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Open My Mail! You're Best Bets for Boosting Email Open Rates |
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Spam I Am
The first key to making sure your prospects open your email is to make sure they actually get it. You know what a hassle it is trying to get around the spam filters used by ISPs and corporations. But did you realize that your prospect’s computer is working just as hard to foil your attempts at successful email delivery? If Microsoft Outlook perceives something as junk, it will bypass the inbox and drop it directly into the junk folder, and your prospect will never be the wiser. And it’s all based on the word choices you make in your subject line or e-mail body.
You might expect words like “extra income” and “money back guarantee” to be on the spam list. But would you expect “special promotion” or “one-time mail” to prevent you from connecting with your prospects? The good news is you don’t have to be a mind reader, because Microsoft has compiled a list of the words most likely to turn your e-mail to spam. Click here to read the no-no list.
The Time is Right
They say that timing is everything and when it comes to getting better open rates, nothing could be truer. Yet knowing what the best time is for your business isn’t so easy to figure out. There are no hard and fast rules, and you’ll get lots of opinions on what works best. Some believe it’s better to deliver on Tuesdays, when more email is opened than any other day of the week; others swear by Mondays, because there’s actually less traffic. The best advice we can give is test, test, test. Find out what time and day work best for you, your company, your target demographic and your product or service.
What’s My Line?
First impressions can make or break any contact, and when it comes to email marketing, your subject line is your golden opportunity to make a stunning first impression. But you’ve only got about an inch and a half to get your point across, so you’ve got to work quickly.
Instead of making the subject line an afterthought, make it the most important thing you do. Put as much effort into your subject as you would your tagline or any other important marketing message. With a little creativity, you can develop an opener that really zings. If creativity isn’t your thing, then hire someone whose forte it is. If they can create a compelling answer to the question “Why should I open your email?” you’ve upped the ante on your chances of opening success.
So let’s say you diligently follow our advice. What open rates can you realistically expect? Provided you’ve got a good list (mainly subscribers who are expecting to hear from you), it’s not unreasonable to expect from 20 to 40 percent for an e-commerce campaign. For an email newsletter, you could clock rates from 30 to 60 percent. To ensure those higher rates for newsletters, check out our tips on creating compelling content in the third article of this newsletter.
Click here to learn about Building Permission Based Lists...
