When it comes to creating email campaigns, many companies typically spend a lot of time and effort perfecting them before they’re finally sent to their targeted lists—often containing hundreds if not thousands of leads.
And, whilst email marketing is still undoubtedly one of the most successful tools out there for generating sales, making sure the actual content of your emails is the best it can possibly be is essential.
After all, if your content isn’t converting highly, how are you going to achieve the conversions necessary to increase sales?
But, getting the right balance of content isn’t always easy.
Every single target audience will require different triggers to get them to convert—and it’s essential you tailor your content to reflect this.
Luckily, here’s an advanced guide to producing emails that convert every single time, guaranteeing your most successful email campaigns to date.
1. Nailing Your Subject Lines
Before we begin focusing on the content of the main email body, subject lines need to be perfected first.
If your subject lines aren’t direct and enticing to the reader, they simply won’t open it—leaving the email to sit ineffective in their inbox no matter how much time and effort went into creating it.
The fact is, subject lines are often tricky to get right with so many different theories and strategies out there. But the vast majority of research suggests that the shorter the subject line, the more chance the email has of being opened.
Not only that, subject lines of 50 characters or less typically result in a whopping 75% more click-throughs than longer subject lines, strongly suggesting that short and snappy subjects are hugely effective in more ways than one.
Successful subject lines will also tease the reader to the value they can expect to gain if the email is opened. If you’re able to convince the reader their life will be improved in some way by accessing the content of your email, you can almost guarantee an open.
2. Give Something Away for Free
It’s no secret that everyone loves a freebie. And, especially if you’ve gained a bunch of new leads to your list, you need to hit them with an email that’s not only memorable but strongly enticing—giving value for free is definitely a great way to achieve this.
Whether it’s a coupon to redeem a small gift in-store or simply a discount code to receive money off online, giving your list a gift will automatically leave them wanting more.
Not only will this mean they’ll be a lot more likely to open future emails, but they’ll also be a lot more encouraged to click-through to discover what else you might be offering.
3. Urgency
Perhaps one of the most effective email marketing strategies ever, creating urgency is a sure-fire method of increasing conversions—FAST.
People lead incredibly busy lives. So, no matter how compelling and enticing your email is, you’re unlikely to get a conversion if the reader feels it’s not urgent and gets distracted by the latest Ultimate Cat Fails video.
But, by using a tool like a NiftyImages countdown timer, you’re instantly signalling to the reader that time is running out. And, if they don’t act quickly, they’ll lose the chance to take advantage of whichever offer, deal or discount you’re offering.
Not only will this make your list act immediately instead of thinking ‘I’ll come back to this email later’ only to forget completely, but will also lead them to investigate which other deals you may be offering within the same limited timeframe—hopefully increasing sales overall!
4. Mobile Friendly
Did you know that mobile devices are thought to account for up to a huge 77% of all email openings this year alone?
Whilst desktops are still widely used and well-loved, it’s impossible to deny how much mobile devices have boomed in recent years with almost every single modern-day adult owning one.
Whether it’s a cell phone or a tablet, people will use at least one mobile device periodically throughout the day—especially when they’re busy, passing the time or simply on-the-go.
Due to this, it’s highly likely your emails are going to be opened on a mobile device by a huge proportion of your list, and it’s essential they look the part and are mobile-compatible.
Design your emails to look professional and easy-to-read on ALL devices. You can easily do this by using a simple one-column template and making your call to action button easy to find and tap.
This way, your readers will be able to take action no matter what device they’re currently using, and you won’t run the risk of losing sales due to a simple formatting error!
5. Personalization
Unless members of your list are incredibly naïve, it’s highly likely they’ll know they’re not the only person receiving your emails.
But, to ensure your emails still remain ‘special’ and unique to each and every reader, personalizing them is guaranteed to have a positive effect. The NiftyImages personalization tool allows you to create personalized dynamic images to not only catch the eye of the reader but make them feel like they’re not just ‘one of many’.
Allowing you to take personalization further than a mere name in a subject line, giving your list a form of personal content they’ll remember is certain to gain more conversions—simply because it makes your company appear more likeable, personable and ‘real’!
And there you have it; a comprehensive guide to all the top tools and techniques necessary to transform your email campaigns into high conversion-getters.
Whilst every target audience is different, these techniques are fully universal and can be used successfully across a wide range of industries and contexts, securing conversions no matter what your desired action is!