On any given weekday, I will wake up to anywhere from five to 15 emails in the inbox of my “junk” email account. Why do I still check this email? More often than not I will hit “delete” without opening those emails.
But sometimes Sephora will send me an extra point perk. Maybe the bookstore finally has the novel I’ve been looking for in-stock. Or Zara will alert me about an end-of-season sale I wouldn’t have known about without the email alert.
Thanks to these messages, maybe I will go to Sephora.com and add $35 worth of skincare to my online cart just to receive the sample perk they emailed me about. Maybe I will finally buy those culottes from Zara I’ve been eyeing since they are marked down an extra 20% off. Perhaps I will swing by the bookstore on the way home from work. These are purchases I would be much less likely to make without those emails finding their way into my inbox.
Those are emails I often find worth opening and the reason I continue to check this account on a daily basis. And I’m not alone; 60% of consumers say that email marketing influences their online shopping habits.
Brands have been using email as a marketing tool since the communication form was invented in the 90s, although the early 2000s brought a heightened attention to the strategies behind the messages. Now, nearly two decades later, email marketing is still a way brands touch base with their customers on a weekly or even daily basis.
Maybe you’ve been consistently using email marketing but aren’t seeing the results you’d hoped. Or maybe you’re looking to switch up your tactics to reach a new audience. Try out these 4 email marketing tips to freshen up your email marketing efforts.
Change your send date
Tuesdays have the best track record for high open rates, according to many studies. Monday and Wednesdays are tied for second place as the next best days to send. And if you’re sending two emails each week, make sure your second email is sent on Thursday for best results. Some studies also found that Sundays receive high click-through rates but that’s likely thanks to lower open rates. Consider some long-term testing to figure out which send day gives you the right results from your subscribers.
Switch up the send time
Late mornings— between 9:00 and 11:00 AM– are largely agreed on as the best time of the day to send emails for higher open rates, with 10:00AM ranking as the sweet spot. As with the send date, we’d suggest long-term testing to decide what time of day your email subscribers are most likely to open and click through your emails.
Celebrate the fun holidays
Not every email you send needs to be a newsletter update, sale announcement or new product rollout. From National Taco Day to International Day of Peace, there is a “National Day” for just about every activity and occasion you can think of. Though brands often use these holidays as fodder for fun social media posts, who’s to say they can’t be used as the basis of an email? Surprise your email subscribers by sending an email celebrating one of these obscure holidays, provided it connects back to your brand identity, products or services.
Allee tip: Holiday Insights is a great resource for finding holidays that work for your next email marketing campaign.
Add some fun to your subject line
According to a report by Experian, 56% of brands found they received higher open rates by adding an emoji to their email subject lines. It makes sense– emojis can be an eye-catching pop of color in an otherwise gray inbox. Plus, they add some personality to text. If it’s in line with your brand’s voice, consider trying it out yourself in the next campaign.
Sometimes, all your strategy needs is a slight face lift. Test out these email marketing tips and let us know what works for you. Or, get in touch with us if you’re ready to bring in the professionals.
