Unlike this blog post subject, keep your email subject lines short, descriptive, and provide the reader with a reason to read your message further. Do not attempt to be distinctive in the inbox by using catchy words may end up your email being ignored. Keep your subject lines simple and to the point.
These are tips in writing good email subject lines.
Three Words to Avoid
Email marketers are familiar with words such as "free" which are generally to be avoided in emails as they tend to trigger spam filters. Words that may not trigger a spam filter, but will affect your open rates are: Help, Percentage off, and Reminder.
Localization
Personalization such as including a recipient's first name may not significantly improve open rates. Localization, such as including city name, will help.
Newsletter Age
Newsletters experience some reduction in open rate as time goes by. Repeating the exact same subject line for every newsletter increases the drop in open rates. While it is important to establish continuity and branding of the newsletter, ideally each new campaign should provide a clear indication in the subject line of what is inside this newsletter that is of interest.
Subject Line Length
In email marketing, a general rule of thumb is to keep your subject line within 50 characters.
The From Line
The From information is as important as the subject line. The From line should concisely show who you are as the sender. As much as possible avoid changing this.
Promotional Emails
Within the category of promotional emails, the same basic rules apply. Keep the message straightforward and avoid using splashy promotional phrases, CAPS, or exclamation marks in your subject lines. Subject lines framed as questions can often perform better.
List Quality & Frequency
Two additional factors that are difficult to track but can have a big impact on open rates are list quality and frequency. Email marketers who build high-quality lists where readers know what they are going to receive enjoy the best open rates. If you start with a good list but send too frequently, open rates will drop over a period of time.
Conclusion
Email inboxes are flooded with unsolicited emails. Vague teasers, constant reminders, and pleas for purchase are not going work in email marketing.
Jun 6, 2011
Jun 3, 2011
How Online Marketing Can Help Email Marketing
It's a fact that Email marketing greatly improves customer retention, as well as helps convert interested leads into customers. However, for the acquisition of a new prospect, email marketing may not be the best method as it leads to bulk emails with unwanted promos and offers. So how do you get these "interested-in-your-product" prospects to give you the permission to send marketing emails in the first place? Here are some online marketing mediums that will generate leads for your email marketing list.
Search Engine Listings
Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN and Indian business directories such as sulekha, indian yellow pages, redfrog, ask laila, Olx are still one of the first sources that people go to when looking for product online. Once they have clicked through to your web site, your goal is to get them to volunteer their email address to allow you to continue the dialog with them. You can only achieve this by giving them a valid reason for doing so. For well-known brand names, simply asking for the information may be enough. For newer or niche-focused companies, techniques such as providing information of value like a report, solutions they are looking or actual giveaways are needed to convince most visitors to participate.
Pay Per Click Search Listings
Pay Per Click (PPC) listing services such as Google AdWords have all of the same benefits as non-paid search engine listings. There may be somewhat less credibility, as searchers are more skeptical of paid listings. PPC listings are far superior to traditional search engines from the perspective of an advertiser because of both the immediacy with which you can obtain a listing, as well as the ability to achieve a specific desired ranking. Promotion becomes simpler because you get the positioning you are willing to pay for. And once you have paid for a visitor to click-through to your site, your next objective is getting them to tell you their email address, so you can maximize your Return On Investment (ROI).
Content-Based Marketing
Creating original content is one of the best ways to demonstrate expertise and establish credibility for a company as an authority in a particular field.
Allowing other web sites and online newsletters to republish this content along with a link back to your site is an excellent way to acquire new prospects.
Many people would like to receive further information from an expert that they respect, and are quite willing to not just receive, but also anticipate
receiving email from said expert.
Site Sponsorship
Site sponsorship ads do tend to get noticed in a better light than banner advertising. Combining sponsorship with content can get more attention than advertising alone. Again, proper targeting and a compelling call to action are critical for achieving a response.
You can generate new leads by using these forms of online marketing, and then stay in touch with these prospects to convert them as customers by using email marketing, and you will have adopted a powerful online marketing strategy.
Search Engine Listings
Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN and Indian business directories such as sulekha, indian yellow pages, redfrog, ask laila, Olx are still one of the first sources that people go to when looking for product online. Once they have clicked through to your web site, your goal is to get them to volunteer their email address to allow you to continue the dialog with them. You can only achieve this by giving them a valid reason for doing so. For well-known brand names, simply asking for the information may be enough. For newer or niche-focused companies, techniques such as providing information of value like a report, solutions they are looking or actual giveaways are needed to convince most visitors to participate.
