How long should my emails be? How often should they be sent? Should I write emails like they are coming from me, or should they be sent from the entire company? How can I make sure my emails are opened?

These are the most common questions new email marketers have to answer. To find the answers, test your emails. There are no two audiences. Your email should not exceed 400 words.

There is a set of best practices that can be used for all audiences. Here are some email tips that will help you improve your response rate and achieve your goals quicker with your campaigns.

Design for Mobile

This is a very eye-opening look at the current statistics for mobile mail.

• 80.3% of consumers will delete emails that aren’t mobile-friendly without ever reading them.
• 6.3% of people attempt to read it anyway
• 13.5% will see it on a desktop rather than on their mobile device.
• 30.2% of subscribers will unsubscribe if your emails aren’t optimized for mobile.

Your email templates and content must be mobile-friendly. Do you want to lose 30% of your subscribers because they aren’t working well on mobile devices? 

MarketingLand found that 48% of emails were opened from mobile devices.

Make sure your subject lines are relevant

Many email clients allow you to set a maximum subject line length. It all depends on the browser you use to access email.

Keep your subject lines short and simple to get your message across. 

A subject line that could be used by software companies to inform subscribers about upcoming expirations of subscriptions could be

Your Blue Widget Software Subscription expires in 30 days

Mobile devices may not be able to see the entire text of your Blue Widget Software Subscription. This could lead to recipients thinking it is junk mail. 

[Action Required] Get your Blue Widget Software Subscription Renewed Now

Or, this:

Your Subscription is ending! Get your Blue Widget software back! Get your Blue Widget Software Back!

Both options give the most pertinent information. For example, a subscription that is about to expire must be renewed quickly. Subscribers are more likely to click on an email to see its contents.

This applies to both ecommerce and B2B emails. You will soon become proficient in structuring email subject lines that convey your message quickly on all devices.

Pay attention to your Subject Line Word Choice

Did You Know that the use of “newsletter” can reduce click rates by up to 18% An outdated word can make your emails seem dull and out-of-date.

Additional research showed that 45% of email recipients will open emails whose subject lines contain words such as “deal”, “coupon” or “special offer”. This is especially important for customers who are looking to save money on their products and services.

Pay close attention to your subject lines. Are they clear, motivating and inspiring, or confusing? 

Personalization is a wonderful option

One final note about subject lines: A study showed 17% of email messages were opened when they are personalized. 

Personalization can be used to increase the engagement and satisfaction of subscribers with communication. Personalization could include the following:

• Address them with their names in the subject line.

• Special offers or emails sent on the anniversary or birthday of the recipient 

• Personalized product and service recommendations.

• You can use email automation to send follow-up emails or abandonment messages to customers after they have completed an action on your website (which we’ll talk about in the next chapter).

These factors can make your email feel more personal and personable, which could help you to get more people to open your emails.

Create a schedule and follow it

Do you have any favorite TV shows or events? You won’t be able to tell if your email is inspiring those feelings unless there is a plan.

Sending emails at a specific time of the week might be a good idea. It will be easier for subscribers to get used to the idea of receiving your emails at a certain time of the week.

An email schedule will also be a benefit. You will have a schedule that shows you specific dates and times so you know when to send out new emails.

Let’s move on to the final topic in email marketing: Automation. It can also help us build deeper relationships with our subscribers.