For all its high-tech bells and whistles, the Internet is really all about the written word. After all – whether you’re posting to your blog, tweeting, or updating your Facebook page – what you’re really doing is writing. Which means, spending a little time thinking about your writing could make a big difference in the success, or failure, of your online activities. And nowhere more so than when launching an email marketing campaign.
Here are some tips …
Headlines: Okay, start with the subject line. It is, arguably, the most important part of your email. It will determine whether or not the recipient even opens your mail, let alone reads any of it. That means, you’ll have to start thinking of your email subject line as though it was a headline in a newspaper. In other words, you’ll have to give ‘em enough info to know what to expect but also spur enough interest to get your mail opened and read. Subjects left blank, vague, or suspiciously urgent will get you deleted on the spot. For examples, pay attention to the emails in your own inbox. Which subject lines sparked your interest and which didn’t? Mimic and repeat.
The Body: The trick to a successful email-marketing campaign is making the people on your mailing list feel like they’re not on an email-marketing list. That means, keeping it light and easily digested. It also means adding a little personality to your emails. If you’re sending out dry sales pieces, you’ll be treated accordingly. Add a little of your own voice to the emails and include all the pertinent info right there in the body of your email. Don’t fill up on attachments. Instead, copy-and-paste any relevant info, so your recipients won’t have to do any extra work. Sure, it’s only an attachment. But the less you ask, the more you’ll receive. After all, we’re all inherently lazy.
The Content Farm: So now you’re wondering where email marketing fits into your social-media marketing campaign. Right? Well that’s to be expected. Here’s the thing … Integrating your social-media pages and your email marketing campaign is not only the most effective strategy, it’s the least labor intensive. In other words, use your mailing list to promote your social-media sites and your social-media sites to add to your mailing list. Use each to boost the other. And share content, while you’re at it. Say you’ve just posted something to your business blog and wanted to ensure someone, other than you, reads it. Send out an email announcing the post with a link, a few highlights, and a short note to your clients and partners. Make it personal, easy-to-read, and top it with an enticing subject line.
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