Over 100 billion emails circulate around the world every day. Yes, you read that correctly — that number is on a daily basis. The average consumer is continuously bombarded with emails, so how do you break through the clutter?
In 2014 alone, Rewards Network sent over 155 million* promotional emails, yet our open rates ranged from 24-60%*, versus the 23% industry average. Here are a few practices we have been utilizing to make sure our marketing emails hold their own against the rest:
Create an attention-grabbing subject line.
The subject line is the reader’s very first interaction with your message, so it needs to tell them why they should open your email. Ask yourself, “What would make me open or not open this email?” There are several different techniques that result in increased open rates, such as prompting a question, personalization, and providing timely and useful information to the consumer.
Keep important content above the fold.
Now that you successfully got the reader to open your email, it’s time to show them as soon as possible why they opened it. The attention span of the average adult is 8 seconds, so the objective of your message needs to be clear and prominently placed above the fold (i.e. visible without scrolling). Too much content can deter or confuse the reader and if they have to search for the information you are promoting, you will quickly lose the majority of your audience.
Include appealing images.
We all know the saying “a picture is worth 1,000 words,” but the metrics prove this to be true! Including beautiful images to support your copy or utilizing graphics as Calls to Action (CTAs) will drive the reader to scroll through, keep their interest piqued, and eventually click to learn more about your message.
Ensure the message is meaningful.
Now that you know how many emails consumers are hit with daily, you need to make sure that what you are sending provides value to your audience. If the reader understands exactly why they are receiving this message and how it benefits them, they are more likely to perform the action you are soliciting.
Make the CTA enticing.
If you want your reader to do something, you need to clearly tell them! The best way to get anyone to click on your CTA is to tell them why they should do so. By incorporating attractive buttons and simple next steps, your readers will feel confident about the journey on which you are taking them.
Want to know more about how Rewards Network can help you market yourself with email — and more?
*Based on transactional and member data, 2014
**MailChimp