Pay Per Click Search Listings
Pay Per Click (PPC) listing services such as Google AdWords have all of the same benefits as non-paid search engine listings. There may be somewhat less credibility, as searchers are more skeptical of paid listings. PPC listings are far superior to traditional search engines from the perspective of an advertiser because of both the immediacy with which you can obtain a listing, as well as the ability to achieve a specific desired ranking. Promotion becomes simpler because you get the positioning you are willing to pay for. And once you have paid for a visitor to click-through to your site, your next objective is getting them to tell you their email address, so you can maximize your Return On Investment (ROI).
Content-Based Marketing
Creating original content is one of the best ways to demonstrate expertise and establish credibility for a company as an authority in a particular field.
Allowing other web sites and online newsletters to republish this content along with a link back to your site is an excellent way to acquire new prospects.
Many people would like to receive further information from an expert that they respect, and are quite willing to not just receive, but also anticipate
receiving email from said expert.
Site Sponsorship
Site sponsorship ads do tend to get noticed in a better light than banner advertising. Combining sponsorship with content can get more attention than advertising alone. Again, proper targeting and a compelling call to action are critical for achieving a response.
You can generate new leads by using these forms of online marketing, and then stay in touch with these prospects to convert them as customers by using email marketing, and you will have adopted a powerful online marketing strategy.
May 30, 2011
How good email marketer are you?
Here is a quick quiz to evaluate you as an email marketer and see how much you know about email marketing.
Q1 What is permission?
A: Permission is when a subscriber asks to be added to an email list. Such permission can be withdrawn directly (unsubscribe, spam report) or indirectly (ignoring all messages) at any time, so senders need to continue delivering value to ensure this permission remains current.
B: A red-orange fruit that looks a little like a tomato.
C: I prefer to ask for forgiveness.
Q2 What role does copywriting play in email?
A: Copywriting is an undervalued skill in email marketing that is important for getting people to see, read and act on emails.
B: You cannot use copywrited images or text in your messages.
C: It’s critical.
Q3 What is cross-channel integration?
A: Coordinating and combining the channels you use so as to optimize the desired results across the organization.
B: A website available in both English and French.
C: When you spam Twitter, too.
Q4 What is the Can-Spam Act?
A: It provides a legal framework for sending commercial email in the USA, but the requirements fall well short of what are considered industry best practices.
B: A Indian directive covering hygiene regulations for processed meat.
C: US legislation that makes it OK to send unsolicited commercial email.
Q5 What role do tables play in email design?
A: A lack of standards in how email clients and webmail systems handle CSS means most emails are structured using tables.
B: They allow us to place our laptops at a comfortable height for using Photoshop.
C: We don’t worry about design: every minute spent on it is one less minute spent harvesting email addresses.
Q6 What is CPA?
A: Cost per action. A list owner may, for example, accept a third-party ad in their newsletter on a CPA basis. Payment might be a fixed fee for a lead generated, a white paper download or a sale, or a percentage of the revenue generated through the ad for the advertiser.
B: A certified public accountant.
C: The main payment method for the 100 million double opt-in email addresses I rent out to offshore pharmacies.
Q7 How do you get more email delivered?
A: Ensure you maintain a good sender reputation, primarily by keeping your lists free of dead addresses and sending the kind of email that does not generate spam complaints.
B: Send it Express.
C: You should send as much email as you can to as many people as you can as often as you can. That
way you maximize your chances of getting some delivered.
Q8 What is the best frequency to send email?
A: The optimal frequency depends on your email program and your audience. It’s possible to send both too little and too much email, and the “best” frequency varies between individuals and segments.
B: Didn’t realize you could transmit emails via radio: this is all about mobile email, right?
C: Again, you should send as much email as you can to as many people as you can as often as you can.
Q9 Does an unopened email have value?
A: Yes, it impacts on awareness and can trigger response in other channels (search, offline etc.)
B: Does a tree falling in the wood make any sound, if nobody is there to hear it?
C: No.
RESULTS
So how did you do?
If you answered mainly A:
Well done! You know your email marketing.
