Avoiding the Delete Button - How To Make Your Email Campaign
Have you noticed? It's becoming harder and harder to get a good
response out of email campaigns. Why? The more popular an advertising
method becomes, the more overused it gets. When that happens,
customers develop an "immunity". They are so overwhelmed by the
dozens, or even hundreds, of emails that pop into their inboxes that
they simply hit the delete button without even giving it a second
thought.
So how do we, as Internet marketers, battle their complacency? There
are several ways that have been proven to increase customer response.
I'll assume that you already have a customer-focused,
sales-oriented Web site; and that your offer is a solid one that shows value.
1. Use Short, Concise Subject Lines - While personalization has been
shown to increase response rate, there are several things that have
been proven to decrease it. Long subject lines are one. Try to keep
yours at 40 characters or under. Why? Many email programs cut off
longer subject lines. Also, avoid "hyp-ish" subjects. The more
personal you are, the better. Exclamation points, the word "free" and
other trigger words such as "boost" and "skyrocket" are a sure ticket
to the delete file.
2. K.I.S.S. - Remember this acronym? Keep It Simple Stupid. It
applies to emails, too. Don't piddle around. Get your benefits in
front of the reader immediately. Likewise, it is important to note
that shorter emails have proven to out perform longer ones. It is
doubtful that you'll actually sell anyone from your email ad -
rather, aim to pique the reader's interest, and get him/her to
click to your site.
3. Timing Is Everything - Didn't think that mattered? Oh! It
does! The day of the week, and the time of the day all play a significant
role in how effective your campaign is. For example: almost everyone
is in a rush in the morning hours. This gives a greater chance that
they will delete any email they do not absolutely have to read. Take
note of your target customer's typical schedule, and send your
emails during their "off times".
4. Give A Deadline - One simple instruction to act before a certain
date can make or break your success. Don't neglect this vital
element!
5. Consider HTML - These days, most email programs are HTML
compatible. In fact, over 90% of customers can receive HTML emails.
Color - whether in print or on the Web - always increases readability
(if done tastefully). Consider having your email converted to HTML to
make it stand out in the sea of plain text messages.
6. Give It A Break - Rather than writing long paragraphs (even a 3
sentence paragraph formatted at 65 characters per line looks long),
write in short 1 or 2 sentence blips. This is easier on the eyes of
the reader, and doesn't take nearly as long to digest.
The competition for your customer's attention is growing greater
by the day. Refining your email campaign can help you avoid the delete
button, and reap greater profits.
About the Author
Diane Hughes is an accomplished internet entrepreneur and
editor of the popular ProBizTips Newsletter. Subscribe to
her newsletter for more tips, tricks, and secrets of the
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