A lot of things need to come together to create a great email newsletter, including well written content, attractive formatting and an accurate match of the content to the interests of your target audience. But sometimes even a great newsletter ends up the victim of the subscriber’s Delete button before it even gets opened. Here’s how you can improve the chances of your subscribers actually opening and reading your e-newsletter.
1. Avoid the spam filters: ISPs use rigorous spam protection mechanisms to trap and delete suspect email before it gets into their customer’s inboxes. To make sure your emails don’t get filtered out as spam avoid overdoing ‘come on’ words such as ‘free’, ‘$$$’, ‘save’, ‘discount’, etc. in both the subject line and content of your email. Also, ISPs will blacklist you if you do not remove any invalid email addresses they inform you of. If that happens, even messages to legitimate addresses may be blocked and that could include things like order confirmations as well as your e-newsletter.
2. Encourage subscribers to whitelist you: Spam filters that come with email clients can create a whitelist of addresses from which mail is always acceptable (safe senders). Subscribers can be coaxed to put in the effort of whitelisting you in a number of ways:
- On your order confirmation page suggest that they whitelist you to ensure they receive order and shipping information
- Run competitions that necessitate them receiving your emails to participate
- Near the suggestion that they whitelist you, provide a link to ‘How to whitelist’ information covering the most popular email clients
3. Include your company name in the ‘From’ field: Don’t get mistaken for an organization the subscriber has no interest in or that they don’t recognize and might be wary about opening mail from.
4. Provide an interesting preview: Popular email clients such as MS Outlook can be set to display the top few lines of a selected email in the Inbox. Always have some interesting content at the very top of your email so that this is what displays in the preview view. If it sounds interesting enough it will encourage the subscriber to open up the email and continue on reading.
5. Use the subject line to communicate value: Your subject line is of prime importance in determining if the reader will open the email or delete it. Keep it short but attention grabbing. Offer a benefit from reading the newsletter rather than a product spiel – Irresistible spa packages… Bali from $149. ‘How to’ article titles, tips and real news all make good subject line copy. Avoid using CAPS and exclamation marks that devalue the integrity of the message.
6. Make it personal: If your CRM system allows for it, personalize your email by greeting subscribers with their name. Starting your email in this personal way to suggest a relationship can increase both the read and click-through rates of your subscribers.Information for this article is sourced from RAN ONE.
7. Make it easy for subscribers to change address: People do change email addresses. When they do, make it easy for them to change it in your subscriber list. A simple method is to place, on the page that allows readers to unsubscribe, another field where they can subscribe to a new address. Include a link to this page in the newsletter clearly identified as ‘Change email address’.
Information for this article is sourced from RAN ONE.