Email marketing is a reliable and affordable way of reaching new audiences. Brands of every size take advantage of this method to get their messages across. However, here are nine common email marketing mistakes you should endeavor avoid.
Broken or outdated links
Make sure the links in your emails actually lead somewhere. One of the primary purposes of newsletters is in driving conversions. Broken links are not only unprofessional but also end up wasting your readers’ time. When sending out newsletters, you want to keep your readers’ interest. Broken, missing, or outdated links can be both distracting and frustrating to your subscribers.
Not using people’s names
Avoid making your emails impersonal. No one likes being reminded that they’ve subscribed to a big corporate entity. As much as possible, use people’s names in your emails and newsletters. Using a person’s name is a quick way to get his attention. This works both in public and on emails. Include people’s names in the first paragraphs of your emails to trigger an emotional response.
Using your business’s (or an employee’s) name in the “from” section of an email
People don’t like receiving emails from businesses. People are more likely to open your newsletter if they believe that it came from a person instead. Simply including your or an employee’s name in the “from” section of your email can bring a significant increase to your open rates. It’s a subtle change that’s easy to apply, but its effects are significant. You can also try including a picture of a person in your email.
No clear call to action
Readers should know how to proceed after reading your emails. A call to action is the best way to funnel your readers’ attention into something that can benefit your brand. Make sure to always include clear and visible calls to action in your newsletters.
Uninteresting subject lines
Boring subject lines fail to capture the interest of your readers. Chances are, you won’t be the only brand that your readers are subscribed to. You have to make every attempt to stand out from the crowd. The best way to do this is by using catchy subject lines to draw attention to your email. In addition to using witty subject lines, make clever use of preview text.
Failing to include social media
Links to your social media profiles should always be included at the end of your emails. Email marketing is a great way to grow your following on social media. A newsletter can feed your profiles more likes or follows. Social media marketing works well together with email and other marketing approaches. Social media also provides your subscribers with more avenues to connect with your brand, and when combined with email, works surprisingly well to make your content go viral.
Emails are too long
Newsletters and emails should be kept short and concise. Overly long emails are tiring to read and can be boring to digest. Your emails should be able to capture and maintain the attention of your readers. Your readers should be able to glance over your email and still get the gist of your message. Save the 2,000-word essays for your blog.
Grammar mistakes
Basic grammar mistakes are among of the worst things you can send out in your newsletters. Misspelling an easy word or accidentally using “your” instead of “you’re” looks unprofessional. This can lead to your readers thinking twice about subscribing to you. Even a simple mistake can ruin an otherwise good newsletter.
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways of marketing your brand because checking emails is a part of people’s everyday routines. Take note of the aforementioned tips, and you should be well on your way to improving your email marketing campaign.
