You’ve got mail.
While this cute catchphrase was endearing for about 20 minutes after the eponymous movie was released, most of us would probably shudder to think what it’d sound like if we got an audible alert every single time an email showed up in our inboxes.
With that much noise to cut through, how are you supposed to get your emails visible to people as a small business owner or as a marketer running an email program?
We’ve put together a list of some simple tweaks you can make to boost your email open rates. Take a look here, then let us know which ones have worked for you.
1. Better subject lines.
The subject line is the first thing your email recipient sees. And, if it’s not interesting, it may be the only thing they see, as 47% of email recipients make their decision to open a message based on subject line alone.
You want to use subject lines that give them a tangible reason to open – some examples include:
- Specific numbers – if you put a specific number in your email subject line, people are more likely to open it. The number should signify something that’s valuable for the reader though… not just a gimmick. For example, if your business software focuses on productivity, your subject might say “15 hours saved this week” and highlight the benefits that come from using your product.
- Something in it for them – people like to open emails in the hopes of getting something of value for free. It’s just human nature. So… what can you give them that convinces them your email is worth opening? Hint at it in the subject line. It doesn’t have to be an actual physical freebie; it could be a download, an invite to an online event or some wisdom-packed guidance from your area of expertise.
- FOMO – what will they miss out on if they don’t open this message? Make your subject line interesting enough that they want to find out.
During Meghan’s (the Duchess of Sussex), struggles with the media, she’s mentioned that the headlines, which most people glance at, are extremely powerful can create a lasting impression for the reader, regardless of the content of the article or message.
Hopefully no one reading this blog post will engage in the kind of vitriol that has been targeted at Meghan and her family, but her comments drive home the fact that the headline or subject line you choose has tremendous influence over readers.
2. A regular schedule
You don’t want to be forgettable, right? Emailing on a regular schedule, and frequently, is the best way to keep your people engaged with you and to keep them opening your messages.
The best open rates come from emailing customers between four and eight times a month, and it looks like there’s a sweet spot for opens, engagement and sales when you’re messaging your prospects at least once a week.
It can feel like a lot and you may wonder whether it makes sense for your business to email so frequently. However, when you send messages sporadically, people can forget they’ve been included on your email list or can decide your content’s maybe just not right for them.
That leads to unsubscribes, getting sent to junk mail and generally a life of hardship and rejection for your poor email. Don’t put your messages through that kind of distress; instead, set up your schedule and build a content calendar that puts useful, valuable messages in your subscribers’ inboxes regularly.
3. Proper list management.
If your email open rates are low, consider who you’re sending to and what might be keeping them from opening.
Are most of the people on your list in a field or industry with high turnover? They may have moved on from a role and your emails may be vanishing into cyberspace. Or, they may be bouncing completely, which also has a negative impact on your deliverability and opens.
Many marketers and business owners hesitate to clean up and purge their lists because they feel like they’ve worked hard to earn those email addresses. Consider this though – if you have a high total subscriber number and a low open or click-through rate, the people you’re talking to are not your people.
You’re not going to get anywhere with them, and the high numbers you’re proud of are more likely vanity metrics than people who are actually interested in purchasing from you. Take time regularly to clean up your list and you’ll see the metrics that matter more start moving up; those opens, click throughs and attributions.
4. A cooler “from” address
When your “from” line on an email shows up as “communications@boringcompany.com,” people are more likely to dismiss your message as spam or a sales piece.
Instead of using a generic email address, think about what you most like to see in your inbox – a message from a real person. Send your emails as “Elizabeth from Pemberley Postcards” or “Catherine at Kensington Community.”
When you only have a few words – your sender name, subject line and possibly a pre-header – to catch their attention, you need to make the most of it and be as personable and interesting as possible.
Don’t change your sender too frequently though. Find one or two that work for you, then stick with those, so people know what to expect. Then, when they see “Natalie @ Phlox Partners,” for example, in their mailbox, they’ll know they’re getting useful information that will help them tell their business’s story.
