As an email marketer, it’s safe to say that you put in plenty of time, energy, and creativity in your newsletters for your business, other clients, or other projects of yours. So what happens when you spend hours on perfecting that newsletter and it goes unopened?
Absolutely nothing.
Your work goes unnoticed, the content in the newsletter goes unread, and your potential reader just missed out on something valuable.
As Virtual Assistants committed to your success, we’ve compiled five tips to help your newsletter get opened.
1. Build Trust with your Readers
What’s the first thing we look at when we open an email? The FROM: field. The name in the from section of this email is very important as it needs to be from a name your subscribers trust. Is it a first and last name nobody will recognize, or is it from a business name that everyone knows? Build that trust and familiarity with your readers.
2. Understanding Email Filters 101
Ever since Gmail changed their mode-of-operande, important newsletters and email blasts are going to the wrong folder. Here are some ways you can avoid your newsletter getting put in the garbage disposal vortex of email inboxes:
SPAM Words: Anything inappropriate or hoax sounding such as money, debt, credit cards, lose weight, etc.
DON’T SPEAK IN ALL CAPS: We think that would get attention, but ultimately it just turns them off to reading it or it gets ignored.
Misleading Subject Line: Don’t mislead your customers with the email content or subject line. They’re smart enough to notice and be annoyed and feel like their favorite love song was written about a sandwich. Let your subject line speak for the content of the email.
Incomplete information: Your physical address is required by law.
Too! Much! Punctuation! Who doesn’t love using a ton of !!! Symbols, or even the $$ sign???? (See what I did there???) While we, again, think it’ll grab the attention of readers, it in reality will grab the attention of the SPAM filters if it doesn’t get to your readers eyes first. Ditch the overkill on punctuation and symbols so your emails get read and aren’t pushed down the black hole of junk mail.
3. Actually read your bounce reports.
We’re supposed to learn from our mistakes, right? Your bounce report tells you what may have gone wrong and why your emails aren’t being opened. Your bounce rate may not be as depressing once you understand why your emails may be going unopened and analyze the report in its entirety.
Blocked? It’s nothing personal, really. If your email address has been blocked there’s no way your newsletter will get to the reader. If after a couple campaigns, you’re seeing this message then remove their name from the list and move on.
Not Real? Is their email address real, or just a placeholder account? This could explain why you’re getting it bounced back. chAnCzes_r_if_it@lookslikethis.me then it’s not a real email address.
Mailbox Full? Hey, some people are just packrats; if their email box is full, your newsletter won’t hit their inbox. That’s okay, they probably should be doing some spring cleaning, anyway.
Spend your time, money, and energy using a reputable newsletter building services. It not only cuts down on time and headaches with the easy-to-use software, templates, and 24/7 assistance, but it also displays a higher level of professionalism and impressive marketing tactics. Use a service that’s looking out for you, too! Most email services have built impressive, sturdy SPAM and junk filters with important attention to ISP servers, where the emails originate from, and more. Vet services like MailChimp, Constant Contact, and AWeber.
Which tips + tricks have you used? What other tricks have you found to be effective?