{"id":11504,"date":"2018-08-22T11:08:16","date_gmt":"2018-08-22T08:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cognitiveseo.com\/blog\/?p=11504"},"modified":"2020-10-05T15:45:23","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T12:45:23","slug":"ways-to-boost-email-open-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cognitiveseo.com\/blog\/11504\/ways-to-boost-email-open-rates\/","title":{"rendered":"53 Untapped Ways to Improve Your Email Open Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Email open rates represent the ultimate effectiveness of the emails you\u2019re sending to your audience and your leads. And the better your emails are in composition and structure, the more you\u2019re going to grow your business in a sustainable way. We\u2019ve put together (probably) the largest list of hands-on tips that will help you nail email marketing and notably boost your email open rates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"53_Untapped_Ways_to_Boost_Your_Email_Open_Rates\"<\/p>\n

With no further introduction, we present you a\u00a0great\u00a0list of 53 great methods on how to considerably boost your open rate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I. BECOME A\u00a0SUBJECT\u00a0LINES MASTER<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Choose a Subject Line That Triggers Curiosity<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Address the Prospects by First Names<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Use Open Loops that Sparks the Curiosity of the Reader<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  4. Use Humor to Create a Personal Relationship with Your Prospects\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  5. Make Use of Negative Subject Lines to Trigger Curiosity<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  6. Use the Power of Quizzes. Announce Them in the Subject Line<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  7. Add a Video. Announce It in the Subject Line to Raise Interest<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  8. Be Playful. Use Emojis in the Subject Line When It\u2019s Appropriate<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  9. Have at Least 5 Headlines Written Before Actually Sending One<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  10. Leverage Relevant News to Build Urgency from the Subject Line<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  11. Use Email Series to Increase Curiosity and Loyalty<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  12. A\/B Test Alternatives of Different Subject Lines<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    II.KEEP YOUR READERS ENGAGED<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Create a Second Lead to Keep Your Audience Hooked<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Use Information Gap to Create a Craving for More Content<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    3. Use Educational Emails to Re-engage Prospects That Slipped Away<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    4. Focus Your Copy on the Customer\u2019s Interests, Not on Your Product<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    5. Ask Why When Someone Unsubscribes<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    6. Make the Same\u00a0Message Revolve Around More than One CTA Button<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    7. Brand Your “From” Name. Set a Personal Name and Stick to It<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    8. Review Emails Internally Before Sending Them to the Public<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    9. Proof Read for Grammar, Not Just for Marketing Relevance!<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    10. Finish the Email With\u00a0a Question to Increase Engagement<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      III. BE CAREFUL AT THE TIMING & FREQUENCY OF YOUR EMAILS<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
        \n
      1. Use the Same Delivery Time for All Your Emails (Especially for Newsletters)<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      2. Avoid List Fatigue. Avoid Sending Too Many Emails<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      3. Get the Length of the Message Right \u2013 Add a TL;DR in the Subject Line When Necessary<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      4. Try Automated Behavioral Triggered Emails to Exploit User Behavior<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      5. Ask Your Contacts to Decide How Often They Want to See Mails from You<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      6. Resend Unopened Emails<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      7. Create Anticipation Towards\u00a0the Following Email from a\u00a0Series<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
      8. Let the Contact Know Your Email is Fresh<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        IV. AVOID SPAM FILTERS<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
          \n
        1. Beware of the Word \u2018Free\u2019. It Can Trigger Spam Filters<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        2. Use Lower Case Letters in the Subject Line<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        3. Only Use the Emails of Your Contacts for What They Expect from You<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        4. Make the List Double Opt-In<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        5. Ask Contacts to Add You to the Address Book<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        6. Avoid Attachments, Whenever Possible<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        7. Optimize Your HTML to Increase Deliverability<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        8. Use Well Optimized Videos to Get the Message in Your Prospect\u2019s Inbox<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        9. Optimize Images to Be Responsive on Mobile Devices<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        10. Use Email Authentication to Prevent Fake Accounts from Sending Emails in Your Name<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
        11. Connect Your Current Location to the Email Account to Spot Unusual Activity Easier<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          V. BE\u00a0AWARE OF THE LIST SEGMENTATION IMPORTANCE<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
            \n
          1. Micro-Segment Your Mailing\u00a0List<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
          2. Address Prospects from\u00a0Your Niche<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
          3. Constantly Upgrade & Update Your Contact List<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
          4. Address the Message Having\u00a0Just One Persona in Mind<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
          5. Avoid Sending Unsolicited Emails<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            VI. KEEP A STRONG CONNECTION WITH YOUR AUDIENCE<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
              \n
            1. Add Social Media Links to Be Closer to Your Audience <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
            2. Send a Warm, Personal Welcome Email When Someone Subscribes <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
            3. Send Relevant Product Update Emails\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
            4. Use Your Credibility Smartly. Avoid Promotional Content<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
            5. Include an Unsubscribe Button\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
            6. Personalize Your Signature with a Short Description<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
            7. Encourage Sharing the Content of Your Email with Close Friends<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
               <\/div>\n

              I.<\/strong>BECOME A\u00a0SUBJECT\u00a0LINES MASTER<\/strong><\/h2>\n
               <\/div>\n