5. Re-sends to unopens.
People receive 120+ emails a day. A DAY. I told my husband this when he was waiting for a response on a work email and had to repeat myself (just like I did here) because the number was so surprising.
What does that mean for you? It means just because your prospect didn’t open the first time, that doesn’t mean they’re not interested. It means they’re busy, that they had a day filled with meetings, that they only answered the essentials before jetting off to take care of another item on their to-do list.
Setting up marketing automation can easily give you a second chance at getting their attention. You can automate a “re-send to unopened” message to send your same email on a subsequent day.
Then, if they have a chance to read it on a less-busy day, they’ll still get access to the useful information you were seeking to share previously. Use this process judiciously though, and only on the emails that make sense. If you start spamming them with a dozen messages a week, they may decide it’s not worth it to stay on your list.
6. Less promo, more value.
Every email shouldn’t be a sales email, especially if you’re managing a B2B relationship. Your clients and prospects want to know they can trust you, to familiarize themselves with the value you bring, before they make a big investment in your services.
B2B buyers, for example, usually want to interact with a company about 13 times before making a decision. If all those interactions are sales-oriented, they’re never getting a handle on what you’re actually bringing to the table, and 88 percent of B2B buyers say they want your content to focus on the value you bring them as your client.
Instead of making every email a promo email or blasting out “SALE!” and “DISCOUNT!” in your email subject lines, sprinkle emails that provide value into your sales/marketing cadences. By doing this, position yourself as a trusted advisor and a person who can guide them to make wise business decisions.
People still do love free things, though; it’s one of the top reasons they open messages. Think about whether there are other free items you can make available to them – a free ebook, worksheet or webinar might rank high on your list.
7. Earn your list.
No one likes a spammer, and no one wants overly familiar emails showing up in their mailbox without giving their consent first. In other words, don’t buy lists and start spamming them immediately with sales offers and promotional messages.
Earn your list by creating valuable content that your audience can use whether they use your services or not. Post useful content on your website, then offer downloadables that can be secured by opting in to an email list.
You can build a relationship through this method and create a stronger connection. This approach is doubly valuable because 78 percent of consumers would prefer to get to know a company through articles rather than through ads.
Use content marketing to attract them and prove you have value. Then email can become to tool you use to build upon a mutually beneficial relationship.
8. Segment your list.
As you get to know your prospects better, tag them in your CRM/email platform and identify their interests/buyer groups better. How do you get to know them?
You can gain insight about their interests based on the articles they click on, the pages they visit, the things they download, the surveys they take, etc. As you separate out these groups, you’ll be able to provide them content that’s more suitable to them.
For example, if you offer coaching for businesses and for individuals, you can monitor the progress of site viewers and which offering most interests them. If they read several articles on individual leadership development, then browse some of your self-led workshops or workbooks, you can have a fairly good idea of their interest.
Place them into a flow where they’re receiving more information about these topics and about the even more granular areas that might suit them. When they receive information that’s targeted to their interests, they’re more likely to open the emails because they feel like you’re reading their minds and speaking directly to them.
9. Create personalization that goes below surface level.
People are more likely to open an email where the subject line is personal; just including their name can boost open rates by 22 percent.
You should, however, take personalization farther by breaking it down to things that they or buyers like them are interested in (see segmenting above).
For example, if I’ve browsed gold pendant necklaces on your site, you have a better chance of selling me something if you maybe…send me more emails that have gold pendant necklaces in them.
Then I’ll know that your emails are highlighting something I value, so I’ll be more likely to open them than if I’ve bought a dainty gold pendant from you in the past and you start sending me emails about chunky turquoise pieces.
When you’re connecting with your audience, you want to serve their exact needs and make yourself the clear choice. The best way to do this is to really understand, adapt and personalize your messaging to fit their needs.
If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it… and if an email gets sent and no one opens it, well, let’s just say they have the same impact.
Putting time and resources into writing emails and building campaigns – that’s a cost your business has to incur.
You want to make sure you’re maximizing the value you get from your investment. Email has the potential to be a tremendous ROI generator for your business, but only if you can create the traction that gets your message read and acted upon.
