9 Tips For Getting Your Emails Opened
Snapshot
When people receive your emails, the first question most of them ask themselves is, WHO is this from? not What is it about ?
But once you get them past the WHO, you face the task of getting your email opened.
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When people receive your emails, the first question most of them ask themselves is, WHO is this from? not What is it about ?
But once you get them past the WHO, you face the task of getting your email opened.
That's the job of your Subject line. With all the competition out there vying for your reader's attention, your subject line must offer something of value.
Not everyone will be interested in what you have to say but you want to make sure that those who are will be rewarded for their decision to open your email.
Keep in mind, it can hurt your reputation when you send unsolicited email.
Today's article deals with the ins and outs of grabbing attention, slipping past 'silent assassins' and getting your message in front of your intended target.
If you were trying to get someone's attention in person, it's unlikely that you would stop in mid- sentence and hope you'd said enough to get the response you want.
And yet, it happens all the time in email marketing where an online marketer's attention getter - the subject line - exceeds the number of characters that are visible to the email recipient. The result is, the reader only sees part of your message. (note: savvy marketers sometimes use partial subject lines to effectively attract attention.)
Fifty characters is all the space you have in a typical subject line to catch your reader's eye and entice him to open your email and take the action you want. A good subject line can get your email opened in a flash, while a bad one could send your message to wherever it is crappy emails go.
Here are 9 tips for creating subject lines that let you fly under the radar:
1. Offer a benefit. By highlighting the key benefit of your offer, the reader can easily decide if it is a subject of interest.
2. Write what the field asks for. Be direct. Let the reader know exactly what the subject is. Be clear and succinct. This often works well.
3. Ask a question. This immediately involves the reader. Make your question straightforward.
4. Avoid cryptic phrases. Although this approach can be effective in conventional direct mail, it is often regarded with suspicion (read 'deleted quickly') when used in an email subject line.
5. Use a teaser. An attention-getting teaser can work well. Example: Are you making this home page mistake
6. Use a deadline. If your offer has a time limit, indicating that in the subject line can boost response.
7. Stay away from hype. We all have seen the emails that promise to, Triple your sales in two weeks! Click.
8. Remind readers they requested the information. I do this wherever I can. People forget they asked you to send them something.
9. Avoid using the word FREE. Most Spam filters will pick off your email long before it gets close to your intended target. Try using no charge, no cost or complimentary.
Here's a no-cost Content Checker tool (at least it was last time I checked) where you can find out not only whether or not your subject line passes the SPAM sniff test, but your entire email message.
Go to Lyris Content Checker and click on Email marketing Software Tools in their Knowledge Centre. Look for Validate Your Email messages to see how your emails measure up.
© Relax Communications 2007
About The Author: Gerry Black is an independent copywriter and marketing consultant specializing in helping solo professionals and small businesses develop and implement simple, proven website marketing strategies that attract clients.
http://www.gerryblackcopywriter.com for your FREE REPORT, "The #1 Website Mistake That Could be Costing You Clients PH: 905-716- 7130
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