It’s a “subject-line-eat-subject-line” world out there. However, in the midst of a global pandemic, opportunity could be in your favor when it comes to email marketing. That’s because you have a large audience sitting down in front of their computers, snacking away on whatever is left in the cupboard (just me?!), contemplating their next purchases. 

Studies show that the email marketing return could be fruitful. According to Hubspot, email generates $38 for every $1 spent. That’s a whopping 3800% return on investment. Numbers like this can hardly be ignored, especially when you consider daily email users top out at 3.9 billion. The only hurdle? You have to write an email compelling enough to get through to them. Use these 5 email marketing tips to help your emails get opened instead of sent to the trash folder. 

1. Send to the Right Audience

If you write the world’s most compelling email message selling peanut butter, but your audience is allergic, the message will undoubtedly fail. This seems like an obvious example, but more unnoticeable examples happen all the time. If you aren’t speaking your audience’s language, your message is bound to be ignored.

Start by doing an analysis of your email addresses. How did you gather them? Are there different audiences within your email list that should receive separate messages? Do you know anything about your email list base? If you can’t answer these questions, it may be time to do a quick survey to find out why your audience is here in the first place. Only then can you truly write to what the end user wants.

2. Write a Compelling Subject Line

An engaging subject line is the difference between passing “open” and going directly to “trash,” or piquing your audiences’ curiosity enough to read what you have to say. 

A/B testing is a great way to determine what type of subject lines resonate with your audience. The concept is simple—try two formats with a small sampling of your audience and see which garners better click rates. Maybe your audience prefers a straightforward subject line, or maybe they like when your business has some fun. You’ll never know until you try—through testing! (P.S. This all happens seamlessly without any extra work if you use an email marketing program.)

3. Personalize Your Message

No, you don’t have to include a personal detail about each recipient. However, you should know the audience well enough to make the message feel personal. Consider using email marketing software to automatically add their name to the subject line. Or, maybe you directly target those who haven’t purchased in awhile, letting them know just how much you miss them. There are ample opportunities for small, personal touches, and you have a greater chance of avoiding the trash folder by leveraging personalization. 

4. Offer a Deal

“What’s in it for me?” This is a relatable reaction that your audience will internally ask themselves. A deal could mean the obvious percentage off their next purchase. It could also mean a free consultation, which costs your business nothing but time. Consider the return on investment of each deal. Remember—it doesn’t need to be a huge percentage off the price, it just needs to be something valuable enough to draw in your end user.

5. Develop a Clear Call to Action

If you deliver the message of a lifetime but your audience doesn’t know what to do next, you’ve missed your opportunity to connect. Whether it’s something as simple as clicking to learn more, or more directly asking your audience to reach into their wallets, this isn’t the time to be vague. Be direct. Be bold. Get out there and tell your recipients what to do next.