Every day, 230 billion+ emails are sent, with each trying to pass the ‘must open’ test (as the recipient’s finger hovers over the delete button).
So if you want your email campaigns to be opened you need to make them as engaging as possible.
Here are 10 ways you can increase the chances of your emails being opened:
- Start the subject line with an action-orientated verb
Subject lines are similar to calls-to-action in that you want the language to inspire people to click.
- FOMO
The ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ is a powerful motivator. Here’s an example of a FOMO subject line: ‘Grab this amazing business insurance deal before it disappears’
- Make people feel special
The psychology of exclusivity is a powerful thing. When people feel like they're on the inside, it gives them a sense of belonging that builds loyalty and boosts open rates. Example phrases to start your subject line might include ‘An exclusive offer for you to...’ or ‘You're invited to...’.
- Ask a question
We are all programmed to answer questions put to us, no matter what the medium - for example: ‘By how much does our insurance quote beat what you’re currently paying?’
- Keep the message short and concise
Email subject lines will get cut off if they're too long, particularly on mobile devices, so try to keep the total number of characters below 50.
Also try to include one of these ‘marketing magic words’ if you can.
As you’re writing, think how to keep any benefit crystal clear. For example, ‘Reduce your car insurance costs by 30%, today’ will be more appealing than ‘How to reduce your car insurance costs.’
- Curiosity
Here’s an example of how the great ad man, David Ogilvy, used curiosity to sell a cure for baldness.
A modern day broker’s example might be ‘See just how much you could save on your home insurance’
- Ask for help
See this example of a cleverly written email that asks for help.
A broker who was launching a referral programme might say: ‘Help me to reduce the insurance costs of everyone you know’.
- Personalise your message
If your message can be made specific to the needs of each individual then you will undoubtedly increase readership, and if you can include their name in the subject line, then all the better.
- Target relevant pain points
An example might be ‘Increasing insurance costs? Here’s your solution.’ or ‘Save on your business insurance without any effort’.
- Try being 'punny'
Most people enjoy a good pun. It's a great way to spice up your emails; so for example, if you specialise in restaurant insurance it could be worth testing something along the lines of ‘Breaking chews! Great business insurance deals for restaurant owners’.
Hopefully some of these examples will help to spark some new ideas for your next campaign and boost your response rates. Always keep in mind that there is no sure-fire formula to success; what works for one type of campaign may fail in the next. Ultimately your best route is to use this guidance and test, test, test.