afternoon when they are likely near a computer and before 4pm when many of them start their commute home
  
• The best days for opening rates are Tuesday and Thursday, and the best day for click-through rates is Friday

How to Avoid Spam Filters:

• Be CAN-SPAM compliant and make sure to include a link to unsubscribe – since 25% of subscribers have signed up unintentionally, giving them an opt-out is good customer service
  
• Avoid misleading subject lines and spam trigger phrases like “Pre-Approved”, “Earn Money”, or “100% Satisfied”
  
• Don’t use purchased lists for your mailing
  
• Ask readers to add your email address to their whitelist in order to keep receiving your emails in their inbox

Recipe for a Perfect Email:

1. An attention-grabbing subject line that clearly outlines the value you offer.
   
2. Personalization that is tailored to the reader.
   
3. A body that is direct and to-the-point, without any needless fluff.
   
4. One message or topic per email – any more than that can strain the reader’s attention span.
   
5. An explicit statement of value.
   
6. A clear call to action.

OnBlast recommends a number of email productivity tools: URL Profiler, Sidekick, YesWare, Boomerang, Bulk Email Checker, and Canva. Does your company use any of their tools? Which would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!

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