If you send out an email and no one clicks on your link does it really matter? All that effort to waste. Here's how to get more clicks from your email marketing.
You’ve Got Mail!
Do you remember the time when these words made an impact on you?
Primarily, dominating the 90s email marketing or actually, any sort of email made people giddy. Many people logged into their accounts to see these words flashing on their computer screens. The sheer prospect of connecting with families, friends, strangers, and companies via email was amazing. People were certainly in a happy place when they saw their mailbox full.
However, gradually the hype subsided and people moved on to other things. Then there were also the dreaded spam messages and the viruses that leeched on to the email accounts. Hence, people became a tad bit wary of emails. That was specifically true for the ones that functioned as marketing and advertising mediums.
Now, from a marketer’s perspective, the email era was a simpler time. It allowed the companies to contact a fairly long list of clients in just a few email marketing clicks. Thus, the detailed and customized channel for marketing their business was really appreciated. But now, social media marketing has kind of snatched away this facility. That is because most of us discard the big chunky emails for their shorter substitutes (i.e. tweets and captions).
Nevertheless, despite the neglect this type of marketing brutally receives each day, digital marketers still haven’t let go of it. That is because even though many believe that email marketing is destined to become extinct, when you couple a good email with a good – optimized – landing page, the revenue earned from it tells a different story.
Why Does Email Marketing Still Work?
Here a few short reasons why it is still in the business:
- The Routine: People are still checking their emails each morning due to the ties it has with their jobs or business ventures.
- The Mutual Support: Your marketing channels (blogs, social media accounts, online store) feed off your emails and vice versa.
- The Organization: This platform allows you to personalize your content and also categorize it according to customer preference.
On the whole, these beneficial aspects indicate that it is still generating money and connecting the companies to thousands of subscribers each day. Thus, proving that in spite of being dubbed as being outdated, email marketing still has a lot going for it.
However, there is one teeny tiny condition that controls the results. It is a fact that the key to unlocking the revenues gained from email marketing is making the recipients open their emails.
And not only should they open those emails but they should be acting upon the CTA (call-to-action). That is because the amount of clicks you get is closely linked with the number of sales you make.
So how do you accomplish this difficult feat? How do you ensure that the subscriber actually reads the email and doesn’t mark it as ‘Read’ and casually scroll down their inbox?
How to Make Email Marketing Work for You?
Everyone knows that marketing requires a plan, tact, and strategies in order to influence people to make the purchase. A lack of all or any of these things will result in a marketing failure. Therefore, it is obvious that you will be operating your email marketing campaign with the same mindset. Am I right?
Of course, I am! That is the way how you do things in the digital marketing world. Or else you become a forgotten name that nobody knows about. Since we have covered the reasons why you should be investing in this old-fashioned marketing weapon, let’s get down to business.
Here are a handful of gems that help you boost your CRTs via email marketing:
1. Honest Dealings
Did you know? Your email list is just a purchase away!
Don’t rub your eyes. I said what I said.
Many oldies out there probably know that there is some shady information being exchanged at some online forums. All you have to do is name your price and the company will provide you with a long list of email addresses. Although you may think that this is an easy way to get hands-on prospective buyers, the truth is that it isn’t. Why is that so?
For starters, this breaches many marketing rules and regulations and once caught you can be punished severely. Besides that criminal side of the action, there is the fact that the people on the list won’t know you. Hence, your email is more likely to end up in the junk box or considered as spam unless it’s exceptionally good. In addition to that, this cheap tactic often meets low outcomes because the list you have is unresponsive and inactive.
Therefore, the first piece of advice that I can give you is this: never ever buy your email list. This is a desperate attempt which is faulty at its core. And it might sabotage your brand’s name or squander your chances of getting legitimate subscribers.
In a nutshell, it is a petty crime you don’t want to be serving time for!
2. Right on Time
Promptness and punctuality are the two Ps that rule marketing. This is why you should always be alert and active online at all hours. It is so that you can cater to your clients and potential buyers as quickly as possible. This sounds like a job for the customer service and support staff. Am I right?
What does this have to do with email marketing clicks?
Almost everything!
Firstly, you need to have some automated email workflows set up in your system. They allow you to automatically respond to new subscribers or the deals they may have just availed. Consider this as the first step in this new relationship. Your prompt responses show that they are your first priority and that you are always there to help them.
Secondly, apart from the timely communications via email, you have to take advantage of seasonal greetings. Numerous customers look forward to availing new deals and sales that crop up during the holiday season. Thus, by giving them a sneak peek of that via email provides you with the opportunity to increase the recipient’s enthusiasm to receive your emails.