              1. Choose a Subject Line That Triggers Curiosity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              From our experience, one of the first things you\u2019d like to avoid in the pursuit of a perfect subject line that stands out is being too smart about it. People don\u2019t like it when you\u2019re cocky and neither do they have time to understand the deep existential meanings behind your subject line. Of course, as everybody\u2019s using email marketing<\/a><\/strong> and not everybody is so good at it, if you\u2019re not unique you may get filtered out as spam before even hitting the inbox. We\u2019re not here to advocate the lesser of two evils, we\u2019re here to suggest moderation.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Ramona Sukhraj<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>gave a great example of an email subject line form Canva<\/strong><\/a>. It has a bold attitude. It is stressing\u00a0on an issue that you may have encountered, admitting that you may have problems from time to time, and it positions itself as a solution to them, all in one place. Pretty amazing style, impossible not to leave you\u00a0curious on the matter. Even if you don\u2019t usually read their newsletter and you\u2019d like to skip this one, you\u2019ll probably close your email app and re-open it just to satisfy that ardent curiosity.<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Choose<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              THAT is what you\u2019re aiming for,\u00a0 a subject line to say something meaningful and personal, or at least to arouse curiosity, without being too complex or too shady.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              Easier said than done. Especially because, despite being one of the most advised things about email marketing, people are still doing it wrong. However, an easier way to keep relevance in your plan is to include numbers in the subject. There\u2019s something about them that makes people think you\u2019re precise and worthy of their time. Of course, this is just one example of the many\u00a0ways of creating an effective subject line.\u00a0<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              2. Address the Prospects by First Names\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Once you’ve found the prospect\u2019s email<\/a>, there comes the imminence of the email soon to be sent. However, there isn\u2019t any guarantee that there will exist not only a positive but any reaction at all.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There\u2019s more than just one popular way of doing it. For instance, you can use \u2018Fwd:\u2019 or \u2018Re:\u2019, but only when it is necessary, manually added just to send the message of a personal approach from a friendly face. As it\u2019s always good to have some news from a friend and this marketing strategy can work.<\/p>\n

              \n

              And some emails<\/a> are just so awesome, that Tina Turner would sing about them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              As Carly Stec<\/strong><\/a> documented in her article, catching the user\u2019s attention is a constant journey through the email, and addressing the sender name is one of the first steps.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              <\/span>\"Address<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There\u2019s still a good chance that the recipients’ name you\u2019ve got in the database aren’t actually their names, but there\u2019s a good chance you won\u2019t fail. It is, after all, a little more personal to have a first-name-base approach.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              3. Use Open Loops that Sparks the Curiosity of the Reader<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Using an open loop to attract your prospects into opening your emails daily is a functioning way of increasing your open rate. However, you should keep in mind that good content marketers’ task is not completed when the prospect clicked on the email subject line.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There\u2019s no use in building anticipation in the subject just to disappoint in the content of the email. So delivering what you promised to when the prospect gave you the email address is a must in order to maintain your position. The example<\/a> <\/strong>below brought up by Jeremy Reeves<\/a><\/strong>, is quite a pedagogical approach of this tip.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use<\/p>\n

              \n

              This is not just a copywriting trick. It\u2019s a way of delivering information. It\u2019s been proven that not only do we get curious, but we also get anxious when there is a gap between the information we have access to and the one we want to know. That explains the unhealthy amount of sitcoms in our lives – the urge to know what happens next.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              <\/span>Tipception<\/strong>: You can get as creative as you want with this technique, and the important tip behind this tip is to organize your information to leave people in front of cliffhangers, while actually delivering consistent information with every email. However tempted you may be to create a long \u2018post\u2019 and send it as a series of emails with a plot twist at the end, that\u2019s not the way. The whole purpose of it is to create tension and anticipation with every email, but without damaging or affecting the content that you deliver. If Game of Thrones can do it, we\u2019re sure that you can too!<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              4. Use Humor to Create a Personal Relationship with Your Prospects\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Ideally, your contacts already know who you are and the communication process flows without any issues. Practically, that\u2019s rarely the case and it only happens when you\u2019ve got no more than 5 clients, which (well, of course, it depends on the industry) isn\u2019t such a happy prospect for most.<\/p>\n

              \n

              Getting to a point where you\u2019ve created personas to get more efficiently to your audience is something to be positive about. It means your business is constantly growing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              Unfortunately, something you might sound impersonal and boring. And there\u2019s a fix to that. Transfer the humor from your day-to-day life to your prospect-to-prospect experiences. There are others that follow this practice and do it well, but we\u2019d advise you to go on this path only if you\u2019re a genuinely funny person.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Use
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              For instance, my favorite example is throwing a subject line that says \u2018So I\u2019ll pick you up at 7?\u2019. That yells personality, It\u2019s so rich and impossible to ignore. But it also takes some strategy to not follow this line with an awkward email, but to keep a natural tone. Even\u00a0DJ Waldow<\/a><\/strong> decided to talk about this strategy<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              5. Make Use of Negative Subject Lines to Trigger Curiosity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The old carrots versus stick hypothesis. Truth be told, we do tend to react better<\/a><\/strong> to fear. From this point of view, loss aversion is a much more powerful stimulus than being offered a gain. This can be very well used in crafting a puissant subject line. Behind this fact, there\u2019s a mechanism that speaks of basic human nature principles.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Being alerted about a potential danger\/threat is more powerful than being told you can follow an opportunity. The reason is that, while we cannot always visualize how far an opportunity could take us, we can easily imagine loss; it\u2019s more palpable, more real and we\u2019re more willing to fight loss than finding a lucky chance.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Lindsay Kolowich<\/a><\/strong> wrote a post<\/a> <\/strong>about various subject lines that work. Among them, there\u2019s clearly one using loss aversion, with a great open rate, which means it worked. Of course, it would have been more accurate if we had access to the average email open rates of the blogger, but an absolute percentage of 17.13 is not bad.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Choose<\/p>\n

              \n

              Defense mechanisms are built around the things that we care most about particularly because they\u2019re meaningful and we have worked a lot to get here, which is why they\u2019re infinitely more relatable.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