If you answered mainly B:
You have a poor understanding of the issues and a tenuous grip on reality.
If you answered mainly C:
Are you by any chance the wife of the late Nigerian Minister of Finance who needs help to transfer some funds out of the country?
Q1 What is permission?
A: Permission is when a subscriber asks to be added to an email list. Such permission can be withdrawn directly (unsubscribe, spam report) or indirectly (ignoring all messages) at any time, so senders need to continue delivering value to ensure this permission remains current.
B: A red-orange fruit that looks a little like a tomato.
C: I prefer to ask for forgiveness.
Q2 What role does copywriting play in email?
A: Copywriting is an undervalued skill in email marketing that is important for getting people to see, read and act on emails.
B: You cannot use copywrited images or text in your messages.
C: It’s critical.
Q3 What is cross-channel integration?
A: Coordinating and combining the channels you use so as to optimize the desired results across the organization.
B: A website available in both English and French.
C: When you spam Twitter, too.
Q4 What is the Can-Spam Act?
A: It provides a legal framework for sending commercial email in the USA, but the requirements fall well short of what are considered industry best practices.
B: A Indian directive covering hygiene regulations for processed meat.
C: US legislation that makes it OK to send unsolicited commercial email.
Q5 What role do tables play in email design?
A: A lack of standards in how email clients and webmail systems handle CSS means most emails are structured using tables.
B: They allow us to place our laptops at a comfortable height for using Photoshop.
C: We don’t worry about design: every minute spent on it is one less minute spent harvesting email addresses.
Q6 What is CPA?
A: Cost per action. A list owner may, for example, accept a third-party ad in their newsletter on a CPA basis. Payment might be a fixed fee for a lead generated, a white paper download or a sale, or a percentage of the revenue generated through the ad for the advertiser.
B: A certified public accountant.
C: The main payment method for the 100 million double opt-in email addresses I rent out to offshore pharmacies.
Q7 How do you get more email delivered?
A: Ensure you maintain a good sender reputation, primarily by keeping your lists free of dead addresses and sending the kind of email that does not generate spam complaints.
B: Send it Express.
C: You should send as much email as you can to as many people as you can as often as you can. That
way you maximize your chances of getting some delivered.
Q8 What is the best frequency to send email?
A: The optimal frequency depends on your email program and your audience. It’s possible to send both too little and too much email, and the “best” frequency varies between individuals and segments.
B: Didn’t realize you could transmit emails via radio: this is all about mobile email, right?
C: Again, you should send as much email as you can to as many people as you can as often as you can.
Q9 Does an unopened email have value?
A: Yes, it impacts on awareness and can trigger response in other channels (search, offline etc.)
B: Does a tree falling in the wood make any sound, if nobody is there to hear it?
C: No.
RESULTS
So how did you do?
If you answered mainly A:
Well done! You know your email marketing.
If you answered mainly B:
You have a poor understanding of the issues and a tenuous grip on reality.
If you answered mainly C:
Are you by any chance the wife of the late Nigerian Minister of Finance who needs help to transfer some funds out of the country?
May 28, 2011
Why Low Open Rate For Your Email Newsletter?
It is imperative that list quality plays a major role in email marketing output. No doubt about it.
Reason# 1: Your newsletter isn’t helpful
As an email marketer you should know that your content has to be useful or it won’t get read. Write something useful, helpful, but avoid being self-promotional in every newsletter.
Reason #2: Your message isn’t particularly compelling
Your message doesn’t show up in your writing, and that means your writing doesn’t really convey how you feel.
Reason # 3: You’re not telling stories
Your newsletter need not to be perfectly organized and structured articles. Stories are a great way to create newsletter. Start with stories about your clients. Write about what you’ve experienced in your industry and your thoughts about it. When you’re trying to elicit response, nothing gets your readers
engaged like the color and drama of a good story.
Reason # 4: You have a half-hearted call to action
You have to be pretty clear what you want your recipients to do. Do not hope your customers will act on their own. And customers mostly don’t — You need to tell them. Do you want them to click on a link? Tell them to click here (and also tell them why). Do you want them to buy? Tell them. Of course, it won't work if you’re a complete stranger.
