Subject
Lines and From Lines
Have
you experienced a decline in your eNewsletter’s “open”
rate? There are several reasons why this may occur, some
of which you can do little about, but others that you can
work to improve. If your “open” rates are slipping,
don’t panic, but don’t sit idle - there is a
lot you can do. Let’s take a look at a possible culprit
for declines as well as two often overlooked variables that
can help bring your “open” rate back up.
Recently,
filters have been screening html emails and presenting recipients
with the option to “view images”. You should
always ask recipients to “safe list” your eNewsletter
sender. Ideally, they only have to do this once to view
your messages properly from that point forward. No need
to feel helpless though, people who are not seeing your
images will still be getting your message.
Especially
if your “open” rates are not as high as you
would like them to be, remember, that you have control over
several elements that invariably effect those “open”
rates. Before readers even see your crafted masterpiece,
they must choose to open it. With this in mind, remember
that you control the from field and the subject line which
are in essence your true “first impression”.
These elements act as gate keepers of your eNewsletter,
so never underestimate their importance. By peaking your
audience’s interest at the door, you’re far
more likely to have readers invite you in.
Let’s
take a moment to discuss these fields further. The first
perception readers receive from you is the from column.
This is your initial opportunity to obtain a recipient’s
attention. Does your newsletter have a catchy name? Did
you change it recently? Is it related to your organization’s
name? Are you using the newsletter’s name as your
“from line”? These are issues you should be
considering each time you send an eNewsletter, and a consistent
and thought out approach pays off ovee time . People may
have signed up for you newsletter and may be awaiting it
anxiously. When they receive it, are they overlooking it
in their inbox?
If
you are a dentist sending an eNewsletter from “Freddy’s
Favourite Puppy”, your recipients may be passing over
your message. Make sure the from line is recognizable to
those who have opted to receive your eNewsletter. Perhaps
from “Dr. DrilsnGums” would be more effective.
Think about the speed with which you scan you inbox looking
for familiar and important email worth opening, would you
be more inclined to accept an email from “Freddy’s
Favourite Puppy” or a familiar name like “Dr.
DrilsnGums”?
The
subject line is another equally important consideration
that needs to be addressed. The subject should reflect the
content of your eNewsletter. Some organizations have named
their eNewsletter and opted to use its name as the subject.
This is a common approach and has advantages, such as familiarity
and consistency. Yet, your organization makes the effort
to create new content for each campaign in order to keep
recipients informed, interested, and familiar with your
branding. If you find your “open” rates slipping,
perhaps you should try having the subject line directly
reflect the current content of your eNewsletter. If a recipient
wasn’t blown away by the last issue of “The
Wire”, then an issue from “The Wire” subject
“Top 10 industry related tips”(the topic of
your last mailer was likely more interesting than your eNewsletter’s
name), may re-spark the interest that prompted them to opt
in initially.
There
are obviously other factors that effect “open”
rates, such as campaign scheduling:
Ensure
that the email address from which your from line originates
is functional and monitored, and that your subject line
is in no way misleading, but remember there is still tons
of room to be creative.
Next:
we will tackle content,
Later:
targeting your email list.
