Five Tips for a Successful Custom E-Mail

When you deliver a message directly into an inbox of targeted prospects, great things can happen. That's why we're seeing more and more customers opt for our email solutions. Today our customers can target people they want to reach and craft a message that inspires them to take action.

1. Determine Your Purpose
Everyone has a different reason for sending a Custom E-Mail. For example, if you’re looking to drive direct sales, your messaging and call-to-action will be different than if you’re simply announcing a new brand initiative.

If you sell a product with a long sales cycle, it may not be feasible to expect prospects to make a purchase based off one email. However, enticing them to learn more about your product with a video or whitepaper can be a good way to move prospects further along your sales funnel.

Think about the objective of your email and make sure your content supports that objective. If the goal is click-throughs, a clear, concise call-to-action is important.

2. Subject Line, Subject Line, Subject Line!
The best email doesn’t work if no one opens it. That’s why your subject line has the biggest impact on the success of your email.

We’ve seen that the best subject lines offer value to the recipient, rather than just a sales message. In fact, the most successful subject lines rarely include brand or product names.

• Instead of: Discounted pool liner now available from Brand XYZ!
• Try: How your next pool install can cost less.

 

• Instead of: Brand XYZ  introduces the new ProductName123 to improve spa performance!
• Try: The new spa product homeowners will talk about (video).

Subject lines with “Why” or “How” in the subject line prove to perform well. So do subject lines that indicate numbered lists. For example, “5 tips to build a better business.”

3. Use of Engaging Media
Videos and other interactive media are great ways to share more of your story.

Emails with a prominently displayed video will encourage the opener to click-through to view it. Other media options driving engagement include whitepapers, infographics, photo galleries or customizable “build your own product” interfaces.

Not everyone’s goal is to drive clicks. But if yours is, enticing the recipient with content-rich media is a good way to do so.

4. Consider the Length
It can be tempting to put your entire sales message into the body of the email. And with the right layout and supporting imagery, this has worked for some customers. But typically, keeping things concise is best — especially with professionals who are on-the-go. Remember, roughly half of your email openers will be on a mobile device.

5. Think About Your Landing Page
So you’ve piqued the curiosity of your prospect with a great subject line. Your call-to-action inspired them to click-through. Now what?

Does your prospect land on a page that’s mobile friendly and supports the messaging in the email? Are you doing anything to try to capture the prospect’s name and email address?

Not every Custom E-Mail needs to drive web traffic. But if that is the purpose of your send, consider what happens when the prospect gets to your site and what you want them to do.


These are just a few tips to help you make the most of your Custom E-Mail. Of course, every business has different objectives and circumstances. If you’ve purchased a Custom E-Mail, or are considering it, talk to me about how to make the most of the opportunity.