ASHI and MEDIC First Aid Blog

Email marketing is always changing as the use of email communication adapts and evolves to today’s consumer needs; aspects to think about include design, subject line, and even the time of day you send your emails and how often you do so. Much of the change revolves around the use of social media and the introduction of the third and fourth screens (mobile devices) that ensure consumers are provided with digital content constantly.

Evolving Email

An overload of screen time means that consumers not only have less time to check email, but with nearly half of emails now being read on mobile (48%), that old familiar desktop inbox becomes a little more irrelevant. And with smart watches and similar gadgets, on-the-go communication will continue to increase – further encouraging email marketing evolution.

If any part of your job includes responsibility for marketing communication, then you know that creating and sending emails to customers is just about an everyday occurrence. And as these email campaigns are being put together, understanding that the inbox isn't the only communication grabbing your customer’s attention is important to help foster questions like:

• What will best resonate with your audience?
• What do customers want to see?
• How do you create engagement with the emails that you send out?

The answer is not clear cut – but there are certainly things you can do to improve your open rate – and even get those much wanted click-throughs, regardless of the technology used to view your email. In our experience and with help from MarketingProfs, here are a few concepts to keep in mind when putting together your emails:

1. Ramp-Up the Subject Line

   The subject line and message preview has to grab the reader in order for them to open it. Recently, Outlook included a new feature called “Clutter”, which learns over time what emails the receiver tends to ignore and puts them in a separate inbox. This is great from a mailbox clean-up standpoint, but challenges us as marketers to keep the subject line fresh and relevant. One tip that seems to stand out among the rest, BE BORING; just tell people what’s inside. But what are some BIG no-no’s? Check out these 19 great tips to improve your subject line from the marketing experts at Hubspot.

2. Relevant Content
   

   So you have a great header, but what about your content? A great email should provide the reader with a reason to engage and should be about something they need, something they are expecting, or something that will delight them. Great emails could consist of:

   • Emails about new products or offerings
   • Thank you emails
   • Newsletters or blog compilations
   • Confirmations
   • Invitations

3. Be Delightful
   

   Your email should delight and make your readers happy. If there's a prize at the end of your email like a download a coupon or sometimes just a nice note of appreciation, you'll get more opens and clicks.

4. Refine that List
   

   The more you know about your audience – their likes and dislikes, and their past behavior – the easier it will be to segment your list, giving you the ability to send out targeted mailings with targeted content.

5. List Quality
   

   Take a look at the quality of your email list and ask yourself a couple of questions. Knowing the answers to these can help you move forward in getting a refined, clean list that will receive your targeted emails and targeted content:

   • How proactively do you manage your list for inactive subscribers?
   • What is the extent to which new, high-quality subscribers are added to your list?
   • Do you refine your email targeting by segmenting your list?

Email will always have a powerful role in marketing communications. Remember: consumers open their inbox with an expectation to be engaged by what they find, so understanding how to get the most from your email marketing is paramount to your digital marketing success.

The email of today's inbox has evolved; so your email marketing strategy should evolve, too. Leave us a comment below to let us know what you’re doing to make your email marketing successful.

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