               <\/div>\n

              6. Use the Power of Quizzes. Announce Them in the Subject Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Whenever we hear about a quiz we tend to zone out from everything else and just take it. Adding quizzes<\/a> <\/strong>and educating your audience to expect them makes the people engage more with your content and, therefore, remember you better. Maybe tell them that you\u2019ve sent them a quiz, from the subject line.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              This can happen even if you\u2019re a huge actor on the market or a newly entered one, as it helps you stick to\u00a0people\u2019s minds. Creativity has always been a powerful means when it comes to a brand\u2019s memorability. Not to mention it increases click through rate. Take the example below, from\u00a0Grammarly.
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              7. Add a Video. Announce It in the Subject Line to Raise Interest<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There are countless reasons why embedded videos in email marketing campaigns work wonders. While this is an extended practice and everyone seems to have been doing it for years, it\u2019s crucial to keep in mind the reasons why you\u2019re doing it, both concerning your needs and your readers\u2019, and to stick to your digital marketing plan.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Also, if the users aren\u2019t used to this type of content or don\u2019t know to expect it, you can announce it in the subject line.<\/p>\n

              \n

              From our point of view, adding a video to an email means creating a context for your readers to allocate more time to your emails than they usually would, as integrating more than one sense in message transmission is proven<\/a> to be more effective. Then, of course, there\u2019s the possibility of your brand going viral.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              This great example of video embedding<\/a><\/strong> from Emily Konouchi brings to our attention the importance of getting the audience used to receiving videos. And it\u2019s more of a process than a state, meaning that you\u2019ve got to teach your readers what to expect from you and in that you\u2019ve got the biggest flexibility. So did Mario Batali in his culinary newsletter.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Add<\/a>
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              From your reader\u2019s point of view, a video is a summarized version of an article, one that\u2019s more pleasant to follow, and it\u2019s also more impactful, personal and significant. It\u2019s also best if you include single tap to play it since many users open the emails from their phones. Additionally, autoplay is never a good thing to do, as it\u2019s intrusive and it violates trust.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              8. Be Playful. Use Emojis in the Subject Line When It\u2019s Appropriate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s thrilling to work in an industry that\u2019s finally mature, it has its niches, its specialists and its overly excited, ever-so-powerful fanbase. But this, like any other awesome thing in life, comes with responsibilities. One of them is taking your job seriously every second of the day. And while it may seem a little odd, this doesn\u2019t mean that you should be formal and pretentious with your readers. On the contrary, it\u2019s high time you spiced some of these strategies up with a little humor, a personal note, maybe a slightly inappropriate joke. Use a more\u00a0personal subject line.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Short, colorful, and attention grabbing, just like the example below.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              This is how a correct use of the emoji should be in the subject line of an email. It\u2019s especially useful when you\u2019re not overusing it and look spammy. Just like Jackie Nees mentioned on her blog<\/a><\/strong>, there\u2019s a fine line and you\u2019re risking a lot if you don\u2019t know where to stop. However, there are bad examples as well.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Be<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              And maybe you should use emojis every once in a blue moon, when it\u2019s appropriate and the context allows it. What two years ago would have been a big no-no is only the logical thing to do today – people like interacting on an emotional level with their connections, and networking is more than exchanging likes and retweets. It only makes sense to adapt your email subject line to these trends.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              <\/span>And as always, with the risk of sounding like the mother of a teenage girl, don\u2019t do anything that you\u2019re not comfortable with and that doesn\u2019t align with your personality. You don\u2019t want to pose into something you\u2019re not, you just want to communicate personally from the first character of your subject line; and if you\u2019re doing it through other means and you\u2019ve never used emojis in your personal life while exchanging text messages with your wife and kids, maybe you shouldn\u2019t do it. Otherwise, don\u2019t hesitate!<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              9. Have at Least 5 Headlines Written Before Actually Sending One<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              You don\u2019t need experience in journalism to figure out that there\u2019s an almost weird similarity between a headline and the subject line of an email. They both have the role to intrigue, to raise questions and to spark curiosity. Most of the times, the subject line is what opening an email or not depends on. And as this is the very most important decision when it comes to open rates, it should be given its much-needed attention.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The business world is responsible for most of the email traffic, with over 100 billion sent\/received emails per day. By the end of 2017, were 269 billion sent emails.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0This figure is expected to grow to over 333 billion daily emails in 2022.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              You just cannot win at this game without a kickass headline. Which is why you should\u00a0have where to choose from. I would recommend writing 5 headlines before pressing send. It\u2019s massively important to reach the level of conciseness and relevance, while also making the reader curious about your content. It\u2019s never easy to do it, no matter how much experience you\u2019ve got, and it takes practice. Most of the times,you should follow some clear-cut rules too, if we\u2019ve decided to treat it like a headline. Some people take it very seriously and some even do A\/B testing.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              <\/span>
              \n\"Have<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The ideal length of a subject line depends on context as much as some external factors (such as the closeness of your audience with your brand). Its tone should be intriguing more than just a cry for attention. In order to pull all of these off, you need to take time and to find the perfect angle to your story. Just like you do in journalism.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              10. Leverage Relevant News to Build Urgency from the Subject Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It seems like every other tip is about creating better subject lines when it comes to email marketing. And while that\u2019s great advice, it cannot work miracles alone. You need to set up a lifecycle email marketing strategy. In other words, it\u2019s essential for your prospects to know why you\u2019re sending those emails, what category of emails they are (are they promotional? Are they newsletters the prospect subscribed for? Are they a regular 20-days follow up?). We all know how important are\u00a0click rates because they measure your subscribers’ engagement with your subject lines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s of tremendous importance that the prospects don\u2019t ask themselves \u2018What do these guys want now?\u2019 whenever a new emails lands in their inbox. And because everyone\u2019s schedule is always a little too full to cope with, maybe it\u2019s ok if your prospect doesn\u2019t open a follow-up email, but does read the newsletter regularly.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Proving the relevance of an email often constitutes a prioritization in the mind of the reader. And this is essentially a great mechanism of the human mind because instead of getting to ad nauseam before opening an email, they will filter the information and only open what\u2019s important to them. And this is what business should be like, right? Delivering information so that the prospect will have easier access to something they vividly want to hear.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              This is where relevant news come into the equation. If your readers know what kind of email they\u2019re receiving and why\u00a0it\u2019s a lot easier to spark their interest with different tricks. News incorporate the present into your messages, giving them temporal relevance and a sense of urgency. All of this happens using context. Topical events are a good source for anyone out there looking for a fresh perspective on their content strategies, as long as they\u2019re not artificial and exaggerated. Try to find the events that blend in with your products and digital marketing goals.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Such as\u00a0Chris Hexton<\/a><\/strong> stresses in his article<\/a><\/strong>, relevant news can drive conversions if they\u2019re used properly and towards an interested audience. Don\u2019t always sell them with a topical subject line because most probably everybody does. Leave the connection for the people who open the email.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Create<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              You will, then, be able to improve your\u00a0conversion rate optimization and have a higher open rate for email marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              11. Use Email Series to Increase Curiosity and Loyalty<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s difficult to create a loyal audience because every other source of information that delivers similar content to yours can be thought of as a good replacement. Everything seems to be more dependable than ever before. That\u2019s why you have to use creative hooks to keep your audience engaged, and drip email campaigns<\/a> are one of those hooks. Aside from the content strategies that can help you shape the way your message is best formulated, the idea behind this content makes for a sustainable strategy as long as you\u2019re thinking long term.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              12. A\/B Test Alternatives of Different Subject Lines<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              One of the most relevant ways of delivering something that your audience would appreciate is testing the audience regarding your subject line. Before actually sending out an email to a massive list, it\u2019s best to have some hands-on feedback from your readers and track click rates, open rates to compare the results.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Wishpond\u2019s blog post<\/a> <\/strong>about A\/B testing also treated subject lines, and it turns out running tests is for the better.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"AB<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              And more than just one variable\u00a0serves well for better positioning.<\/p>\n

