How To Get Your Emails Opened

Without question, email can be an effective and cost-effective marketing tool.

 The trick is getting your recipient to open your message. And that’s getting tougher to do as people become very selective as to what they will and won’t allow past their cyber force field.

Research shows that when people receive your emails, the first question most of them ask themselves is, WHO is this from? not WHAT is it about ? So that’s the real sniff test.

But assuming you are able to penetrate the outer shield,  you face the task of getting your email opened.

 That`s the job of your SUBJECT LINE. With all the competition out there vying for your reader`s attention, your subject line must offer something of value.

 Not everyone will be interested in what you have to offer but you want to make sure that those who are will be rewarded for their decision to open your email.

Keep in mind, it can hurt your reputation (and it’s against the law) when you send unsolicited email. If there has been some interaction between you and your recipient, send the email but make sure your reader has the option to Unsubscribe if he/she doesn’t want to receive future communication.

Today`s article deals with the ins and outs of grabbing attention, slipping in under the radar and earning a chance to present your message in front of your intended target

Before we get started, here’s something to think about:

If you were trying to get someone`s attention in a face-to-face communication, it`s unlikely that you would stop in mid- sentence and hope you`d said enough to get the response you want.

And yet, this happens all the time in email marketing where an online marketer`s attention getter – the subject line – exceeds the number of characters that are visible to the email recipient. The result is, the reader only sees part of your message. (note: savvy marketers sometimes use partial subject lines to effectively attract attention.) But, most of the time, it’s unsavvy business owners who don’t know any better.

Fifty characters is all the space you have in a typical subject line to catch your reader’s eye and entice him to open your email and take the action you want. A good subject line can get your email opened in a flash. A weak one and it’s goodbye Charlie.

Here are 9 tips for creating subject lines that get you where you need to be:

1. Offer a benefit. By highlighting the key benefit of your offer, the reader can easily decide if it is a subject of interest.

 2. Write what the field asks for. Be direct. Let the reader know exactly what the subject is. Be clear and succinct. This often works well.

 3. Ask a question. This immediately involves the reader. Make your question straightforward.

 4. Avoid cryptic phrases. Although this approach can sometimes be effective in conventional direct mail, it is often regarded with suspicion (read `deleted quickly`) when used in an email subject line.

 5. Use a teaser. An attention-getting teaser can work well. Example: Are you making this sales letter mistake?

 6. Use a deadline. If your offer has a time limit, indicating that in the subject line can boost response.

 7. Stay away from hype. We all have seen the emails that promise to, Triple your sales in two weeks! Riiiiiight. Click!

 8. Remind readers they requested the information. People forget they asked you to send them something. Don’t be shy about writing, “Here’s the info you asked for”.

 9. Avoid using the word FREE. Most Spam filters will pick off your email long before it gets close to your intended target. That’s why you see things like fr*ee from time to time. If you feel you absolutely must use this approach, try using no charge, no cost or complimentary.

Try using some of these tips and see if your “open” rate increases. 

Gerry Black is a marketing writer based in Toronto, Canada who works with clients in the U.S. and Canada.

A Sure Way To Torpedo Your Email Sales Messages

Just felt like a little mini-rant here.

Got an email from a company today wanting me to consider buying their new CD-ROM. (I’ve changed the names but you’ll get the picture.)

Here’s how it started  (and ended as far as I was concerned):

Dear Gerry Black,

Joe Smith, President and CEO of CDPro has just released a brand new CD-ROM that every service professional must see.  Smith says, “It’s the lowest priced CD-ROM we’ve ever released, with prices as low as $1.79 each.”

It’s called “3 Questions Every So & So Must Ask.”

Learn all about it by Clicking Here

This approach is going nowhere except on a fast track to Clicksville.

Here’s why:

Red Flag #1: The double-barrelled name in the salutation couldn’t telegraph it any clearer that this is coming from some list.  No warm and fuzzy here.

Red Flag #2: The first line informs me that Joe Smith, President and CEO has something I must see. Now, is the guy’s title supposed to make me instantly reach into my jeans and pull out my wallet? Never mind that. It’s not even Joe Smith writing the email! It’s being sent on his behalf!! Don’t know about you but I think I know a little bit already about how things run around Joe’s place if he doesn’t get his way.

Red Flag #3: The email goes on to reveal…It’s the lowest priced CD-ROM we’ve ever released. As low as $1.79. Wow, there’s a compelling reason to spend more of my life learning about a product. It’s the cheapest they’ve ever offered!

C’mon. This is hucksterism. To be fair, the email did contain some potential ways this CD might be able to improve my life but they were  at the bottom where  most people will never see them. They will be long gone.

If the company had started the email with an indication about how their product could help me, then they have a chance. But when a marketer opens up beating his chest, he throws away an opportunity to generate a sale his product may have earned.

OK. I’m done. Thanks. Back to work!

Gerry Black is a Marketing Writer based in Toronto, Canada
and serving clients in the U.S. and Canada.

How to Triple Your Email “Open” Rates

Came across this the other day and thought I’d share it.

Do you find less people are opening your emails? If so, you’re not alone. “Open” rates are dropping to new lows of 10-15%.

Here’s a clever way to increase the number of people who open your email marketing messages:

Create your email promotion and write out 3 subject lines.

Take your best subject line and include it with your first email. Let’s say you email 1,000 people and 150 open it. Delete those names off your “send” list and re-send the email using a different subject line. Once your open results come back from the second email, delete those names and do your third email using your third subject line.

Here’s the exciting part: you could TRIPLE the amount of people who open your email by using this strategy.

Why not give it a try and triple your chances of making a sale?

Gerry Black is a Marketing Writer based in Toronto, Canada
and serving clients in the U.S. and Canada.