It’s been well over a year since smart phones started outselling PC’s, so the news that more people are using smart phones to check their email, as opposed to PC’s or even tablets, shouldn’t come as much of a shock to anybody.
So what’s the next move for the email savvy small business owner? The answer is simple isn’t it – it’s time to optimize your email marketing campaign for mobile devices and smart phones.
Don’t be intimidated, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. All you need is some direction. And would you know it, here I am about to give you five tips that will get your mobile campaign up and running.
Grab Their Attention
Think about your average mobile user, running from job to job, meeting to meeting, walking down the street with their face fixed on to the 3 x 3 inch screen of their phone. The mobile users today are always on the go. That’s why the subject of your email should take precedence. No matter how valuable the information inside may be, if the subject line doesn’t compel them to open your email, it may as well have never been sent.
Keep your subject lines short and sweet, and do your best to avoid being pushy (no crazy symbols or capital letters).
The First Few Seconds
Once you get past the subject, it’s time to bring it home. Like your subject line, the content of your email should get right to the point. You’ll only have your readers attention for as long as it takes for the traffic light to change or until their bus stop comes. Put the most important information, including your call to action, at the top of your message and get rid of any unnecessary information.
When To Send
Traditionally, email marketers would send their messages in the evening, or early in the morning when people were most likely to be at their desk at the office or checking their mail before heading off to work. Not anymore.
Since the mobile life is all about being, well, mobile, you have the opportunity to send your email at anytime during the day. Focus on lunch breaks and commutes to and from work.
A little research here is essential. Think about who you are marketing to and then figure out what the ideal sending time will be.
Picture This
You’re on your lunch break and you get an email that, judging by the subject line, looks like it may be interesting. You open the email, curious as to how much value you can expect, only to find that it won’t load. The restaurant doesn’t have wifi and the email just won’t load. So what do you do? You put down your phone and finish your lunch.
Everyone loves pictures and, yes, a good photo is a great way to spice up your emails, but when you’re dealing with mobile devices and smart phones, it’s best to keep the images to a minimum.
What Next?
If you really want to get ahead of the curve, your next step is to make a mobile version of your web site. Web pages that aren’t mobile friendly can be hard to navigate, especially when people are on the go. Your mobile site can be the bridge between your mobile email marketing campaign and your full fledged web site. Just like your mobile emails, keep the content on your mobile site to the point, give them most value you can, with as few words as possible.
