How do you craft an email campaign that works? It’s not easy: on average, a single person receives 121 emails per day—that’s approximately 15 emails for every hour of an 8-hour workday. That’s a lot of noise to cut through!
Nevertheless, 90% of adults in the U.S. use email, making email marketing a great way to connect with your audience. But merely dispatching emails en masse is no guarantee of success. Crafting an email campaign that yields tangible results demands a nuanced approach, blending meticulous planning, thoughtful deployment, and a clear understanding of recipient preferences.
In this post, we’ll go over what actually makes an email campaign drive results.
Keep it personal.
Generic, one-size-fits-all emails are a thing of the past. Modern email campaigns thrive on personalization and segmentation—and for good reason. Personalized emails boast an average open rate of 18.8%, which is 5.7 times greater than non-personalized emails. And with 80% of frequent shoppers only purchasing from businesses that personalize the shopping experience, it’s clear this strategy is essential for companies looking to stay competitive.
Yet beyond increasing open rates, personalized email campaigns have significantly improved engagement, conversion rates, and customer loyalty. For example, purchase recommendations save readers time and add value to the user experience. Or something simple like addressing recipients by name brings a human touch to emails and makes recipients feel recognized.
But personalization doesn’t just pertain to B2C. In the B2B world, customized emails are just as effective when it comes to driving results and boosting ROI. One effective tactic is to personalize email communication based on the recipient’s role within their organization. For instance, a CFO may be more interested in cost-saving solutions, while a CTO may prioritize technology innovation.
Timing is everything.
Sending emails that resonate is about more than just personalizing the content of the email itself—it’s also about the timing and frequency of sending. Similar to the strategic timing of social media posts, strategic email deployment ensures messages land in recipients’ inboxes at optimal times, maximizing open rates and engagement levels.
According to Mailer Lite, the most optimal open times to send an email are between 11 AM-12 PM and 6-7 PM, with a surprising late-night peak at 2 AM (in the sender’s time zone). That said, it’s crucial to tailor sending times to individual subscriber preferences and continually test and learn for optimal results.
Make it pretty.
The average amount of time people spend reading an email is in steady decline. What was once a 15- to 30-second average email read time has now been reduced to a mere 9 seconds. That’s not a lot of time to grab someone’s attention. As a result, content must stand out, be relevant, and evoke emotion in order to get someone to stay with a message.
While stellar copy plays a large role in this, compelling visuals or unique interactive graphics also enhance the reader experience. Studies show that people are 13% more likely to remember details from an email with a video, as compared to just text. Incorporating visually appealing elements such as images, infographics, charts, and videos helps to capture attention and reinforces brand identity. Some brands even combine tactics, using personalized videos or images in their email marketing campaigns to boost engagement by 500%.
Quality over quantity.
Personalized, well-timed, and visually stimulating content is the name of the game for effective email campaigns. Because ultimately the efficacy of an email campaign hinges not just on the volume of emails, but on the depth of engagement and resonance they evoke. By leveraging these strategies, marketers can orchestrate email campaigns that transcend digital clutter, forge meaningful connections, and drive tangible results.
Life’s too short to send dull emails. Interested in standing out with your brand’s email campaign game and bringing a human touch to your digital content strategy? Our team of copywriting experts is a click away. Get in touch!
