Industry Writer Shares Winning Ways for Successful Emails

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and assume that every embroidery company who can hear my voice maintains an active database. It should be electronic. It should be backed up. And it should not consist of random index cards stuffed inside a shoe box! Your database is very possibly your business’s greatest asset. You have spent (presumably) years and years to create a master list of those customers who keep your machines running and support your multiple trips to the bank. You should be able to reach out to customers easily and quickly – but not too often! – in order to share news, offers, business updates, etc. via email.

In the July 2017 issue of Advantages magazine, senior editor Sara Lavenduski writes about “How to Boost Email Open Rates.” Great advice! If you build it (the database) they may not necessarily come (unless you are clever in your presentation of the information you are trying to share).

Here, in shortened form, is what Sara points out:

• Clean up your list – Your open rate will improve if you cull those email addresses that continually bounce or are out of date.
• Grab their attention – Your subject line is way too important to merely guess. It needs to stand out from the crowd. Do you know what A/B testing is? A great device offered by many email software companies to see which of two subject lines is going to garner the most attention.
• Provide quality content – Don’t waste your customer’s time – or yours – with emails that don’t carry a relevant message or offer. You don’t want to become the email that is automatically deleted, without being read!
• Test delivery times – You can do your own testing, but Sara’s research revealed that highest open rates are on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• Avoid spam filters – If you operate a website, get your customers to opt in, so there is less likelihood of your email going to spam. Also, avoid overly sales-oriented subject lines. Offering FREE anything is bound to get you thrown into the junk pile!
• Get mobile-optimized – Social media is here to stay. The growing percentage of those who will open your email message on their smart phones is staggering. Make certain that the email, and your website, is optimized for mobile reading.

And so, don’t be surprised to hear from me on a Tuesday or a Friday! While the first is approaching Hump Day, the latter is leading right into the weekend, great days for sorting through emails. Remember to keep your database up-to-date and accurate and follow Sara’s suggestions for increasing the attention your business emails will receive. It’s all about the communication and thinking things through.