              \n\"AB<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Sometimes two different copy approaches of the same content can have very distinct response rates, despite being about the same information. You wouldn\u2019t want to cut your open rates in half because you haven\u2019t been cautious and humble enough as to test what works better.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              II.\u00a0KEEP YOUR READERS ENGAGED<\/strong><\/h2>\n
               <\/div>\n

              13. Create a Second Lead to Keep Your Audience Hooked\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              I\u2019m not the first one to advocate for this strategy; it worked for many other influencers out there. A constant and active fan base that always accesses your email and constantly reads your content on the blog is something we\u2019re all striving for. However, it doesn\u2019t hurt to give extra motivation to people whenever you have a chance. Any course, webinar or other kinds of second lead can dramatically improve your open rates; the more hands-on the topic you\u2019re delivering, the better your chances are to have a burst in the open rates. Use\u00a0social networks to create buzz.\u00a0<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              When you\u2019re targeting busy people, make sure you\u2019re solving one of their problems. Once you are useful, they\u2019ll keep you close. Carly Stec<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s article is nothing but living proof<\/a> <\/strong>that it can work if you\u2019re doing it right.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Create<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The secret is to keep people interested and not go softie with the informational quality when you notice an increase. People will only come back for as long as you fill their needs, and it\u2019s enough to break the good pattern you\u2019ve been working on for months once to lose a significant part of your audience.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              14. Use Information Gap to Create a Craving for More Content<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There has to be that piece of information, that exists in every niche, that everybody seems to be using but no one really knows how it\u2019s done or what it\u2019s about. So maybe it\u2019s time to clarify it.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              That\u2019s when you come in. Under the pretense of delivering a more in-depth approach to something everybody knows, you can solve the issue of the elephant in the room. If it\u2019s too much to cover in one email, you can easily create a series and satisfy an informational hole that has kept your prospects from growing in business intelligence. It\u2019s not easy to serve the social greater good, and it clearly takes a lot of precious time, but it\u2019s efficient most of the times if you take it seriously.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              An example of such, you can see below:<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              15. Use Educational Emails to Re-engage Prospects That Slipped Away<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s not uncommon for prospects to lose interest in your content, even though they may be directly interested or even involved in the niche that you are active on. This can happen as a result to various reasons. Either because they got so used to the style of your content and it doesn\u2019t spark their interest anymore, or because you have changed something they liked a lot, or sometimes because you have become too aggressively promotional. So make it up to them.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              However, there is always one category of emails that will be opened, even if your regular newsletter or mailing style is a little too aggressive and that is the educational email. The chances are that most of the people who are actively passionate about staying in touch with the latest news in your niche will maintain long-term interest in educational emails that are meant to fill in background informational needs.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              16. Focus Your Copy on the Customer\u2019s Interests, Not on Your Product<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              While we\u2019re in the mindset of providing the best for your customers\u2019 interests, it\u2019s not only through educational emails that you can satisfy the prospects\u2019 expectations. A powerful strategy of advocating your brand is assuming a more objective voice, one that doesn\u2019t have the brand in the close-up, but the very reason why your audience needs your products or services.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Mary Fernandez<\/a><\/strong> gave the next example of an honest copy that completely makes you fall in love.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Focus<\/p>\n

