Emails are one of the most popular ways to interact with prospects and customers. An opt-in email list is a valuable tool to drive business and nurture prospects. However, once you have your list of prospects, your job is only half done. The next step is to ensure that your list members are receiving and opening up the emails when they get them. Like other marketing channels, emails do not work automatically. It is important to test the effectiveness of your email marketing to see what works, and what works better. There are a few key areas of an email that can really make a difference when it comes to opens and click-throughs. Here are the most important factors to optimize.
1. Subject Line
The subject line is what induces readers to open the email. Therefore, this is the best section of the email for testing open rate. While the subject line may only be a handful of words, it is not easy to find the ideal wording. A typical open rate goal is 30 percent; however each industry and company has its own standard. Your best bet is to work on improving your own metrics as you do your A/B split testing. There are numerous successful subject lines, but you will need to find the ones that resonate with your distinct audience.
2. Call-to-Action
The call-to-action (CTA) is what induces your readers to click on a link. This is where the majority of your click-throughs come from. A click-through or conversion is the next step in getting your customers or prospects to your website or landing page for more information or to buy your product or service. An average goal for successful click-through rate (CTR) is 20 to 35 percent. However, it is more important to improve your own CTR and test for ways to continue to move this percentage forward. CTR can be affected by graphics, white space, location, text content and more. Remember that improving your CTR will increase your revenues.
3. Response Rate
Response rate is chiefly determined by the content and/or message that you are sending. Well-written content includes using compelling language, the proper tone and graphics that encourage your prospect to respond. For most businesses, a response rate means setting up an appointment or placing an order. A good meeting setup rate is 10 to 20 percent of your email list. To strive for this level of response, you can test your content just like you test the other sections of your email. It is definitely worth the investment to hire a professional writer to write your messages unless you have a writer on staff. Many people lose trust in messages with blatant spelling or grammar errors which distract them from your real message.
In addition to your written content, your graphics and other images can help or detract from your message. Working with a professional marketer can help you better understand the way graphics can improve the flow of your email and drive people to move down the page.
