Email marketing is an important piece in the marketing strategy. Even with social media and search engine marketing, email marketing is still a relevant marketing tool. There could, however, be mistakes being made that are holding your strategy and campaigns back from getting the results you want. It has become increasingly difficult to cut through the email inbox clutter and have not only your email message get delivered but get opened and translate to a sale. Here we have outlined some of the most common email marketing mistakes to avoid.
Weak subject lines
Subject lines are often overlooked in the email drafting process. When in reality it is quite possibly one of the most important elements of a marketing email. With subscribers’ email inboxes getting flooded with a lot of other enticing offers or information, it’s important to make your message stand out and get opened.
Try incorporating one or two emojis toward the beginning of the subject line. Keep it short and concise, using no more than 8-10 words. Don’t forget to utilize the preview text, but know not every email client can see it on every device. So, the most enticing info should be in the subject line. Need some inspiration? Check your inbox. Look at other marketers’ subject lines and learn from them.
Overdesigning / too much content
Keep it simple. Limit the number of fonts, colors and images as much as possible. The more visuals and written content, the more likely the email will end up in spam folders. Create a hierarchy in your email messages, incorporating the most important information at the top. Keep in mind, subscribers have short attention spans and will skim to the information most relevant to them. If you find you are having a hard time shortening or cutting content. You can include a teaser blurb and hyperlink it to your website for more comprehensive information.
Not prioritizing mobile readers
While most email marketing platforms default to the desktop design setting view, it is paramount to design, test, and review email campaigns for mobile devices, as more than 70% of people read their email in a mobile app. Mobile user numbers continue to steadily grow. Even if your current subscriber list is still predominantly desktop readers, it is important to make sure your email communication looks good on all devices.
Missing a call to action
Emails should have a purpose. You don’t want to send the subscriber information without a way to act on your offer or contact your organization in some way, right? A call to action (CTA) is a button or link that encourages immediate sales or prompts an immediate response. The button should be in a bright complementary color. The CTA should be written to be precise, relevant and spark urgency/action.
Broken links
Test, test, test. Review and proof emails thoroughly before sending, checking every link, ensuring they are driving subscribers to the correct place. If a broken link is found after an email is sent, review the situation promptly and decide if a follow-up email is required. Often a redirect link is possible if this link does function. If they are being sent to the completely wrong page, adding a pop-up to the web page may be a quick temporary solution. If you deem a follow-up email is the only way to rectify the situation, it is best to just admit your mistake. Send a sorry email, explain the mistake, and offer up the correct information.
Not welcoming new subscribers
It’s important to welcome new subscribers and let them know what to expect from this new relationship and future communications. Welcome emails are especially important for ecommerce as you can deliver an introductory discount or coupon to their inbox that will entice the first purchase. These types of emails have the highest open rates compared to every other email category, so if you are not sending them, it is a missed opportunity. Welcome emails should be triggered immediately after a subscriber signs up.
Emails being sent to the wrong audience
Are you delivering the right message to the correct audience? Think about the different audiences you are addressing with your emails and create a sub-list for each one (segment your contacts). These can be as basic or as complex as you like (e.g., by location, frequency of email communication, the product or service of interest, gender, website interaction, etc.). Know you can always send campaigns to all of them easily, but it’s much easier to segment them early on in your list building process or when adding new subscribers.
Wrong frequency of sends – too little, too much?
People hate getting too many emails from any brand. But you as a marketer want your content and offers to be seen and ultimately get the conversion. Once a month is recommended for most brands at a minimum. For ecommerce retail, 2-3 times a week with changing offers or promotions is a good amount without it being overkill. If you send too many emails, you run the risk of losing your subscribers. If possible, offer them a frequency level of email communication at signup. The unsubscribed page should also offer these frequency options as a last-ditch effort to keep the subscriber.
After reading this article, have you found your email marketing strategy to be in need of a refresh? Reach out to the team at Baer Performance Marketing! We can offer you advice, create impactful email templates, help clean up lists and more. Let’s chat! Call 920-632-7648 for a free marketing assessment today.