Email marketers face constant challenges: acquiring email addresses, getting a customer to open an email, keeping the customer’s attention, etc. Seeing unsubscribe rates climb will almost always concern a marketer because, as the number of recipients dwindles, so too does the number of potential conversions and sales. However, there are several email marketing strategies marketers can take to ensure they get—and stay—in a prospect’s inbox.
Offer an option to receive fewer communications
Think of email opt-in as if you were in a restaurant: Wouldn’t you want to be able to order whatever sounded appealing without having the waiter decide for you? When it comes to email, offering your prospects or customers the ability to subscribe to certain messages will make them feel like you care about their preferences. Don’t just offer the full gamut of what your company has to offer. Instead, showcase the specific services the recipient may be looking for.
Ask if there are other ways of receiving information
Not everyone prefers email over other digital channels. If open rates are down or if you are experiencing high unsubscribe rates, ask if there are other ways your customers would like to receive information, perhaps through social media outlets, forums and communities, RSS feeds, etc. Don’t limit your messaging to just email when there are a number of possibilities for reaching your customers.
Personalization
Your customers want to feel valued, plain and simple. For that reason, flooding inboxes with offers that don’t suit your customers’ interests may eventually lead to un-subscribing. Personalize your emails, address the recipient by name, or target customer interest based on data you’ve collected. Offering location-based messages or crafting personalized messages will make the recipient of your emails feel valued; this type of direct marketing may increase the likelihood he/she will opt to continue receiving messages from you in the future.
Offer something of value, only accessible through specific types of communication
Another way to engage your customers is to offer them something of value. For instance, try offering a discount or unique information that can only be obtained through email. This will increase the chances your customer or prospect will open your message, unleashing greater opportunity for the individual to be exposed to your brand.
Keep communication short and simple
Don’t look desperate. Simply deliver your message and leave the rest up to the customer. If the person is interested in more information, he or she will ask for it. Spamming a customer’s inbox or flooding a page with text will oftentimes result in your message being discarded into the spam folder.
Watch out for spelling errors
Always check your spelling. Poor grammar or spelling errors may send your email address to the unsubscribe list. Professionalism is just as important as the message being delivered; many customers will judge your message based on its overall look and feel, including spelling, design, layout, etc. So make sure, when they are reading, they are impressed by the writing level, giving off a sense of security and quality about your brand.
Following these simple steps will increase the likelihood of remaining in your customer’s inbox. Paying attention to detail, personalizing messages, and offering options are the best ways to show you value your customer and that you are offering information from a trusted brand.
©iStockphoto.com/klenger; Andres Peiro Palmer.
