First dates are exciting, but they also can cause a lot of anxiety. After all, you want to give the right first impression, so you can have a second date, a third or more. But how do you ensure you make a good impression when you don’t know the other person very well?
The whole idea can seem a little daunting–especially to those less experienced.
Email campaigns are a lot like first dates–especially if you haven’t established a relationship with your customers yet. You want to make sure to do everything just right, so you get that second date.
Follow my 5 golden rules of email marketing dating and you’ll be off to a good start:
1. Ask Her (or Him)
Don’t just show up on somebody’s doorstep with flowers in your hands! You want to date someone who knows who the heck you are and agreed to go out with you in the first place. Same is true when sending emails to your customers. In fact, it’s the law.
2. Make sure you look good, but leave the sequins (or tux) in the closet:
While your email template design should reflect the look and feel of related campaign pieces, it is perhaps even more important that the design is uncluttered and simple. Why? Because emails must be easy for the reader to scan quickly and should not contain complicated code that will get them flagged (and deleted) as junk.
3. Mind your manners:
Plan your communication frequency carefully. Many people today are overrun with electronic communications. Follow up is key, but sending too many messages can turn off an otherwise loyal customer. For example, reminding a customer that their perscription will need refilling soon is useful information, but reminding them twice a week is annoying.
4. Choose words carefully, but don’t be afraid to show your personality:
Being mindful of what you say and how you say it is a good start, but be careful not to tip too far into the realm of dull. A carefully crafted email may cover all your key messages, but it may lack that extra umpf to get the reader to click on your links? Go out on a limb and show your company has some personality.
5. If there’s a spark, make your intentions clear:
Don’t give mixed signals! Your call-to-action (CTA) should be stated in the first sentence with a link. Ask yourself, why am I sending this email? What do I want the person receiving this email to do? Once you know the answer, make this your main CTA and get it in that first paragraph–no exceptions. Bonus points for a clever subject line title.
Will you go out again?
Every customer is different as is every industry. What works for one company, might not work for you and your customers. So, start small and build on your successes–and remember that not all success involves a sale. Building a better relationship with your customer base can yield better sales results in the long-term.
Like any healthy relationship, keep working at to yield the best results.
Have an email marketing question? Drop me a note!
Tags: Communications, email campaigns; email marketing; email campaign results