Reason # 5: Your don’t send newsletter consistently
If you’re going to write a newsletter, then you’ve got to have a publishing schedule. You have to promise your readers that your newsletter will go out once a month, or twice a month or three times a week — whatever it may be. One of the big reasons for the lack of response is that your newsletter is a stranger to your readers. You can’t send them a newsletter whenever you feel like it and hope they’ll respond. Response is directly related to frequency.
Summary
Reason# 1: Your newsletter isn’t helpful
As an email marketer you should know that your content has to be useful or it won’t get read. Write something useful, helpful, but avoid being self-promotional in every newsletter.
Reason #2: Your message isn’t particularly compelling
Your message doesn’t show up in your writing, and that means your writing doesn’t really convey how you feel.
Reason # 3: You’re not telling stories
Your newsletter need not to be perfectly organized and structured articles. Stories are a great way to create newsletter. Start with stories about your clients. Write about what you’ve experienced in your industry and your thoughts about it. When you’re trying to elicit response, nothing gets your readers
engaged like the color and drama of a good story.
Reason # 4: You have a half-hearted call to action
You have to be pretty clear what you want your recipients to do. Do not hope your customers will act on their own. And customers mostly don’t — You need to tell them. Do you want them to click on a link? Tell them to click here (and also tell them why). Do you want them to buy? Tell them. Of course, it won't work if you’re a complete stranger.
Reason # 5: Your don’t send newsletter consistently
If you’re going to write a newsletter, then you’ve got to have a publishing schedule. You have to promise your readers that your newsletter will go out once a month, or twice a month or three times a week — whatever it may be. One of the big reasons for the lack of response is that your newsletter is a stranger to your readers. You can’t send them a newsletter whenever you feel like it and hope they’ll respond. Response is directly related to frequency.
Summary
- Pure self-promotion won’t work — make it useful.
- Your tone of writing is critical.
- If you can’t get your head around structure, use customer stories.
- Don’t be half-hearted about promotion — give a strong call to action.
- Without consistent frequency, your customers will forget who you are even if you do everything else right.
May 26, 2011
How to Lower Unsubscribes From Your Email Marketing?
The most important part of email marketing is not just email delivery rates or open rates or even clicks. It’s your relationship with your client.
Do they value your business relationship? Do you? Are you sending them relevant and valuable content?. Do you know what your client wants or needs from this business relationship?
Business relationships are like personal ones. We all have expectations, wants and needs that we expect the other party to provide in the relationship. When it comes to your business and email marketing relationship, you must deliver value. Value will keep your subscribers engaged and reading. Value is not always a discount on services or goods. Value can be knowledge, education and or solutions to a problem.
Content should be targeted to the needs of the client, as this is a one-to-one medium. Segment your lists and customize your content to better address the message you want the client to receive. Make the call to action something that entices each group for their specific needs. Dynamic Content is a great way to create one email but have the content change based on the subscribers profile and preferences.
New clients need different content than existing clients as do potential clients, make sure you give them what they need. Review the content you’re delivering and your subscriber’s preferences and work towards delivering the content they want and you’ll have happier subscribers and less unsubscribes.
Do they value your business relationship? Do you? Are you sending them relevant and valuable content?. Do you know what your client wants or needs from this business relationship?
Business relationships are like personal ones. We all have expectations, wants and needs that we expect the other party to provide in the relationship. When it comes to your business and email marketing relationship, you must deliver value. Value will keep your subscribers engaged and reading. Value is not always a discount on services or goods. Value can be knowledge, education and or solutions to a problem.
Content should be targeted to the needs of the client, as this is a one-to-one medium. Segment your lists and customize your content to better address the message you want the client to receive. Make the call to action something that entices each group for their specific needs. Dynamic Content is a great way to create one email but have the content change based on the subscribers profile and preferences.
New clients need different content than existing clients as do potential clients, make sure you give them what they need. Review the content you’re delivering and your subscriber’s preferences and work towards delivering the content they want and you’ll have happier subscribers and less unsubscribes.
May 24, 2011
Need higher email marketing response? Do this
In our efforts to help you leverage the power of email marketing to work for your business we have listed some of the best practices that you MUST follow to achieve higher response from your email marketing campaigns
1.Use your corporate/business email address for FROM address.
- Avoid using ISPs suchas Yahoo,Gmail.
- Consistently use your domain name to build reputation overtime.
- With Mail Marketer you can use your own business email address for FROM and REPLY
2.Use Good Contact List- Send emails to those who want it.
