Before there was an Internet as we know it, there was email.
The only thing that has changed about email is how it’s consumed. Mobile is clearly taking over this medium. With that in mind, I’d like to offer you some wisdom from experience about how to get the most mileage out of your list, whether it’s being consumed on a phone, tablet, laptop, or PC.
The rules don’t change much between mediums, but most mobile devices make it very easy to trash messages before reading them. Make no mistake: That is what will happen to yours if you don’t have the right strategy in place. Here are a few ways you can increase your open and read rates considerably.
Tip #1: Write a Strong Subject Line
There is only one thing you can do to increase the number of people who read your emails: You absolutely MUST have a strong subject line. It’s non-negotiable. People will decide whether to read your email based on the subject first. If you send them more than one or two messages with drab subject lines, they’re going to delete the message as soon as they see your name.
So how do you get the reader’s attention from the start? I find that there are several ways to make the subject interesting enough to earn a click:
Keep your subject lines simple and open-ended.
Subject lines that generate who, what, where, and when questions get opened.
“I was floored when I found this out.” Found what out?
“Get in on this before the offer expires.” When is the offer expiring? And, for that matter, what is the offer?“
When she told me this, I was blown away.” When who told you what?
Anytime the reader’s interest is piqued, he or she is at least going to glance at the message.
Ask a question.
Ask cryptic, open-ended questions in your subject lines. Messages that give the reader a mystery to solve also get opened and read. Here are some examples. Note how each of them builds on the who/what/where concept as well:
“How much longer are you going to put up with this?”
“Did I forget to mention this?”
“Have you heard about what’s happening on Wednesday?”
“Can you believe she said that?”
“How do I know this works?”
Avoid CAPS Lock and overhyped calls to action.
How many times have you gotten an email with a subject that looked like this:
“OMG!!! THIS IS SO AMAZING!!! <—-You need to read this RIGHT NOW!!!”
Here’s the next question: What did you do with it? Chances are you deleted it without another thought. Yes, it creates a “what” question, but it does it in such an in-your-face manner that it lacks credibility.
Tip #2: Make a Connection
So you’ve gotten the reader to open the message. Now it’s time to keep him or her engaged. The most important thing to remember about that is that people don’t want to hear about you – they want to hear about themselves. You need at least five “you” statements for every “I” statement if you want to keep your readers engaged. Look at the difference in tone between these two statements.
A. Too many people live with joint pain.
B. You’ve been living too long with joint pain.
The concept in example A is nebulous. It may or may not apply to the reader. Example B puts the reader directly in the story and makes him or her part of the conversation. The same holds true for these two statements:
A. The shelves at GNC are loaded with Omega 3 supplements.
B. How many times have you been in GNC and felt totally overwhelmed by the number of Omega 3 supplements there are out there?
Connect with your reader in the first line of your email, and he or she will almost always keep reading. Leave readers on the outer fringes of the message, and they’ll be aiming for the trash icon.
Tip #3: Hit the “Pain Points” and Promise a Solution
All products and services exist to solve a problem. Your job is to assign the problem to the reader. Don’t ask if the problem exists; state that it does.
"The problem is that there’s always more month than money, and you’re sick of it."
"Your debt problems are only getting worse over time."
"Every day you dread getting out of bed because your arthritis is always worst in the morning."
If these people found their way into your funnel, they already have these issues, so confront them with the reason they got on your list in the first place.
Next, follow up with the promise of a solution. You don’t necessarily need to bring it around full-circle in one email (in fact, I recommend you don’t), but never leave the reader alone with his or her pain. You have the solution, and you’re going to show it to the reader. Promise to stay by his or her side until the problem is solved.
Tip #4: Drive the Value of Your Product or Service
If you are only sending a single email, this is where you would introduce the product or service and drive the value of it. If you’re writing a sequence, this is where you start touting the attributes of the product or service and make statements about how the reader has dealt with this issue before without a solution.
"It can cost hundreds of dollars or more to find the right supplement for your personal condition."
"It can take years to build up the kind of income you learn about in some MLM programs."
"How much time have you spent already looking for a solution only to watch your money and time disappear along with your hope of finally happening upon the right thing?"
Eventually, you’re going to bring it around to your product or service. The timeline for that depends on how you approach your email campaign. A one-shot can get the job done, but any professional copywriter or copywriting company will tell you: A sequence is always better.
Tip #5: Hit the Pain Points Again
Always keep the reason reader got on your list in front of them. In a single email, doing so could be the final push toward making the sale. In a sequence, it will get them to come back tomorrow. Leave the story open-ended and finish up reminding them of their pain.
Tip #6: Make Good Use of Your P.S.
The P.S. really is prime real estate in an email, so harness its power by using it correctly. For a one-shot, this is your chance to make a last-ditch appeal to click through to make a purchase.
In a sequence, the P.S. a great place to do things like communicate scarcity, promise more breakthrough information tomorrow, and jab at the pain points again. All of these are effective strategies and will earn you click-throughs and future opens. Just don’t forget to include a clear call to action; never assume that people will just do anything.
"Look for my email tomorrow."
"Tomorrow I’m going to let you in on how I solved my debt problem once and for all, so open that message as soon as you see it."
"I can only offer this price until midnight tonight. Don’t miss out. Click the link below to get started."
Following this simple formula is certain to gain you more opens and click-throughs, and people will actually look forward to seeing your messages appear in their inboxes.