Over the past few weeks, email has become the go-to solution for most businesses to announce how they’re handling COVID-19. Some of these communications are very important and informative. And, I’m sure you’ll agree, several are not.
When thinking about sending an email that is important only to yourself or your company, remember the story about the boy who cried wolf. If you send an email that wastes a reader’s time, or if you mask what’s really inside the email, when you DO send something important, recipients won’t open it. People become wary very quickly when they see emails that look important but are actually a veiled attempt at a sale of the sender’s products.
In times of crises like our present-day situation, when there is so much vital information to share and information is changing and moving at lightning speed, people only want to read what they feel is necessary. People are anxious. Think before you send.
That being said, you must still communicate and serve your customers. And, so that you can reach the people who are dependent on getting your message, here are some good email habits to adhere to that will get your messaging read by your customers and prospects.
Only Send Relevant Information
Don’t send emails that have subject lines that trick people into thinking there’s something of value inside… aka bait and switch.
Advertising a product line sale with a subject line like “Five Things You Cannot Live Without” is clever, but in bad taste right now. Also, be clear — don’t be vague. It only wastes time. Make sure it’s important.
Pay Attention to What Works
Think about your own inbox and the good and bad emails you receive. Notice the information that matters to you, and then follow the example.
Know Your Subscriber List
As long as you’ve got valuable solutions and knowledge to share, people will want to hear from you. Remember that different buyer segments often need different solutions. Try not to send the wrong information or advice to someone to whom it clearly does not apply.
This is often unavoidable, but do make the extra effort to segment your mailing lists based on what matters (e.g., title, decision-making ability, self-employed vs. enterprise, revenue, etc.)
The more engaged your audience is, the more successful your campaigns will be. Read more here about the value of an engaged email list.
Scrub Your List to Avoid Spam Traps
Spam traps are email addresses used by ISPs and software to create blacklists (which get merged into security software). The blacklists are used to determine if senders are following poor list collection or maintenance practices. This is why purchasing or sharing lists is a bad idea!
The perception will be if you are sending to spam trap emails, then you must be a spammer, and you will be flagged as such. Not only will your original email not be delivered, but if you get blacklisted by a software provider (e.g., McAfee) or an ISP (e.g., Gmail), then NONE of your emails will be delivered to anyone using these providers.
Be familiar with how spam traps work and check every email address on your lists regularly. Read more here about spam traps and how to avoid getting blacklisted.
Encourage Interaction
Design the subject line to grab the reader’s attention (but don’t mislead!), and include your most compelling copy in the first few sentences of the mail.
Write / Format for Mobile
Keep in mind that many, if not most, people read email via their mobile phone, and scrolling isn’t something people like doing. Grab their attention in the first few seconds, state your purpose right away, then offer more information via a ‘click’ for those who want to read more.
A recipient may find it thoughtless that they must scroll to the bottom of a long email to get to a sender’s point.
Personalize Emails
People like to feel they’re not just another anonymous person on your list. Address the recipient by name whenever you can.
Also, name the sender if at all possible. Names tend to get better responses because people feel more connected to a person rather than an institution or business. Again, be realistic and don’t mislead. Don’t send a sales flyer under the name of the CEO because it will bring a higher open rate. That’s a recipe for disaster!
Don't Bore Readers
If most readers are like me, when they open an email that is too wordy, they ‘save it for another day,’ and that day probably never arrives. Don’t make the mistake of overloading your email with filler.
Keep the email short and include a link for those people who want more (see #6 above.)
Test, Test, Test
A critical step in sending an email is the testing phase. The digital world is tricky, and what looks great in one browser may end up looking like a complete disaster in another.
To make a good impression, proofread everything carefully, spellcheck, and send yourself a preview. You’ll find most of your errors in the previews. With each tweak you make, send yourself another preview until it looks perfect.
That extra 10 minutes of preparation before sending an email can affect your customers’ perception of you.
- Make sure you’re sharing the right valuable info to the right people
- Make sure your message is clear and not misleading
- Get to the point quickly
- Pay attention to neatness
The time it takes for these extra steps will pay off in the long run.
You’ll be known as solution-focused or customer-focused. You’ll build a more robust subscriber list. It will help you get more hits on your website and more inquiries in your business.
Let’s do this … Together!
Rather than struggle alone with decisions about what to change, where to invest, and what will work, bring in a team to support you. Together, we will discover the answers you need and teach you and your team to do it on your own. Our goal is to work ourselves out of a job so you can be self-sufficient!
Now is the time to take charge of your company’s digital sales and marketing efforts. I can help. Just give me a call, and let’s discuss the best options for moving forward.
We’ll define metrics, set goals, and measure KPIs going forward. You’ll watch your marketing efforts transform into a revenue-generating department that you can tie directly to a positive impact on your bottom line.
