How many emails do you get in a day? If you’re anywhere
close to the average American professional, the number typically hovers around 100-150.
When it comes to launching an enewsletter or “eblast”
campaign, it’s important to keep this reality in mind. According to Constant
Contact, the ideal open rate for enewsletters is around 15%, and for many
industries such as tourism or hospitality, the number is closer to 10-11%. While this may seem low, remember that it’s
all a numbers game. For a brand that’s looking to reinforce key messaging,
raise awareness or promote a product, this 10-15% can make an impact.
At LCWA, we recommend, design and distribute e-newsletters
for a variety of clients, from healthcare associations to office product
manufacturers. Because email distribution systems provide valuable information
such as open and click-through rates, each email is an opportunity to hone our
approach and improve results. That being said, we’ve developed some
tried-and-true tactics to ensure each communication captures readers’ attention
and spurs action.
Go Niche
Bigger isn’t always better. While it may seem
counterintuitive to limit the reach of your e-blast to a select portion of your
key audiences, content that is tailored to a particular audience almost always
performs better than general eblasts with broad messaging. Remember, it’s
engagement rates that indicate performance, not number of recipients.
Make sure your messages are drafted with a particular
audience in mind (for instance, business owners, parents, association members,
etc.) and only include information that is relevant to them. You may have lots of great points to make, but unless they
pertain to that audience, you run the risk of losing the attention of readers,
or worse – have them click the “unsubscribe” button. Don’t forget to apply this
advice to your subject lines as well. The more personal you can make your
subject line, the better the chances of readers opening the email.
Keep It Simple – And
Scrollable
Most readers will only spend a few seconds browsing your
email, so text-heavy and graphic-laden designs can distract from your messages
– and no one wants to read an essay. My advice is to use short, condensed
phrases and bullet points. When it doubt, edit!
When it comes to design, consider that most people will be
viewing your email either in a desktop window or on their mobile device. Opt
for a more vertical layout – with phrases and elements listed one after
another, rather than in a row. Presenting one bit of key information at a time
is easier for readers to digest, and also encourages them to scroll for more.
Use elements like colors and bold-faced type to draw focus on particular
messages or actions you want the reader to take.
Create a Strong
Call-to-Action
Be sure your readers know from the moment they open your
email what action you want them to take. Whether it’s to “Learn More,”
“Donate,” “Apply” or “Buy Now,” clear call-to-actions lead to greater
click-through rates.
Whatever your call-to-action is, use strong action verbs,
and design the text button large enough so that there’s no way readers can miss
it. Typically, I design call-to-action buttons with a bold, contrasting
background color, and leave plenty of space surrounding it so that it stands
out from other content.
In addition, consider embedding links in headlines, logos
and product images, as well as textual links in the body of your copy. The more
opportunities you provide, the more likely they’ll click on one of them.
Don’t Go Overboard
Some businesses or organizations may be able to get away
with more frequent – or even daily – eblasts, particularly if they have a
passionate audience or are launching a campaign. However, the last thing you
want to do is saturate your audience to the point that they unsubscribe.
There’s no hard-and-fast rule for how often you should email
a particular audience. As long as the content is fresh and relevant, it’s
valuable. Go with your gut – if your call-to-actions and messages seem
repetitive or stale to you, it is likely that your audience feels the same. One
helpful metric is to track unsubscribe rates, which tend to level off after a
few initial emails. If you notice a significant uptick, it may be time to scale
back.
Subscribe
Chances are, you have a handful of enewsletters in your
inbox right now. Open them, read
them, study them. Take note of what works and w hat
doesn’t, and apply to your own campaigns.
No comments :
Post a Comment