If you’ve sent more than 2 emails to your email list, you know that you never reach every single one of your subscribers.
Some emails go to spam. Others are ignored.
It’s a sad but true reality of email marketing: typically we reach less than 12% of our subscribers with each mailing.
If you haven’t checked recently, take a moment right now to pop open your email service provider in another tab and take a look at the post mortem for your last few campaigns. Industry average is about 11% open rate and 1.4% click rate.
How are you doing?
While there are certainly techniques I can share that will help you get closer to 15-20% open rate (my average is 16.5%), what I want to talk to you about today is the one email that you can send – are probably already sending in fact – that’s going to get you upwards of 100% open rate each and ever time.
Since it’s only one email, not one that you can replicate over and over, what I’m going to do is make you aware of this email, and then explore what exactly you can do with it!
Your Most-Opened Email
Think back to all of the emails you’ve sent, or autoresponders you’ve set up. Or perhaps those you’ve received from others (maybe even me!).
Which email do you think people open the most? Can you guess?
It’s the one they asked for.
Let’s say you have an eBook on your website that you offer people to entice them to subscribe to your list – standard email lead generation technique. If someone asks to have that eBook emailed to them, they’re going to be looking for that email! They might even contact you and complain if they don’t receive it.
That means that vast majority – nearly 100% of subscribers – are going to open that email!
They all want what was promised to them, and of course you’re delivering it, which certainly makes a good impression.
But how much more are you providing within that email? What else are you sharing?
Can we do better? I think so.
“Welcome emails have 320% more revenue per email than other promotional emails.”
How To Leverage Your Most-Opened Email
Since we know people are going open this email at astronomically, never to be seen again rates, let’s make the most of it, shall we? Here are a few ideas and critical elements:
Deliver The Goods – by all means, get straight to the point and have a download button or link to grab whatever it is you offered. While it’s nice to open with a little validation (“Congratulations on your decision to start a blog!”), don’t overdo it. Don’t risk wasting their time with meaningless marketing speak.
Go one better – but wait, there’s more! What else can you share or tell them right at that moment? It doesn’t have to be a second download or resource, but what if you also shared with them some other articles you’ve published in the past that are related to their requested content? Or a really great tip?
Say it with style – this is essentially a first date. Most of us would show up for a first date looking our best, and trying hard throughout the evening to be natural and entertaining. In your first email (and in every email thereafter), you should speak with your brand voice. As fun and engaging as you’re comfortable being.
Tell ‘em what’s next – before you sign off, you have to let your new subscriber know what’s coming next. Tell them that in X days you’re going to be sending them another important message, or that you have something to share with them, or whatever fits with how you decide to word your second email. (Not sure what your other emails should be? This article will help.)
Those four elements will ensure that your first, most-opened email will deliver a fabulous first impression.
Want to see what mine looks like? Well, sign up here and find out. ; )
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