              \n

              This means that if your product is a carpet cleaner, it\u2019s not cleaning carpets that you\u2019re selling. It\u2019s hardly even clean carpets. What you\u2019re selling actually is a good impression of your mother-in-law who comes to visit during some weekends, unannounced.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              So stop talking about your brand for just a second and shift the focus to the brand promise, and even further to the achievements that can be completed with your brand. Because those are the true points that spark your prospect\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              17. Ask Why When Someone Unsubscribes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              People unsubscribe from mailing lists for the weirdest of reasons, varying from my wife just had a baby and I don\u2019t have time for this anymore so I\u2019m wealthy enough not to value information.
              \nHowever, this is only a minority of them. Most of the unsubscribes happen for a legitimate reason that you should know about. So send them an email asking to fill in your this-is-only-taking-a-nanosecond survey.
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Ask<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Most of the prospects who click the unsubscribe button are unhappy about something and chances are it\u2019s something you did\u00a0or didn\u2019t do. Therefore, it falls under your responsibility to try to fix the misunderstanding. People subscribe to mailing lists for a reason–\u00a0 there\u2019s something they liked about you. But it\u2019s not going to always be a honeymoon phase, and you have to treat this relationship personally and responsibly.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              18. Make the Same Message Revolve Around More Than One CTA Button<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Just as it applies when it comes to website pages, having one call to action doesn\u2019t mean you should also have only one call to action button. On the contrary, the more opportunities you give to the reader to click on your links, the better your chances to convert.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              However, you do have to pay attention to the message behind those buttons or text links. This Whirlpool case study<\/a> showed that there was a 42% increase in clickthrough rates. How?<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Make<\/p>\n

              <\/span>
              \n\"Make<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              That\u2019s because there were too many messages, when – in fact- the email ideally has to build your readers\u2019 trust and allow them to decide when they\u2019re convinced. The example shows\u00a0that no matter how good an idea is, if it\u2019s not well executed it can do more damage than good. So make sure that the CTA buttons and links intensify the same message.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              We\u2019re all interested in a good story, as readers. We like to see the person from the other end trying to build a relationship with us. If you\u2019re just giving me a button\/link to click on the minute I open the email, you\u2019re only going to take me by surprise. In reality, it\u2019s best to let the readers decide when they feel ready and convinced to click on your CTA. This abundance doesn\u2019t mean, however, that we should hyperlink the entire email. But 2 CTA opportunities, for instance, could send the message that you respect the reader and are willing to give them time to trust you, very much like it happens in real life.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              19. Brand Your “From” Name. Set a Personal Name and Stick to It\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              A huge part of personal branding is memorability. And the reason why it\u2019s so difficult to pull it off is that there are so many associations already going on in our heads as well as our users. But the other half of personal branding is being personal. My conviction is that, if you\u2019re consistently personal in both the way you write the emails and the subject line title, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll win on the long run.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Justine Jordan<\/a><\/strong> explains the importance of the “from name” personalization<\/strong><\/a> and the drastic impact it can have on the audience’s judgment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
              In almost all cases, the from name and address is the first thing that subscribers see. Is your from name recognizable and trustworthy to external audiences?\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              \"\"<\/td>\nJUSTINE JORDAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              VP Marketing at\u00a0Litmus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

               <\/p>\n

              An example behind a poor naming decision comes from Banana Republic,\u00a0when the brand decided to send emails with an acronym of its\u00a0name, BR. The problem is that, if your personal name or your acronym are not popular enough, you should stick to the brand name as to be easily recognized. However, a personalized “from name” does spin the wheel of brand recognition.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Brand<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There\u2019s nothing wrong with a common name, either, as long as your email doesn\u2019t come from a shady business address, but from your personal name. It\u2019s vital for the reader to see that the email comes from you, and the most accurate sign of this is your name populating the \u2018from\u2019 category instead of your work email address. This way, you\u2019re on the point of establishing a personal liaison with your reader. And maybe, if you\u2019re new in business or they\u2019re new on your list, this won\u2019t happen for the first emails, but it\u2019s most likely going to be a long time success.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              20. Review Emails Internally Before Sending Them to the Public<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              This one\u2019s not going to shock you if you ever sent an email to a thousand prospects and then realized what an awful typo you had; the type of thing that would never happen to you, especially since you\u2019re so much of a grammar Nazi and always in touch with your use of language. And yet it did. It happened. All you can hope is that your public will not start associating you with that horrible person who doesn\u2019t spell \u2018your\u2019 correctly.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              To avoid these sorts of issues, use internal reviews as often as possible. And by that, I don\u2019t mean you re-reading your email (out loud) after you\u2019ve written it. It can help, but your full of biases mind will very likely skip one of two mistakes that either sound wrong or are spelled badly. This is what your colleagues are for! Send the email to them, ask them kindly to carefully read your email as if it were a will from an uncle who decided to leave them a castle in Scotland. Accept nothing less. The way every sentence\u2019s significance can bend and twist can be either your success or your failure. With that in\u00a0mind, always review emails internally!<\/p>\n

              \n

              Of course, sometimes you can get lucky enough<\/a> as to repair the mistakes in a very cute way, just like in the example below. But that rarely happens.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              <\/span>
              \n\"Review<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              21. Proofread for Grammar, Not Just for Marketing Relevance!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              As credibility is what grants either your success or your failure, it\u2019s essential to present the materials to your prospects flawlessly. It doesn\u2019t pay off to spend one entire week documenting a case study just to present it poorly, with spelling errors. Otherwise you, will have to make up to your readers again.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Proof<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              And you may not get off as cheap as Reebok.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Just like editing, spell check shouldn\u2019t be made by you solely. At least one set of fresh eyes is required to read the material before sending it to the public – after all, there\u2019s little we appreciate more than a well written, well documented and highly relevant piece.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              22. Finish the Email in a Question to Increase Engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s never easy to paint the portrait of a happy audience. However, the easiest way to someone\u2019s heart in email marketing (and life in general) is showing how much you care, and the fundamental cores of this relationship are not about you, but about them. This technique helps you a great deal with the long-term open rates.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Asking a question once in a while is an invitation for your readers to interact with you and your brand, therefore improving their overall experience with your products or services. So did Kissmetrics in their client\u2019s emails<\/a><\/strong>, thinking that their audience would engage better. Which happened.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              <\/span>
              \n\"Keep<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The relevance of personal communication strategies is not to be underestimated, and encouraging interaction is your way of showing how much you are willing to take your prospects\u2019 opinions into consideration.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              III.\u00a0<\/strong>BE CAREFUL AT THE TIMING & FREQUENCY OF YOUR EMAILS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
               <\/div>\n

