Five hundred subscribers sounds pretty good for a newbie marketer, right? Oh, but what if only 200 are actually opening your mail? You've got to come up with solutions that really work, or the painstaking work you do on your newsletter is all for naught. "Step it up" for a major improvement in open rate... with these five no-fail email newsletter tips!
1. Don't hit SEND more that twice a month.*
*(unless you're running a unique promotion to a specialized list of subscribers).
I recently mailed out a survey to my readers that ultimately revealed evidence CONTRARY to what many of the web experts will tell you. The findings? Most people prefer ONE or TWO mailings per month - no more, no less. Do you like getting slammed with junkmail every day? Well, neither do your subscribers!
2. DO include free downloadable e-books and tutorials.
Your e-book should take 5 hours, NOT 5 days, to write. Give subscribers a small taste of what's to come, with a handy how-to or list of free resources. You want to make people hungry for what you can offer, so that one day when you reveal the ultimate marketing guide, folks will say, "Damn she's good" and they'll buy from you!
3. Send a survey!
People love to express their opinion, and it makes sense that if you know exactly what your readers want more of, you'll be able to give it to them. Even if just 30% of your readers fill out the survey, you've still got a solid representation of your target market's biggest wants. This information will drastically improve your open rate!
4. Try out fun themes.
Entrepreneurs are real, live people just like you. That's why they respond favorably to those little things in your newsletter that reveal your warmth, humanity and sense of fun. Special occasions are all something we can relate to. Add a holiday or seasonal touch with a few brief references in the copy and headlines; sprinkle with tasteful themed graphics.
5. Work on that subjectline.
Give your email subscribers a taste of what's to come, and they're more likely to open and read your message. Think about all the other emails from competing marketers that are landing in their mailbox. What can you say in your headlines that will entice them better than the next person? Don't be afraid to experiment with different tactics, analyze the results and modify your strategy accordingly.
Okay, feeling a little more confident about how you can "beef up" your newsletter to build a loyal following and fan club? Great. Now let's get going on those improvements in time for your next release date!
Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
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