E-mail deliverability refers to whether or not the e-mails you sent out reached the Inbox of customers and were actually read. One of the main reasons e-mails don’t get through is because they were deleted by the overzealous finger of a potential customer. This doesn’t come at a great shock, given the fact that 10 out of every 12 e-mails are SPAM*.
Most online businesses have realized that e-mail marketing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to increase sales. Those same companies are now realizing that the challenge lies not just in creating and executing the e-mail marketing campaign, but in ensuring e-mail deliverability.
Here are some great secrets to spike your e-mail deliverability rates.
1. Send e-mails on the right weekdays.
Mondays are simply too busy, so be prepared to be deleted. Fridays are too close to fun, so get ready to be ignored. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to send out e-mails if you want the customer to actually read them.
2. Avoid typical SPAM copy, get creative.
Words like ‘Free’ and ‘Buy Now’ tend to trigger SPAM filters immediately, which adversely affects e-mail deliverability. This is especially unfortunate if you really are offering freebies. Instead of using typical sales copy, use creative copy to make your sales pitch. So instead of saying ‘Free’, try saying ‘Complimentary’. The altered words will dramatically increase your e-mail deliverability rates.
3. Make sure the subject line is repetitive.
Use a common phrase or term in the subject line of all e-mails you send. This allows customers to immediately identify that the e-mail is from someone they trust and recognize.
4. Send e-mails from the website the customer signed up with to reassure trust.
Often companies have several complementary websites, and the customer is not aware of this fact upfront. Always send e-mails to the customer from the website they signed up with. The customer is less likely to delete e-mails from a company they actually want information from.
Always remember- it’s not just about getting the message out there, it’s about getting that message read!
-Stacie Leonard, Ecommerce Marketing/Copywriting
* Postini.com