Nine years ago, I created an email newsletter to support my other marketing activities. Distributed once a month, the list grew. Open rates and click through were high. I felt good about this piece of my marketing. But then something happened. Suddenly everyone discovered email marketing.
It became a challenge to stand out in someone’s inbox. Then with the explosion of social media, I began to wonder if email was dead. Did it still have a place in my marketing mix? The answer was clearly YES. I just have to work harder to stand out.
Here is a list of the things you can do to improve your email effectiveness.
- Be reader-cen
tered, not writer-centered. – Create content which is interesting to your target customers, not just a list of products for sale. Remember this is a “NEWS” letter - One size does not fit all – Not everyone in your mailing list is interested in everything you sell or write about. By subdividing your list into smaller groups, you can send more relevant content to your subscribers. As a result you will have fewer people opting out, and more people opening and clicking through to your content.
- Draw them in with a killer subject line. For many people, this is all that appears in their email screen. If your subject line doesn’t catch their attention, you may not have a chance to tell them the rest of the story. If your list is large enough, divide your audience into two groups and test different headlines.
- Keep it brief
- and digestible. Ideally your newsletter should be between 250 – 400 words. Consider telling just part of the story in the email. Then add a link to the rest of your story on your website. If the reader is interested they will follow the link. If they don’t follow the link they weren’t interested.
- Have your copy proofread. If you are not good at details have someone else look at your writing. It is hard to establish credibility when the piece is filled with typos.
- Pick the right day. Newsletters sent on Tues, Wed and Thursday are more likely to be opened and read. Avoid the day after holidays as well. Readership will also typically decline in the summer and in December as people head out on vacations and their attention turns to things other than business.
These are my top suggestions. What would you add to the list?
About Lorraine
As Creative Director, Lorraine is typically at the center of the managed chaos that is Roundpeg. With more than thirty years as a marketing professional (lie, tell her she doesn’t look that old) Lorraine keeps Roundpeg popping with a never-ending stream of new ideas.
A native New Yorker, Lorraine is a Hoosier by choice, and is committed to fostering growth and entrepreneurship in her adopted city. Recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal as one of the Most Influential Women in Indianapolis, she is an active member of the local Indianapolis business community.
When not at Roundpeg, Lorraine can be found sharing what she knows in seminars and presentations around the country. She has a BA from Queens College, City University of NY, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.