              23. Use the Same Delivery Time for All Your Emails (Especially for Newsletters)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Consistency is the founding of all habits. The more you\u2019re going to keep the schedule fixed, the more people are going to make a habit out of reading your newsletters. It usually takes us 21 days<\/a><\/strong> to form a new habit, after which things will be naturally integrated into our program. Aside from being easier for your business to organize the issues of the newsletter internally as to be constant, this form of time consistency represents a key issue in attributing credibility; being able to stick to a schedule involves planning and efficient resources distribution.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Dave Chaffey wanted to find out the best times to send emails depending on the industry and wrote an article<\/a><\/strong> about it. Below you can see the results:<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Imagine how easy would be to grow a fanbase this way, by using email send time optimization.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              24. Avoid List Fatigue. Avoid Sending Too Many Emails<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It isn\u2019t an easy challenge, but being the one to bring a new perspective or to test out a new theory can interfere dramatically with the idea of email fatigue. And get to the point where you can build a Hitchcock’s suspense in an email series and people cannot get enough of what you\u2019re writing.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              If it\u2019s not the case, then probably a moderate attitude is the best solution to your problems. Maybe some of the content you present is outdated, or simply not outstanding compared to what your audience has already read. And maybe you\u2019re sending out mails way too often. Even if some of these aren\u2019t necessarily content, but brand focused, they do count and your prospects may get enough of your name in their inbox. Yes, it\u2019s possible and it\u2019s better avoided!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              Or do something out of the ordinary. Take another approach, like Jet Blue did. They created an email to humorously reengage customers offering information in a 3 points format.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Avoid<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Stick to a calendar and only send out branded content if it\u2019s necessary: new release coming up, huge news in the niche etc.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              25. Get the Length of the Message Right – Add a TL;DR in the Subject Line When Necessary<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Depending on the message of your email, the content should be delivered in its best form. Usually, this is the information-redundancy ratio. You wouldn\u2019t want to make people close your emails, because this would diminish drastically your open rates in the future, and you wouldn\u2019t want to miss any of the important information for the big picture either.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              If we take the example below, what is your first impression aobut it?\u00a0<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Get

              Source: twentyoverten.com<\/p><\/div>\n

               <\/p>\n

              You don’t like i, right? There’s a lot of content and it looks overwhelming. A huge amount of content will most likely go unnoticed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              A visually appealing copy helps the users through the content and assures them diversity.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Get<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The solution to this problem is being honest and try to talk to your prospects as you would with your friends: don\u2019t skip the juicy stuff but don\u2019t bore them either.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              26. Resend Unopened Emails<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s so frustrating to work an entire week on a piece that doesn\u2019t get opened by your subscribers. There are plenty of situations when you can resend unopened emails to your prospects. The most notable perhaps is the small open rate. Whenever you get a smaller open rate than expected, either because it is small compared to your general open rate, or because it\u2019s better than most of your open rates, but so is your email, there\u2019s no point to leaving it at that.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Of course, the opposite situation works: your article\/newsletter is great, and people should read it. In fact, most of your prospects did, you never expected such a huge open rate, but here it is. And the results are astonishing: a lot of marketing engagement and response with a positive sentiment in all the comments and on social media networks, as well. You wouldn\u2019t like to waste that either. In fact, in the second email, you can mention that.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Specialists have come to solutions to the issue of small open rates, and segmentation based on non-opens is the first step in solving this issue.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Resend<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The key to this is to find a better hook. Ask yourself what it was that people found uninteresting, especially if they usually open your emails. Once you\u2019ve done that, change the subject line into something that would convert better – maybe test the alternatives within a small group. This way, you can segment the targets into more specific and similar groups for a better open rate.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              27. Try Automated Behavioral Triggered Emails to Exploit User Behavior<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Each user behaves a certain way, and there\u2019s no need for a psychology class to understand this fully. Consequently, the decision-making process may suffer alteration from one user to another. To you, this means that it may not be effective to send users emails only triggered by the time of the day or the day of the week, but also by their behavior on your website.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              For e-commerce platforms, this could be an easy choice. It\u2019s never wise to leave un-emailed a user who abandons a chart with items in it. However, there are more nuanced emails that you could send as well, on different other occasions, like Abigail Waterer advises in this article<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Try<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              If you\u2019re still wondering why automated behavioral triggered emails is a good strategy, even though the email is automated and it may lose a little from the personal voice (although I think it doesn\u2019t have to), let me explain. It\u2019s because you\u2019re sending it at the moment of utmost relevance to your prospect. Formulated properly, this strategy can increase email open rates with 71%<\/a> <\/strong>and the CTR with over 100%. And there are lots of marketing statistics out there, that can prove this strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              28. Ask Your Contacts to Decide How Often They Want to See Mails from You<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Yes, it\u2019s still relevant to do it. Our needs aren\u2019t something absolute anymore. We\u2019re past the time when we either needed that or we didn\u2019t. Today, you might need a service<\/a><\/strong> or a tool in different degrees, to different extents and clearly for distinct purposes. Depending on these variables, there\u2019s always the possibility that you have the right solution for your prospects\u2019 needs, but you either deliver it in a nagging manner: way too often, way too heavily or worse – too scarcely.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              A survey by TechnologyAdvice<\/strong><\/a> shows how could businesses improve their email efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

