The 4 Email Messages That Are Guaranteed to Get Read

How do you cut through the clutter of overstuffed email inboxes and make sure your messages get read? Step one is to write great subject lines that persuade your email audience to open your messages because they’re right on target to meet customer needs.

But here’s another tip. Some types of email messages are generally more likely to get read. You should know these 4 types and use them to your maximum advantage. Here they are:

1. The “Welcome” message

You’ll probably never get more attention from a customer, as when you send them your first message the moment they sign up to your mailing list.

Welcome emails receive twice the opens and 3 times the clicks of any other emails. So, don’t miss out on this great opportunity to capture your customer’s attention. Certainly, don’t send them a plain thank-you message with no content.

Some tactics to try:

• If you promised a special offer in exchange for an email address, then fulfil that deal right away in your welcome message with directions on where to go to get the coupon or other offer.
  
  
• Reinforce that the customer made the right decision to join your mailing list by outlining the benefits that participating customers enjoy.
  
  
• Enhance your brand by telling the backstory of your company or your founder. A nice touch would be a personal, signed statement from the company leader.

2. The “Happy Birthday” message

Many customers will give you their birth date upon registration on the promise of some special treat because birthdays make everyone feel like a kid again. Birthday emails have 179 per cent higher click rates than the usual promotional emails.

Setting up a birthday message is easy in email programs. You can schedule the message to be sent automatically on the person’s birth date and set the subject line to pull in the first name of the recipient for a bit of warm personalisation.

Depending on your business, your message might be a simple greeting. Or you can deliver a gift too, in the form of a discount or other deal. It may help to mention the offer in the subject line, in case the person’s inbox is overflowing with birthday wishes from other marketers.

3.  The sale or deal message

The reason most customers sign up for your newsletters is not for love of your company but in hope of getting an alert to an upcoming sale or some other instant offer. So you have a willing audience. Don’t turn them off with the wrong subject line.

Make sure to use ALL CAPS, “!!!” and “% off” sparingly. Too much hyperactive, salesy language could trigger the spam filters of email providers. They could also trigger suspicions from readers that they’re about to get hyped.

You can play it straight with a subject line like “Enjoy This Special Offer at Our New Location”. Or sound urgent like “Last chance to get 50% off!”. Just be sure to send test messages to see which subject lines perform better before you send to your whole list. Your email program most should offer A/B testing. Make sure you use it.

4. The transactional message

Your point-of-sale system can generate purchase receipts, shipping confirmations and return-of-purchase confirmations. Customers open these at a rate of almost 100 per cent, making them a great opportunity to promote branding or marketing messages.

But mind these cautions:

• To comply with the federal CAN-SPAM law on deceptive emailing. The subject line of the message must be about the transaction. For example, you can’t collect an email address to send a receipt but instead send a marketing message.
  
  
• Ask permission twice to use an email address. Once to ask if the customer would like a receipt emailed, and a second time to ask if they would also like to be added to your mailing list. You want to build an email list of recipients who truly want to read your messages and who won’t send them to their spam folders.

SOURCE: Score