Email is still one of the most popular marketing mediums in the world today. It’s personal, easy to use, and it takes very little time for even the most chaotic of businesses to set up an effective email marketing campaign. Indeed, many people believe that email remains to be the most effective way to get in touch with someone in your community.
However, just like any marketing strategy, your email campaign will require some careful thought and planning if you want people to read the messages you send. While your friends might be happy to receive an email from you, your prospects will often overlook your correspondence unless you give them a valid reason to take notice.
Writing an Effective Subject Line
The subject line is the thing that convinces your customer to open your email or send it straight to their junk folder. With that in mind it’s important to ensure that you know how to compose a subject line that tells your client why they should be opening your mail. Remember, the more influential a person is, the more email they’re going to get. This means that you could be fighting for attention with dozens of other emails.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for the perfect subject line, there are a few best practices you can keep in mind when writing to improve your chances of success. For instance, make sure that you always put the value of the email in the subject line. Show your customers what’s in it for them from the get-go, and you’ll see better results.
At the same time, make sure that you avoid messages that have vague or ineffective subject lines. For instance, don’t tell someone that your email is urgent unless it is, and don’t beg for attention by saying “Please read this”. Avoid one-word subject lines too, as this can make your company seem like legitimate.
Be Clear and Courteous
Ultimately, from the moment someone sees your email in their inbox, they should understand why they should open your message. Make the purpose of your email clear, and make sure that your clients know why the message relates to them. Remember, they can’t see your tone of voice or body language to see whether you’re kidding or not, so don’t be sarcastic or too comedic.
Jokes don’t generally relate well into text. While it’s good to be informal in your messages, you still need to showcase your professional nature, so make sure that you’re courteous and sophisticated in the content you send. A good rule of thumb is that you should never use words or phrases that you wouldn’t use with your boss. If you’re worried that something might not come across the right way, keep it out of your email.
Once your customers do open your email, make sure that they know what to do. Present them with a clear call to action that informs them of how they can get the value that you’ve promised. Additionally, keep the content within short, simple, and straight to the point.
About Ronn Torossian
Ronn Torossian is the Founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations. He is an experienced leader in the public relations industry with over 20 years of experience. Ronn Torossian has been named as Public Relations executive of the year by the American Business Awards, and has run countless award-winning Public Relations programs.
Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR, with Kristaps Porzingis.