Overcoming Low Open Rates: 5 Sure Ways to Improve Email Engagement

Email marketing works, that’s for sure. You won’t get tons of emails everyday if companies didn’t find it effective. In fact, email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than social media.

Yet, you fail to see its beauty; you think that doing it is only a waste of time. Why? Because your open rate is low – perhaps too low that you don’t consider trying it again.

In this article, I’ll enumerate 5 sure ways for your email to be noticed, opened and your message to reach the right people.

1. Start it with a good subject line.

33% of email recipients open email based on subject line. Subject line is basically what your readers will first see. You need to make it catchy, and at the same time, in line with your real message, because your real goal is not just to have your email opened, but to make your readers engage with you.

Best email subject lines are short, descriptive, and provide readers with a reason to explore message further.
In an email subject line study conducted by MailChimp, they found that their old recommendation which is to keep it simple and to the point still stands.

Avoid words such as “free” because they tend to trigger spam filters, and “help”, “percent off” and “reminder” because they negatively affect open rates.

2. Personalize your emails by conducting surveys.

You can use Qeryz to put up a short survey in your website. You can ask for their needs, views, and opinions, and these information will help you come up with great newsletter, these will also serve as a guide for you to improve your products, services and even your marketing strategies.

On the other hand, you can also use your email as the actual survey form. Email your audience about customer satisfactory levels, potential product ideas, interests and needs – encourage customer engagement.

3. Manage your list.

Checking and managing your email list will improve your open rates. Don’t make it a habit to send emails to inactive subscribers, or email addresses that do not exist at all. It’s important that email recipients know who you are and expect to receive emails from you, or else they will treat your email as spam.

43% of email recipients click the spam button based on the ‘from’ name or email address.

• Include a checkbox in your email that encourage readers to opt in to your mailing list. This will help you get the right people – those who are really interested with you.
• Ask email subscribers to confirm their email address before you add them to the list to avoid sending emails to those who aren’t interested with what you’re offering. This will also show them that you respect your subscribers.

4. Set expectation.

Setting expectation will not just increase your open rates but will also keep your readers from following your newsletter. When you include something to your email that should be expected from you, chances are they will keep subscribed, wait for your next letter, and read when it arrives.

Inform your readers on what type of emails you will be sending, and how often it will be.

5. Remind your subscribers why they subscribed to you.

Your users are probably signed up to tons of products and services, and it’s not impossible for them to forget about you. It’s helpful to include a line of text in your email, reminding why they signed up for your newsletter, and then give a short overview of your products or services.

A message from Ramit Sethi, author of the New York Times bestseller “I Will Teach You To Be Rich”, changed how Zapier handle their email marketing strategy.

“When you’re sending out an email, please refresh everyone as to what you actually do.” –Ramit Sethi

End note:

Email marketing isn’t dead. You just have to develop your strategies. Include all these key takeaways and tell me how your open rate is performing.