Your email gets to their inbox, but does it get opened? Improve the odds that your message is read with these simple strategies from Constant Contact.
Invest Time in Your Subject Line
Your subject line should draw people in and get them interested. Generic subject lines like “May Newsletter” or “News from Smith Group” may not garner a click. Put some time in your subject line before sending. Here are five ideas to get you started:
- Use a Question. Questions seems more personal to the reader.
- Try a Command. Ask them to take action.
- Write a Teaser. You won’t believe what people prefer in subject lines! (think: cliffhanger)
- Make it a List: Lists can provide your points more compellingly.
- Use an Announcement: Be straightforward about what your email contains.
Fix your ‘from name’
People are more likely to open mail from a familiar name and email address. Take a look at how yours shows up in your test email, and adjust accordingly.
Find the best time to send
There are certain times of day when your readers are more likely to open and read your emails. Divide your email into 2-3 groups sent a different times of day and find out which version gets the most opens.
One of the easiest ways to find the best time to send is to segment your list into 2-3 equally sized groups and send these groups during different times of the day (morning, afternoon, and evening). Try this test for a few consecutive mailings and keep track of which version gets the highest open rate. Constant Contact also offers this chart to identify a good time to send based on the results of others in your industry.
Get to know your audience.
Find out why people joined your list, what topics they are interested in and what information they want to receive.
- Try a short (1-3 question) survey or poll to gather intel.
- Review your click reports.
- Ask customers when you see them in person.
Review your sign-up process
Make sure they understand what they’ve signed up for, and then follow through with those expectations.
- What is the value of signing up?
- What can they expect to receive?
- How often will they hear from you?
Want more to improve your open rate?
Your email service should have many helpful articles. From Constant Contact:
- Want to do more with your subject line? Improve your open rates with these 12 subject line tweaks.
- Want to figure out the best time to send? Read this post: When is the Best Time to Send Your Email Marketing Campaign?
- Want to learn more about how to collect email addresses the right way? Get started with these list-building techniques.
