In a world of overflowing inboxes, how do you write marketing emails that stand out? Cut through the clutter with these five proven email marketing best-practices:
Like a book by its cover, your audience will judge your email by its subject line. The insightful content, compelling offer, or new product launch will die in the deleted folder without a subject line worthy of opening. The job of a subject line is to get readers to open the email and stick around for the longer copy inside.
The art of the subject line has been studied and optimized by marketers for as long as email has existed. You may have noticed opening your inbox is like walking under the backlit advertisements of Times Square—
• 40% off!
• Free demos!
• BREAKING NEWS: A new product for you to buy right now!
Prioritization of clickthrough-rates has led to increasingly shiny subject lines, but it’s important to remember—especially in the B2B realm—that getting folks to open your emails is just as important as getting them to really pay attention to what’s inside.
Our advice? Keep it simple, compelling, and to the point.
Still, it would be stupid not to tap into decades of email data to make a snappier headline, right? Head over to SubjectLine.com to see how your headline measures up. But remember, the headline is not everything.
Think of preview text—that little bit of copy that shows up under the subject line before you click “open”—as your secret weapon. There’s no faking good copy. A snip of the real value your what email has to offer combined with consistent quality throughout the copy will build your sender name’s trust. You’re bound to get great open rates and start building an audience who looks forward to opening those subject lines in their inboxes.
People tend to read things because they want to, and for their reasons and not yours.
Make the reader the hero of your email marketing story. Show them how your product or service will further their business goals instead of bombarding them with a laundry list of features. Tailor your messaging to address the specific needs of your audience—identify pain points and offer opportunities for a solution. Avoid lengthy paragraphs that drown out your message.
Imagine reading a book without a climactic moment—unlikely, right? In the world of email marketing, your call to action (CTA) serves as the plot’s climax. Your emails should call for clear action and start a conversation with your readers. Craft clear CTAs that invite your readers to engage with your offerings—ask your readers to reply with questions, drop a link to more resources on the site, tell them to keep an eye out for future updates. A good email should answer the question “why am I reading this.” Make sure your marketing email ends with an easy call to action.
When it comes to email success, timing is everything. Extensive research recommends tapping into midweek magic—midday on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday garner the best open rates for both B2B or B2C emails. Send your emails when your audience is primed and ready to take action. When was the last time you really read anything at 4:55 on a Friday?