As a small business owner email is, hands down, one of your most valuable marketing tools.
Email marketing has an average return on investment of 3,800%. So, for every dollar you spend on email marketing, your average return should be $38!*
Here’s how to maximize successful delivery and make sure your subscribers are receiving, opening and clicking through on your emails:
ACTION STEPS:
- Personalize your greeting using Merge Tags. ALL email marketing services offer this option when you create or edit your emails.
- Add video to increase your open rate by as much as 19%, according to Campaign Monitor.
- Be sure your email template is optimized for mobile. If it isn’t, 80% of users will delete it, according to Bluehornet.
- Send your emails from a verified domain (not from an email address ending in @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, @aol.com, etc.)
- Show subscribers how to add you to their Safe Senders List to make sure your emails aren’t blocked or routed to Spam/Junk folders.
- Include a fast, straightforward way for users to opt-out when receiving your emails, so they don’t report them as Spam or Abuse.
- Make sure you’re emailing only people who have subscribed to your list. Don’t manually add subscribers to your list or buy lists from third-party providers.
- Optimize your send times. According to MailChimp, the average sender achieves higher open rates on weekdays at around 10 am.
- Make your subject lines stand out. If possible, personalize your subject line with Merge Tags, induce curiosity so subscribers feel compelled to open your email, and keep your language friendly and conversational.
- Avoid words commonly caught by spam filters. Below you’ll find a list of spammy words to avoid in your subject line, pre-header and the first paragraph of your email content.**
The above tips are crucial for improving delivery, open rates and click through rates. Always be sure to test subject lines, send days/times, and messages. What works like clockwork for the average business might not be ideal for yours.
By being consistent, you’ll be able to watch your rates (and sales!) begin to improve.
Spam Words to Avoid**
| Retail Sales | Calls to Action | Numbers | Business | Descriptions |
| As seen on | Cancel at anytime | #1 | Accept credit cards | All natural |
| Order status | Get | 4U | Credit card offer | Certified |
| Buy | Print out and fax | Billion dollars | Investment decision | Fantastic deal |
| Clearance | Compare | Million | No investment | It’s effective |
| Orders shipped by | Give it away | 100% free | Stock alert | Real thing |
| Buy direct | See for yourself | 50% off | Cards accepted | All new |
| Order | Copy accurately | Join millions | Explode your business | Congratulations |
| Shopper | Print form signature | One hundred percent guaranteed | No credit check | For free |
| Sign up free today | 100% satisfied | Requires initial investment | Outstanding values | |
| Billion dollars | Stock disclaimer statement | Risk free | ||
| Join millions of Americans | Check or money order | Amazing | ||
| Thousands | Full refund | Drastically reduced | ||
| No hidden costs | Guaranteed | |||
| Stock pick | Promise you | |||
| Satisfaction guaranteed |
| Health & Wellness | Financial | Free | Employment | General |
| Cures baldness | Avoid bankruptcy | Free | Additional income | Acceptance |
| Human growth hormone | Consolidate debt | Free consultation | Double your | Chance |
| Lose weight | Eliminate debt | Free grant money | Earn “X” per week | Here |
| Online pharmacy | Get paid | Free Instant | Home based | Leave |
| Stop snoring | Lower your mortgage rate | Free membership | Income from home | Maintained |
| Vicodin | Refinance home | Free preview | Opportunity | Never |
| Diagnostics | Calling creditors | Free sample | While you sleep | Remove |
| Life Insurance | Financially independent | Free access | Be your own boss | Satisfaction |
| Medicine | Lower interest rate | Free DVD | Earn $ | Success |
| Removes wrinkles | Lowest insurance rates | Free hosting | Expect to earn | Accordingly |
| Valium | Social security number | Free investment | Home employment | Dormant |
| Weight loss | Collect child support | Free money | Make $ | Hidden |
| No medical exams | Eliminate bad credit | Free priority mail | Online biz opportunity | Lifetime |
| Reverses aging | Get out of debt | Free trial | Potential earnings | Medium |
| Viagra | Lower monthly payment | Free cell phone | Work at home | Passwords |
| Xanax | Pre-approved | Free gift | Compete for your business | Reverses |
| Your income | Free installation | Earn extra cash | Solution | |
| Free leads | Extra income | Teen | ||
| Free offer | Homebased business | Avoid | ||
| Free quote | Make money | Freedom | ||
| Free website | Online degree | Home | ||
| Work from home | Lose | |||
| Miracle | ||||
| Problem | ||||
| Sample | ||||
| Stop | ||||
| Wife |
| Urgency | Marketing | Offers |
| Access | Ad | Being a member |
| Apply online | Click | Cannot be combined with any other offer |
| Can’t live without | Click to Remove | Financial freedom |
| Don’t hesitate | Email Harvest | Guarantee |
| For you | Increase Sales | Important information regarding |
| Great offer | Internet Marketing | Mail in order forms |
| Instant | Marketing Solutions | No gimmick |
| Now | Trial offer | No obligation |
| Once in a lifetime | Not spam | No selling |
| Order now | Open | Not intended |
| Special promotion | Removal Instructions | Offers |
| Time limited | Search engine listings | Stuff on sale |
| Act Now! | The following form | Giving it away |
| Call free | Undisclosed recipient | Unsolicited |
| Do it today | We hate spam | Warranty |
| For instant access | Auto email removal | What are you waiting for? |
| Get it now | Click below | You are a winner! |
| Info you requested | Direct email | Winner |
| Limited time | email marketing | Message contains |
| Now only | Increase traffic | No age restrictions |
| One time | Internet marketing | No disappointment |
| Order today | Mass email | No inventory |
| Supplies are limited | More internet traffic | No purchase necessary |
| Urgent | One time mailing | No strings attached |
| Apply now | Opt in | Obligation |
| Call now | Sale | Per day |
| Don’t delete | Search engines | Prize |
| For only | This isn’t junk | Reserves the right |
| Get started now | Unsubscribe | Terms and Conditions |
| New customers only | Web traffic | Trial |
| Offer expires | Bulk email | Vacation |
| Only | Click here | We honor all |
| Please read | Direct marketing | Who really wins? |
| Take action now | Form | Winning |
| While supplies last | Increase your sales | You have been selected |
| Act! | Marketing | Name brand |
| Member | No catch | |
| Multi Level Marketing | No experience | |
| Online Marketing | No middleman | |
| Performance | No questions asked | |
| Sales | No-obligation | |
| Subscribe | Off shore | |
| This isn’t spam | Per week | |
| Visit our website | Prizes | |
| Will not believe your eyes | Shopping spree | |
| The best rates | ||
| Unlimited | ||
| Vacation offers | ||
| Weekend getaway | ||
| Win | ||
| Won | ||
| You’re a winner! | ||
| Lowest Price | ||
| Incredible deal | ||
| Great offer | ||
| Promise | ||
| Promise you | ||
| Why pay more? |