Most people, like myself, receive multiple email marketing messages to their inbox daily. So we know when something catches our attention, and we know when to instantly hit delete before opening an email. This morning I went through the usual titles that feed into my inbox, “The JOB for YOU!!!!!!!!!!”, “Concert Update”, “Top news”, “On Sale”, “Get 20% off”, or “The SALE starts NOW”. I went through, deleted them all, and then I paused at one titled, “Where is your family from?” from a sender named Jose Magana. I read through the entire email after opening it and realized it was actually sent from Barack Obama, yes that one, the President of the United States of America. The email spoke of immigration reform and included at link to a site where you could sign a petition, also included was a link to a site to tell “your immigration story” like the “sender” Jose Magana did in the email.
This email followed many of the Do’s of designing an effective email creative.
- An Attention Grabbing Subject Line
- Relevant Content
- Imagery/Logos
- A Call to Action
- Social Media Icons
- Clean, Clear Design
- A ‘Non-Spammy” Sender Name
So, why did those other emails I received get instantly tossed? Well, not only are the subject lines uninteresting and monotonous in a string of emails, but when opened, many of these commit these fatal flaws of email marketing.
The Don’ts include:
- Capital Letters (No one likes to feel like they are being shouted at.)
- Red Text/Font (Also seen as being angry and visually we equate red with stopping)
- Enlarged Fonts and Too Many Bolded Words
- “Scammy” Sounding Testimonials Are Out! Consumer Response Through Social Media is in!
- “Dirty” Un-Deliverable Email Lists Could Include Spam and Bots!
Make sure your email list is clean and deliverable. But Is your Email List OK to Send to?
A well developed email marketing campaign can increase your customer base and contribute to customer’s loyalty. A lack of trust between a recipient and a business is another popular reason some emails remain unopened. Sending quality email creatives to a verified recipient list can ensure that if the recipient didn’t make it all the way to your website the first time they opened and clicked on your email, that by the second or third time they receive an email from your business, they are trusting and ready to learn more about what your company offers. If you are considering starting an email marketing campaign, follow the do’s and avoid the don’ts to give your company a leg up in the email marketing world.