As a whole, make sure to schedule your email marketing campaigns as diligently as you can. Not only does it make a good impression on the subscribers, it also boosts your click-through-rates (CTR)
3. The Technicalities
Make sure that you know what you are doing. Or else you emails will come out as these archaic messages that fail to inspire a click.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Many people don’t allow email accounts to show the images in the email body. That is why it is better to add alt text to your CTA buttons/images
- People respond more willingly to emails that are sent from an individual to have a spokesperson’s id as your sender id(e.g. hannah.anderson@somewebsite.com)
- You’ll have to pre-set a concise preview text to entice the mobile phone user
- Add a share button that allows subscribers to share an interesting mail with their contacts
You never know, these tiny details could be the reason why your clicks start to spike.
4. The Spammer
Do you know what gets you blacklisted or ignored for sure? Spam emails.
Thus, if you are one of the miscreants that have been clogging the subscriber’s inbox, then you will definitely be escorted to the junk mail section on their next cleaning session. Or worst they could even decide that your company’s constant emailing is a nuisance. And thus, hit the unsubscribe button!
How to avoid this? The simple prevention to this is to avoid sending spam mail. Don’t crowd their inbox just to be heard. You should find a way to substitute your multiple emails and blatantly obvious marketing gimmicks. One way to do that is to send a single email that actually gets read.
5. Subject Matters
In this digital age, it’s all about the speed and efficiency of the content writer. But something should not be rushed or carelessly placed on an email. One of these things is the subject line because it can make or break your CTRs.
You can survey your own inbox as an example to understand what I am talking about. You will notice that amidst the list of generic and dull subject lines there is one that sparks your interest. And more often than not you are bound to click on it to know what the email is about. Isn’t that right?
Henceforth, remember that subject lines, headings, and sub-headings are all influential in your plea to sway the recipient. In fact, I will go as far as to say that they can actually make the difference between a ‘read’ and an ‘unread’ email!
Therefore, it is crucial for you to create a subject line that halts the subscriber mid-scroll and persuades them to open the email. After that, your clever copy will do the rest of the work. So make sure to create headings and subheadings that keep the reader captivated throughout the text.
Have a look at this inbox:
What do you think about the subject lines?
Are any of them impressionable to compel a click?
6. Short, Sweet and Spicy
Why do you think social media has overpowered emails?
The most obvious reason is that the marketing content displayed through those mediums is crispier than the stocky emails we usually receive. Moreover, social media accounts allow you to use vibrant visuals and graphics to grab the onlooker’s attention.
Can emails do that? With a tad bit of imagination and digital skills, they actually can!
First of all, do not treat email copies like articles and essays. You have to stop stuffing them with words and start giving the readers a breather. Thus, create emails that are sweet and easy to digest for anyone scrolling down their inbox during their free time. Believe me; subscribers truly appreciate your straightforward tone and your tendency to not bore them with your ramblings.
For instance look at this example from Dropbox:
The company tried to lure an inactive customer through this cute cartoon. The text was breezy and concise which makes it less annoying for the reader. And this way they increased their chances of getting Jerry back on board.
Do you think it worked?
Let’s look at another example that fits these criteria:
Postmates serves up some delicious emails by sending a sneak peek of everything that they can deliver. Like these crunch plate of tacos that come with some amusing jokes.
This is what I call a spicy email.
- It used a snappy conversational tone
- Used gifs to tempt the reader
- Didn’t miss the mark on their CTA
Overall, it has all the ingredients required to persuade a hungry reader to place an order. And if they sent this to me during lunch hour, it would have been an offer I couldn’t resist.
7. Make It Click
Lastly, you have to position your call to action buttons strategically in the email body in order to maximize the chances of your desired outcome. That is because they are the features that stimulate the reader to click on the link. One way to do this is to use prominent CTA buttons and multiple CTA links on the copy. So that the reader doesn’t miss it out amidst the text of your email.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that you beg for a purchase with your obvious CTAs. Rather write a copy that resonates with them and influences them to click the button.
Look at how Uber uses their emails to reel in a regular customer. They provide a promising offer, give the details and casually place a CTA that is visible. Be sure that anyone looking for an economical commute will make that click.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, email marketing is a tried and tested marketing strategy that works most of the time.
However, if you really want it to pack a punch then you’ll have to make a proper effort in creating a well-organized and concise email. More importantly, ensure that the tone is subtly persuasive and not an over the top flashy gimmick. Add in some eye-catching graphics and you will see your email marketing clicks skyrocket.
In short, stay out of the dull and mundane lane of emailing and whip up a piece that leaves an impression!
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