Focus: Keys to Successful Email Campaigns
1. The right list with the right contact email addresses. You have to get your message to the customers and prospects most likely to respond. If you take a disciplined approach to setting up your database and source code your lists, it will be easy to track the results of your campaigns by list segment. Load your lists into a CRM system that will help you manage your lists, send emails through the system, track your campaigns, provide analytics and manage your customer contacts.
2. Relevant Content including:
- From Address- make it personal, use your name and company name
- Subject Line- Make it accurately reflect what is in the email message, consider including your company name, if it is too salesy it might end up in spam folders
- Opening paragraph and copy- remember the inverted triangle of information- the most important information first
- Creative- make it eye-catching and visually appealing.
- Call to Action- clearly state what you want the customer to do/respond
- Landing Page- if you are going to direct them to a landing page, make it appealing
3. A Compelling Offer- why are you sending the email? If it is to get the customer/prospect to respond, then give them a reason to respond. Make it worth their time.
4. The Right Frequency and Timing- the topic of frequency is a big subject. A few statistics that we have found:
- 73% of users who unsubscribe from an email list stated "too many emails" as their reason for unsubscribing
- Lowering emails from twice per week to once per week reduced unsubscribe rates by over 50% with more than an 80% increase in open rates.
- Email more than once per week and open rates and click through rates drop dramatically.
- However, on the other end of the spectrum, less that once per month may not keep you in the forefront of your customers' minds.
- Regarding timing, base your decisions on your customer type. Know their mindset and work habits. For example, if you are trying to sell advertising to a business, do you want to send an email the day before a long Holiday weekend?
5. Be Can-Spam Compliant, follow the rules.
Plan-Implement-Track-Measure-Analyze-Test to make educated decisions on how to manage future campaigns.