At BCI Media, we know email marketing is powerful. But sometimes the emails just aren’t being opened. They call it email marketing fatigue, and yes it’s a real thing. It happens when a recipient becomes more willing to delete, unsubscribe or mark emails as spam instead of reading them. Gone are the days when people would diligently click each email in their inbox to read what’s inside. Now, people only look forward to receiving a new email when they asked for it. These days a full inbox is a chore, and it’s only gotten worse since the start of the pandemic.
How COVID Changed the Inbox
In 2017, 73% of consumers admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the number of email messages that arrive in their inboxes on a daily basis. Email fatigue among consumers grew exponentially in 2020 when stores shut down amid the pandemic. As brick-and-mortar stores were forced to shutter their doors, email became the only way for many brands to contact customers. However, even amongst the fatigue, email stands as one of the most effective marketing solutions available. Customers who buy products after clicking links in an email tend to spend almost 140% more than other customers.
Utilize the Welcome Email
Welcome emails can be a highly effective tool. Studies show that welcome emails bring in 320% more revenue than any other type of promotional email. Why? It is top of mind marketing. If your customer has just interacted with your brand, they are more likely to engage with your email.
Make it Personal
Think back to the last email you opened. Did it include your first name? Case studies show that personalized campaigns receive almost twice as many opens and clicks as non-segmented ones. Greet customers with their name and you’ll find them much more willing to give your message a try. Depending on your platform, consider going a step further and personalizing your email by including products viewed or added to a shopping cart. How well you personalize will depend on your marketing partner or platform but remember, even the most basic personalization helps.
Treat Emails Like Content Campaigns
Treat every email campaign the same as you would any other content marketing asset. Research what triggers your customers’ interactions and find content ideas to spark their curiosity. Talk to their needs, pains and interests. Asking a relevant question in the subject line and answering it in the email is one of the most effective ways to generate click-through.
See it to Believe it
Another marketing trick that tends to do wonders for an open rate is video content. Videos combine the best features of the digital age: They make information easier to process while being entertaining. Obviously, you don’t want to overuse this tactic but sending an occasional video email or tutorial may help to encourage more opens.
Avoid Triggers
Obviously, email fatigue is triggered by too many emails, so it’s important that you avoid hitting your subscribers’ limits. There is a fine line between staying top of mind and being too aggressive with your brand. To keep a good balance, try sending promotional emails no more than once a month with email reminders for abandoned carts and other items sending only occasionally.
Be Genuine
While empathy is nothing new in marketing, it is more of a necessity these days than a recommendation. During these trying and often volatile times, customers are more sensitive than ever. Fake sentiment will be caught right away!
Keep an Eye on Your Landing Page
Don’t let landing page shortcomings ruin an otherwise great email campaign. Consumers have zero patience for slow page loading, broken links or missing images. Just as you want to make sure all the links in your email work, you need to test your landing page for broken links too. Site Checker is a great free option where you can run an on-page audit to see if your page has any issues.
Conclusion
Email marketing may be more challenging than it was a decade ago. The good news is, BCI Media has all the expertise you need to get ahead of your competition. Contact us today to find out about our suite of email marketing pathways created with your brand in mind.