The email marketing stratosphere can be a pretty daunting one. There’s a lot at stake to get readers to click through to your email and take action, but with all the competition out there, it is absolutely essential that you adopt the right techniques to limit the chances of your readers clicking unsubscribe.
Read on for some industry secrets designed to eliminate unsubscribes…
Too Much, too Often
The first step is to avoid overloading your readers with email after email. Research has found that 91% of consumers unsubscribe as a result of being bombarded with too many emails, so be sure to set expectations by telling your readers what they will get from you (and how often), when they first subscribe. For example: ‘Subscribe to our email newsletter today to receive email marketing tips, event information and promotions directly to your inbox twice a week.’ This is a clear cut way to set the stage before getting started.
Be Consistent
Send your emails at the same time each day/week/month etc. You should also email your customers at the same time of day so that they gradually begin to anticipate your emails. For example, popular email newsletter, the Skimm, gets sent out every day at 6am EDT time, so when subscribers receive an email notification, they know that their daily newsletter from the Skimm has just reached their inbox. Never change the time of day or frequency of your emails. If you do, your readers will get frustrated, which will make them feel more compelled to unsubscribe.
Keep it Interesting
Research found that 50% of email marketing recipients find content boring and repetitive. To avoid falling down this path, introduce innovative content on a regular basis. Offer tips, advice and other helpful information – add value to each and every one of your emails. Answer all questions asked by your recipients; remember this is a two-way relationship that you need to continually nourish so that your readers feel valued.
Your readers have subscribed to your emails because they enjoy reading your content. Never self-promote; readers will sense how self-centred your emails are and will either delete the email, send it to the junk box or unsubscribe. An email marketing campaign needs to be subtle and conversational, not a blatant attempt at selling something.
Remember, when done properly, email marketing becomes a long-term relationship with your clients.
Click here to find out more about email marketing and other services offered by 8 Ways Media.
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