              \n\"Ask<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Of course, you can run tests. It\u2019s preferable that you do. But users appreciate honesty. Put yourself out there and ask them to what degree they need to hear from you. If it\u2019s once a month, don\u2019t worry. If you\u2019re awesome enough you\u2019ll increase the degree to which they need you.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              However, if it\u2019s daily, don\u2019t think you\u2019ve got the user wrapped around your fingers. Leads don\u2019t work like this, you have to work constantly for them. The more a user needs to hear from you, the more they\u2019re exposed to your content and may notice mistakes. There never is an easy way, but honesty is the first step to building meaningful relationships with your target.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              29. Create Anticipation towards the Following Email from a Series<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              We\u2019ve already talked about the fear of missing out (FOMO<\/strong><\/a>), which often comes in the way of loss aversion. That\u2019s why, besides having an open loop, it\u2019s often very efficient to create a sense of urgency for your readers to understand that they might be missing on some valuable marketing tips of an email saga.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              According to many sources<\/a><\/strong>, anticipation doesn\u2019t have to mean rewriting “The Young and the Restless”, as it\u2019s enough to just send one automated pre-launch email sometimes.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              <\/span>
              \n\"Email<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              There\u2019s nothing wrong with applying some social pressure on your readers, as long as you don\u2019t exaggerate with the drama.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              As long as you\u2019re consistent in delivering quality information, this can be a very effective way of creating a powerful fanbase. When the readers are under the impression that they might be missing on some amazing tip, their willingness to read will be significantly higher.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              30. \u00a0Let the Contact Know Your Email Is Fresh<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              A constant feeling that we all have is that time passes by and we don\u2019t get enough of the important information because of all the biased feed algorithms on social media, and because of even-more-biased interests. That\u2019s why, besides being relevant, information has to be fresh to be of importance. There\u2019s nothing that screams \u2018open me\u2019 more than a well-written, fresh newsletter that will drive traffic.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              <\/span>
              \n\"Include<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              When you decide to include time coordinates in your emails, you will have the guarantee that people are going to know how urgent it is to read it. If it\u2019s Monday morning and you\u2019re sending a fresh update, chances are it won\u2019t get open, as everything is new on Mondays on everyone\u2019s schedules. But if you do have something important to say on a Saturday afternoon, maybe it\u2019s worth taking a look at.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              IV. AVOID SPAM FILTERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
               <\/div>\n

              31. Beware of the Word \u2018Free\u2019. It Can Trigger Spam Filters<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              And not just this word. There are plenty of overused spam words<\/a> that can trigger filters out there. The more you\u2019re avoiding them, the more you have a chance to get to your leads\u2019 inbox. Whenever you\u2019re feeling undecided about the spam appropriateness of your emails (especially when it comes to the subject lines), consult one of the lists out there and avoid the words that could contribute to your small open rates at all costs.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Andrei Rebrov<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0gave lots of\u00a0negative examples<\/a>.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Beware<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              32. Use Lower Case Letters in the Subject Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              We don\u2019t live in a webiverse where you have to shout anymore. Every niche that develops its work in the digital marketing area has reached enough maturity to mimic a conversation appropriately. Shiny fonts have stopped working as well as any other bling-bling\u00a0that would have granted your success in the 2000\u2019s.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              There\u2019s a more explicative way of putting this as well. Your readers don\u2019t find themselves on your page because they\u2019re looking for wondrous solutions to never-ending problems. If you\u2019re looking to develop a sustainable business, you\u2019ve got to stop trying to deliver magic. Instead, a clarifying explanation, a step-by-step guide or any other explanatory process does the trick. The more honest you are, the more credible you are. And this means leaving out the tabloid view of your articles.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Sometimes you don\u2019t have to be spammy to sound spammy to filter algorithms. Check the example below:<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              As for the subject line, it\u2019s not just the search engines that have developed spam filters, or the email providers. It\u2019s the users as well. Whenever your readers will see something that\u2019s exaggerated and artificially pumped, they\u2019ll choose to ignore it thinking it is spam.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              When friends email you, they don\u2019t use upper case letters, unless they\u2019re mocking the idea behind them. If we are to build a strategic relationship with our readers, we\u2019ll have to treat them in a personal way, and this comes with assuming a balanced role in delivering information.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              33. Only Use the Emails of Your Contacts for What They Expect from You<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              If your last years\u2019 efforts have been all about building an audience that can find you reliable, it wouldn\u2019t be fair to your audience and neither would it be a good strategic step to sell your contacts for other businesses, especially if they\u2019re not connected to your area of expertise, therefore to their areas of interests.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Take\u00a0iPad’s example<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Avoid<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              They sold the database to one of their competitors.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Avoid
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              34. Make the List Double Opt-In<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              If you don’t want to end up in the spam folders create double opt-in lists for your prospects. Having thousands of thousands of subscribers is amazing. But not when it comes with a 0.01% open rate and 0% conversion rate. Then it\u2019s awful and you\u2019re doing something wrong.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The double opt-in has such a powerful fan base because it works. There\u2019s nothing wrong with having less leads, as long as they\u2019re more interested and their reading\/purchasing intent is dramatically higher. To be relevant means to be specific, and it cannot be achieved if you\u2019re running for leads aimlessly.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Good copy will always be appealing, but you have to make sure that your interests and your future readers\u2019 correspond.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Make<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              As much as you want to know that your emails are sent to a number of people as big as the population of Japan, ask yourself to how many of them it is relevant. Because people talk. Your leads, to whom you\u2019re sending useless emails, may have friends who would really consider you as a viable option before hearing them complain about how aggressive you are.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              35. Ask Contacts to Add You to the Address Book<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It is true that spam filters are to be considered even when you\u2019re delivering great content that anyone should be honored to receive. Being in someone\u2019s address book, however, does more than protect you from spam filters and improve deliverability rates. It makes a statement about the personal level of your relationship, not necessarily in terms of closeness or intimacy, but concerning the extent to which you\u2019re satisfying a need they have. Or add a link to make it obvious, just like it is presented in the next example.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Ask<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              36. Avoid Attachments, Whenever Possible<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              First of all, because they\u2019re rarely opened. From a marketer\u2019s perspective, it should be more than clear that attachments are a no-no. If there\u2019s something truly relevant in your email, the user will get it. If your click-through rate is too low, maybe there\u2019s room for improvement. However, being pushy about it is not a solution.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Using attachments makes spam filters instantly think you\u2019re onto scams.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Avoid<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Instead, try making the content irresistible. Create cravings for your readers and you\u2019ll get yourself a better open rate. It\u2019s enough to mess things up once with an attachment or a poorly written email, and you\u2019ll hardly ever get to be read again by that lead.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              37. Optimize Your HTML to Increase Deliverability<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              Over 70%<\/a> of the readers use mobile devices to open their emails. A badly optimized HTML not only will diminish your chances of landing to their inbox, but the users will avoid opening your emails in the future if the HTML isn\u2019t responsive. A bad user experience is what you should be very afraid of. You don\u2019t want to be that guy. So try your best and test your newsletter to see if it’s responsive to please all mobile users.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              Take Inc Newsletter, for example.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Optimize<\/p>\n

