4 minute read

  • Marketing email engagement has climbed to 25% higher than pre-coronavirus averages.
  • Conversely, sales or promotional email response rates are down over 25% from pre-COVID-19 times

Emails that lack targeting or personalization are bound to end up in recipients’ trash folders, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. People are overwhelmed and stressed out. Just think of all the emails you are currently weeding out of your inbox. However, personalized emails that speak to customers based on which part of the buyer’s journey they are at is a different matter altogether.

This way, recipients receive emails that are personalized according to their interests and needs for your products or services, rather than POUNDING THEM TO DEATH with general emails that do not apply to their situation. Unless your goal is to increase unsubscribes.

This tactic drives conversions because it appeals to each person’s wants, needs and predictions, as well as their experience with your brand. In fact, email drip campaigns are beneficial even for prospects who cannot afford your products or services right now. Why? They keep your business top of mind so they will think of you when they are able to purchase again. If you are in doubt read this article from Constant Contact and Experian.

There are four ways to create and execute email drip campaigns that are more effective than others.

4 Tips To Stay Out Of The Trash Folder During The Coronavirus

1. Give Your Emails A Personal Touch

  • 82% of marketers reported an increase in open rates due to email personalization and 75% believe this tactic yields higher click-through rates.
  • 80% of customers are more likely to purchase a product or service from a brand who provides personalized experiences.

Personalization accelerates open rates because it shows recipients that you understand their pain points and business needs. When you have a firm grasp on these problems and factors, you are perfectly poised to solve them.

2. Do Not Neglect Email Basics!

While personalization and targeting are critical, the basic elements of an email are absolutely essential to consider. These elements include the subject line, sender and call-to-action (CTA).

A strong subject line is necessary to motivate recipients to open the email in the first place. The subject line should get their attention by addressing how your product or service could solve their pain points. Or, more appropriately during the coronavirus outbreak, how the free resources contained in the email will help them. Keep your email subject lines to a MAX 9 words or MAX 60 characters. Best results are around 40-45 characters or 4-7 words.

Adding an emoji to the subject line yields better open rates. Just do not go overboard. Limit it to one.

People get besieged with spam email. They will not open an email if it comes from an address that looks fake or unprofessional. Make sure your emails always come from an address with your domain name. For example, if the name of your company was “Cute Cats,” the email address should end with “@cutecats.com.”

The CTA should be crystal clear. Let the recipient know exactly what they will get if they click on it. That does not mean the CTA has to be boring. It can be direct and compelling at the same time. In fact, if you are promising them something that will benefit them or their business, that is compelling enough in itself.

3. Optimize Your Emails For Mobile Devices

While people are not necessarily on the go right now due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders, they are still inclined to check email on their phone or tablet. Therefore, you should always make emails mobile-friendly.

  • According to Litmus and MailChimp, a responsively designed email on mobile has a 30% higher click rate than a non-responsive design.
  • 57% of all online traffic in the United States comes from smartphones and tablets.
  • Worldwide, mobile traffic is expected to increase nearly sevenfold by 2021.

A mobile-friendly email automatically adjusts to fit the screen on any device. The majority of email building software including MailChimp and Constant Contact provide templates that are already optimized for mobile.

4. Keep Your Email Design Simple

You only have an extremely small window of time to capture recipients’ attention. Most people are overwhelmed with emails between their work account and personal account. This means you need to give them a compelling reason to open the email.

With so many people reading their work emails on a mobile device, it is more important than ever for emails to be concise. No one wants to scroll endlessly through a rambling email. Quite frankly, people do not have time to do so, even now, when they are home more.

Your emails should be scannable, with bullet points, numbered lists, subheads and graphics breaking up concise copy. Do not give the farm away. Instead, give recipients a taste that whets their appetite for more and let the CTA link out to learn more.

Didn’t Your Parents Tell You To Stay Out Of The Trash?

It is crowded and stinky in the trash folder. Keep your emails permanently in customers’ inboxes:

  • Personalize the content according to each recipient
  • Do not neglect the subject line, sender or CTA
  • Make them compatible with mobile devices
  • Simplify the design and keep the copy concise

When emails are tailored to recipients, have a strong subject line and CTA, are easily viewed on mobile devices and can be digested quickly, they will elicit opens and clickthroughs.

Does the art of creating inbox-worthy emails still confuse you? Tag Marketing can help. Download our FREE ebook to get tips on email marketing and more during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

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