Red Hero

 

Send Emails That Customers Will Actually Want to Read

 

Set the wrench aside, and make room for a different kind of tool: email.

In the age of social media, it may seem old school, but email marketing is far from dead. For every dollar spent on email marketing, the average return is a whopping $44.25.

It's time to figure out how to hit send without ending up as spam. Like any craft, awesome emails take a bit of practice. Get started with these basic tips. 

Stand Out With The Subject

 

Stop people from trashing before reading by writing a subject line that grabs attention. With so many emails pouring in each day, it's crucial to stand out in the inbox. In fact, one third of email recipients open email based solely on the subject line! When your email lands in someone's inbox, intrigue with what's inside.

Keep it short and sweet

Most people quickly scan subject lines to decide if they'll read further. Keep it to 50 characters or less.

Be clear, not clever

There are times to show wit, but your subject line is not one of them. A direct line that tells what's inside does significantly better than one that tries to see what's inside.

Avoid overuse words

Stay away from stale sales words in your subject lines. The worst offenders: "free," "help," "percent off," and "reminder".

 

Sweeten The Deal

 

Remind customers of the benefits of being an email subscriber by adding in the occasional coupon or deal. This supports a strong relationship by reminding receivers that you value their business. Exclusive email deals also incentivize customers to open your emails and get into your shop. 

Make it now or never

Have a great offer customers will love? Limit the time an offer or coupon is good toget customers into your store as soon as possible. 

Make it shareable

When good things happen, we tell our friends. Coupons are no different. Add links to share it out over social media or forward to friends to increase your reach.

Be visually appealing

Digital coupons give you the chance to add a pop of color to an otherwise plain email. Include your logo, a photo relating to the product or service, and bold, bright colors and fonts. 

Get Personal

 

When you log into your email and see 152 new messages waiting, you're going to ignore those that seem irrelevant to your life. Your customers are not one and the same, so your messages shouldn't be the exact same to each one fo them. Spend some time writing customized content so you don't fill anyone's inbox with spam. 

Divide to conquer

Break customers down into smaller lists such as past purchases, buying habits, or type of vehicle. Utilize an email service provider to organize these lists or simply use a spreadsheet for smaller-scale segmentation.

Personalize names

Appear as if you wrote each email just for each recipient. Add in their name through the use of an email service provider.

Put a face to your shop

Rather than sending emails from noreply@business.com, write from a specific person at your shop. Include their name and even a photo to connect with subscribers on a personal level. 

 

Pretty It Up

 

Whether you like it or not, the web is a visual medium. A good, clean layout can make a mediocre email seem fantastic. And a perfectly polished email will shine even brighter through the clutter. Spend some time formatting your content so it is easy to read and digest. 

Break out the bullet points

Lists are a simple way to break down a lot of information into content that is easy to absorb. Write short fragments that convey the key points and keep punctuation consistent.

Add white space

Few things make people glaze over faster than a wall of text. Organize your content into bite-sized chunks by pressing the enter key every few lines

Use basic fonts

Stick to 1-2 fonts and promise us you'll never use comic sans-ever. Sans Serif fonts, like Arial and Tahoma, are best for reading a screen. 

Study What's Successful

 

After you've spent all this time crafting awesome emails, make sure the hard work paid off. Take some time to review the success of your messaging by seeing if your coupons were used or if people took the time to open your message. This will help you draft your next batch of emails because you'll know what works best for your business. 

Count your coupons

Keep a record of each email coupon used in your shop and review the results. Use more of what works and less of what doesn't. 

Check if it was opened

The open rate is how many people on your subscriber list actually opened a particular email. Good open rates are a good indicator of strong subject lines. But fret not if your stats seem low. The average open rate hovers between 20-40 percent. 

Look if they liked your links

View the click-through rate (provided by an email service provider) to see if your content was compelling. Most click-through rates are in the single digit percentages, so don't be discouraged by a low rate. 

Go ahead, hit send. See what happens next.

 

You've created a shop worth visiting. Now put some of that elbow grease into email as well. Use it as a tool to remind people you're there for anything from a basic inspection to a major fix. Get your foot in the door with an eye-catching subject line, sweet deals, and an attractice design. Once you've caught their attention, connect with customers on a personal level by keeping your content authentic and helpful. Avoid bland messaging in favor of responses with personality and individual touches. Just remember, a regular connection through email can lead to lifetime of loyalty.