              While the design isn\u2019t at all sophisticated, it\u2019s always informative and easy to skim. Aside from this, it\u2019s also practical.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              38. Use Well Optimized Videos to Get the Message in Your Prospect\u2019s Inbox<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              Same goes for your videos. While it\u2019s encouraged to appeal to more than the reading function of your audience\u2019s cognition, it\u2019s also strongly advised to make sure that the strategies you\u2019re using to improve email open rates work properly, otherwise the entire extra effort is in vain.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

              Video email marketing is a thing, but only as long as you get the technical part straight.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Use
              \n<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The rest of the story is similar to an un-optimized HTML code – it\u2019s enough to have a bad experience once to unsubscribe or never react to your emails again. Not to mention the off chance of not getting to your prospects\u2019 inbox because of technical errors that may come along with your videos.<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              39.\u00a0Optimize Images to Be Responsive on Mobile Devices<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Besides improving the template of your email design, images will have to be responsive too. A lot of our understanding comes from a concise image when we start skimming through content. Not because images are better than a thousand words, but because your prospect will know from your image if they\u2019re interested in going through all your content. If this leverage they\u2019re judging content based on doesn\u2019t work, your email risks to never be opened again.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Andrew King<\/a><\/strong> gives the example<\/a> <\/strong>of Domino\u2019s, who listened to the voice of users’ needs and started to take into consideration\u00a0the device where they check their emails.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Optimize<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              40. Use Email Authentication to Prevent Fake Accounts from Sending Emails in Your Name<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              This is a milestone for business owners, and doesn\u2019t only apply for the email campaigns, but for your personal branding strategy as well. It\u2019s essential to have authentication in order to minimize the chances of a dirty competitor\u2019s fake account sending emails in your name. It is true that, in the business world, one mistake can cost you everything you\u2019ve been working for.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Plus, this is another great way to improve the rate of emails actually landing in your users\u2019 inbox. The authentication can also be required to users in order to read the emails you\u2019re sending, which is another security leverage that you can use to improve open rates and the overall success of your email marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              It\u2019s harder to maximize the open rates on the long run without proper authentication security<\/a>.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n\"Use<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              41. Connect Your Current Location to the Email Account to Spot Unusual Activity Easier<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              This one\u2019s a complementary step that adds up to the entire effort you\u2019re putting into being relevant and reliable. Your current location is one of the means of being kept from any account counterfeiting attempts. Plus, in case you\u2019re active on Twitter, your prospects will better keep in touch with your day-to-day activity, the conferences you go to and the ways they can reach you better.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Or use it to pitch your next business growth idea.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Connect<\/p>\n

               <\/div>\n

              V.<\/strong>BE\u00a0AWARE OF THE LIST SEGMENTATION IMPORTANCE<\/strong><\/h2>\n
               <\/div>\n

              42. Micro-Segment Your Mailing List<\/strong><\/h3>\n

               <\/p>\n

              When it comes to segmentation, it\u2019s essential to approach the right target audience and, in order to do this, you have to know what the personas\u2019 informational needs are. Open rates are closely related to how relevant the content of an email is to the contact.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Micro-segmenting is crucial, as it helps you maintain pertinence to the content and deliver germaneness depending on your contact\u2019s personas and the needs you\u2019re striving to satisfy.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Behavioral data aims more specifically than demographic data. The psychology behind why people buy your products, whether the users are using a paid or a free subscription, how often they open the emails, whether they use desktop or mobile more and the click-through rate are often more relevant than just the gender and job title of the user. However, these two go hand in hand whenever you\u2019re trying to build a comprehensive buyer persona.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              For instance, Douglas Burdett<\/a><\/strong> wrote about the benefits of list segmentation<\/a><\/strong> after a survey taken\u00a0by Lyris.inc, and the results were not too shabby.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \"Micro<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              A\u00a0minimum information about a client should be divided into:<\/p>\n