Email seems to have fallen out of favor as a marketing tool. It may be because as consumers, we’re inundated with emails that aren’t remotely useful. Of the nearly 100 unsolicited emails I get daily, I automatically delete 99.5% without opening them.
Of the .5% that I open, most are from trusted vendors or because the subject line is so compelling that I can’t resist opening them.
So, how do you and your emails become part of the accepted .5%?
Meaningful content consistently
To engage your customers, know them and what they care about. Your emails should be tailored to them specifically, whether it’s an opportunity to reach out with information they care about, or if you’re introducing a new product or announcing a sale.
The tone of your email to accountants is different from your communication to moms of toddlers. The intention of both emails may be similar (to convey information or incite excitement in a new product), but your email to accountants should have a professional tone, while you’ll want a more conversational tone for moms.
Both emails should be to the point, but always leave the door open if they’d like to contact you with questions.
Convey benefits up front
Your subject line should tell readers what the content is about. If we use the two examples above, you might say:
[Accountants] Subject: You need to know these new accounting standards
[Moms] Subject: Your toddler may learn faster with this new teaching method
Both of the subject lines tell you what’s in the email, and they also convey the benefit of reading the email. If you’re an accountant, you’ll learn something you have to know and if you’re a mom, your child can learn faster.
One note: some say subject lines should be 50 characters or less—including spaces. I think character count is less important than what you’re saying, but avoid subject lines that are so long that they wrap onto a second line.
If you’re not emailing regular customers or good prospects monthly, you’re missing out on an important tool to introduce them to new products and ideas, and to strengthen your relationship.
If you’d like to establish an effective email campaign to get repeat business or attract new customers, I can help. Contact me at Mary@MaryBarryWriter.com.