The use of e-mail is still an important part of the marketing mix. This is how you keep in touch with existing customers. Through newsletters, for example, you can share information and keep the customer informed. Potential customers can also be reached through newsletters. By using your website for lead generation, it is possible to keep expanding the amount of contacts.
To really trigger the reader, it is important to look critically at the newsletter. In fact, there are a number of tricks to increase the open rate (the opening percentage) of a newsletter. In this blog, we share 5 tips with you.
Segment the contacts
When you want to send newsletters to (potential) customers, it is smart to think carefully about the different target groups and the corresponding message. A person who has purchased a product or service before is likely to be looking for different information than a person who is new to the company.
Therefore, it is wise to segment your contact list. That way you send different emails to different groups of people. Here it is important to verify that the contacts in your list have actually given permission to receive a newsletter.
If you want the newsletter to be read by more people, you need to segment. The easiest split is an existing customer and a potential customer. But potential customers can also be sorted by interest, for example. For example, you can sort existing customers based on location or the product they have previously purchased. Each group is interested in a different message and you tailor your content accordingly. For example, some may be looking for job openings, but others would like to receive your promotions or discounts.
It is possible to offer different options in a form so that the person chooses which information is of interest. Another option is to create lists based on obtained data. That’s where lead generation comes in. A lead is someone who shows interest in your offer and leaves his or her contact information. A useful marketing automation tool for creating this type of contact list is Hubspot, for example.
Personalize the newsletter
A newsletter is more personal when the recipient feels addressed. Research shows that personalization increases the open rate. For example, use the first name as the salutation and in the subject of the email. This will make your newsletter stand out in a crowded inbox and make it more relevant to the recipient. Through an email tool, which uses marketing automation, you can easily set this up. An example of such a tool is Spotler.
Not only make the newsletter personal to the reader, but also clearly reflect the company in the newsletter. So make sure the email is created in your company’s corporate identity. This creates recognition and confidence in the reader. Consistency in communication is important, including in the newsletter.
Write targeted content
Before writing the newsletter, think about what the purpose of the email is. Introduce the main newsletter topic at the top and write catchy text in the subject line. If the goal is to click through, then you can use a CTA(call-to-action) button.
To keep readers interested monthly, you can respond to current events and seasons. Consider what questions or needs a specific segment may have and respond accordingly. This allows you to offer solutions in the newsletter to problems that are likely to occur in the particular target audience.
Optimize for mobile viewing
Mobile usage continues to grow within both B2C and B2B. More and more people are viewing emails on their phones. Therefore, it is important to verify that the display of the newsletter is good on both desktop and mobile.
Most e-mail programs offer a responsive feature in standard themes. This allows you to see at a glance whether the e-mail is displayed correctly. Also test whether the page linked to by the CTA is suitable for mobile devices.
Keep testing and measuring
Measuring the results of each newsletter will give you an idea of what works for each segment. This provides guidance, but that does not mean it works for every target group. Therefore, it is wise to keep testing and optimizing. For example, vary the send time and send day, colors of the CTA buttons, the subject line or the order of the content. It is best to test this through A/B testing so that the results are comparable to each other.
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