Email is today's #1 way for organizations to keep in touch with customers and prospects. And though it's inexpensive to execute, email is filled with challenges for the marketer — from the need to frequently audit your email to make sure you're not getting caught by filters, to the technical requirement to master third party transmissions broadcast tools before your campaigns can get out the door.
But in addition to the technical aspects, successful emails must be designed to get a response just like any other direct marketing medium. That means they must attract attention in the subject line and preview pane, and then attract the desired response once a message is opened. Here are a few tips:
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Don't put a graphic in your art director's favorite position, at the upper left of the page. Why? Because it will appear as a big red X unless your recipients' preferences are set to download graphics automatically. Instead, put an html head in the upper left — using color and larger fonts if you like. |
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Don't fail to state your key selling proposition and offer and provide a clickthrough link in the very first paragraph. Most people won't read any further. However, once you've accomplished that it's fine to go writing if you have something to say. In fact, a MarketingSherpa study found that a leading position for clickthroughs was the link at the very bottom of an email. Perhaps, just like the P.S. in a letter, people like to skip ahead to the end. |
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Do make your graphics work as hard as possible, using them not only to get attention but also to lead the eye visually through the email. And do include sidebars that present your offer with graphics, caption and a link for those who prefer to get their information visually. |
Applying these techniques (and a few others that we'll keep to ourselves, for now), Beasley Direct has consistently outperformed the competition (both other agencies, and in-house creatives) in head-to-head testing. Ask us how we can do a test for you.
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Beasley Direct releases new “How to Do Your Own Email Audit” White Paper
Learn More!
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