Email marketing isn’t new, in fact, the number of businesses that utilize this marketing tactic is constantly increasing.
While it may seem like an easy task to coordinate and construct a marketing email, it’s important to pay close attention to every aspect of your email and remember that whatever you publish will be seen by hundreds, if not thousands of eyes. With so many recipients, you have the potential to convert them from viewer to customer if the email is truly effective.
Below is a helpful checklist to refer to, before you go ahead and click send on that email:
If it’s Broken, it’s Useless
Marketing emails are a great way to generate and direct customers to your desired webpages or other digital platforms. But if your links lead to a dead end, your email might as well have gone straight to the trash folder.
It is vital to ensure that every link you include in your email, whether to a specific product, special deal, or information page, is properly connected to the relevant page. This encourages consumers to continue searching through all you have to offer.
While embedding hyperlinks may seem simple, they are often accidentally skipped or don’t send viewers to the intended page. Sending a test email to yourself or a co-worker is a great way to double-check that everything is working and to avoid any potential embarrassment.
Social Media
Incorrectly connected social media icons are just as useless as non-functioning in-text hyperlinks. Including your company’s social media links is a great way to easily gain new followers and potential customers. If done improperly it can leave readers wondering how careful and detail-oriented you are when it comes to the services you offer.
There are many email distribution platforms that are easy-to-use and offer simple and clear social media icons to ensure viewers can conveniently access your social platforms if desired. If you are using these tools for the first time, or simply want to ensure that everything is connected, you can send a test email before you distribute the piece in large quantities.
Back to Basics
Spelling and grammar tests in elementary school were given for a reason!
Attempting to persuade your audience to reach out for services when you make careless spelling and grammar mistakes in an email is a challenge.
Always run a spell check and allow multiple eyes to critique and correct your writing before pushing send is a great habit to form. After all, it’s better for one co-worker to catch a mistake than thousands of email recipients.
People Love Pictures...if They Look Good
Including pictures that showcase what you are trying to market or sell is a great way to entice viewers, but if the picture quality is poor or the size makes it difficult to see, consumers will turn away.
Using images that are high quality and aesthetic are sure to capture the attention of your audience.
With advanced handheld technology, the need for an expensive camera or set-up is no longer necessary. Find a simple background, good lighting, a steady hand and start snapping away!
Fix Your Format
If your email is not attractive or easily digestible, many will not take the bait. Breaking up sections of your message with headings, lists and different font sizes helps to entice the reader and gives them a chance to skim through and collect your main points.
Keeping your message brief and simplistic is best. With a multitude of marketing emails landing in your customer’s inbox on a daily basis, yours must get the point across in a condensed but informative way.
Customizing Your Color Choice
Text and background color choices can be a fun way to make your email stand out! This simple design element can catch someone’s eye...in both good and bad ways.
When choosing the best colors to include, it is important that your text remains easily visible. Choosing dark text with light backgrounds ensures that if your recipient’s device has a color discrepancy, they are still able to easily read the message.
The First Thing They see
It’s just a subject line...said no one ever! The subject line that you choose can make or break the initial click. Constructing a subject line that is short, unique and to the point is recommended.
Long subject lines can get cut off, generic ones are often ignored and ambiguous ones can deter the consumer.
The sender’s name also has a huge impact. When consumers receive emails from a business or a name they don’t recognize, they might automatically skip over it or send it to the trash.
It’s not Just About the Desktop View
Laptops, tablets, and cell phones, oh my! It’s no longer only about the desktop view.
With most consumers accessing their email and searching for information via smartphones, the way your email looks across all screen types should be examined.
Once you have created an email that works on different devices, you can save time by constructing a template that can be tweaked for future use.
Email marketing is a highly useful tool when done correctly. Simple steps, like the ones listed in our checklist above, are vital and maximize engagement between business and consumer.