- Avoid purchased leads/ list from online. Build your ownlist.
- Clean your list of bounces regularly.
- Do not resend to bounced email address
- Give minimum 3 days gap of every successive campaign sent to the same contact list.
3.Give Unsubscribe Option- Include the unsubscribe link both at top and bottom ofemails.
- Don't give your recipient a chance to click 'Report Spam'.
- Mail Marketer’s one-click unsubscribe feature does wonder, no further emails are sent to
unsubscribed contacts.
4. Create Good Email Content- Make sure your emails don't get flagged as spam. Write your suject line more attractive.
- Avoid using words suchas 'Free', 'Save', ‘Discount’ in both the subject line and content.
- Personalize emails with the recipients name. Use Custom Fields in Mail Marketer.
- Mail Marketers advanced Spam-Filter Check tool, helps you find and remove spam words from
your content.
5.Signature- Always include a signature at the bottom of youre mails.
- Include your personal, company and contact details
1.Use your corporate/business email address for FROM address.
- Avoid using ISPs suchas Yahoo,Gmail.
- Consistently use your domain name to build reputation overtime.
- With Mail Marketer you can use your own business email address for FROM and REPLY
2.Use Good Contact List- Send emails to those who want it.
- Avoid purchased leads/ list from online. Build your ownlist.
- Clean your list of bounces regularly.
- Do not resend to bounced email address
- Give minimum 3 days gap of every successive campaign sent to the same contact list.
3.Give Unsubscribe Option- Include the unsubscribe link both at top and bottom ofemails.
- Don't give your recipient a chance to click 'Report Spam'.
- Mail Marketer’s one-click unsubscribe feature does wonder, no further emails are sent to
unsubscribed contacts.
4. Create Good Email Content- Make sure your emails don't get flagged as spam. Write your suject line more attractive.
- Avoid using words suchas 'Free', 'Save', ‘Discount’ in both the subject line and content.
- Personalize emails with the recipients name. Use Custom Fields in Mail Marketer.
- Mail Marketers advanced Spam-Filter Check tool, helps you find and remove spam words from
your content.
5.Signature- Always include a signature at the bottom of youre mails.
- Include your personal, company and contact details
May 20, 2011
Why Email Marketing Matters to Businesses
Email marketing is about creating email, newsletter, invitation or online survey and sending to your audience at regular interval, which enables you to build strong relationship with them and make it possible to accomplish business growth.
According to a study by the Winterberry Group, email marketing fetches RS.15.50 per Rupee spent. Email marketing is more effective than direct-mail campaigns and telemarketing campaigns in terms of presentation, time, money, energy and result.
The points that needs to be kept in our mind when we think about sending email is
1. The purpose for which you are sending an email
whether to convert the existing customers into a loyal customers or to find and convert the prospects or to create brand awareness.
2. How frequently you should send.
The purpose determines the content of the email, newsletter, invitation or online survey. Point to be remembered is that content is short, high informative and as per the interest and requirement of the audience. The type of business, product or services, market trend, competition, audience interest and requirement together determines how frequently emails are required to be send to customers. It should be send at consistent basis on regular interval.
If you stick with sending relevant, high quality content-rich emails on a consistent basis to persons who have requested to receive your emails, you will increase your prospect to customer conversion rates and customer lifetime value at a fraction of the of the cost of traditional methods.
According to a study by the Winterberry Group, email marketing fetches RS.15.50 per Rupee spent. Email marketing is more effective than direct-mail campaigns and telemarketing campaigns in terms of presentation, time, money, energy and result.
The points that needs to be kept in our mind when we think about sending email is
1. The purpose for which you are sending an email
whether to convert the existing customers into a loyal customers or to find and convert the prospects or to create brand awareness.
2. How frequently you should send.
The purpose determines the content of the email, newsletter, invitation or online survey. Point to be remembered is that content is short, high informative and as per the interest and requirement of the audience. The type of business, product or services, market trend, competition, audience interest and requirement together determines how frequently emails are required to be send to customers. It should be send at consistent basis on regular interval.
If you stick with sending relevant, high quality content-rich emails on a consistent basis to persons who have requested to receive your emails, you will increase your prospect to customer conversion rates and customer lifetime value at a fraction of the of the cost of traditional methods.
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