Email marketing is a must-have for businesses that want to connect with customers and promote their products. But if done incorrectly, it can annoy your recipients and cause them to unsubscribe.
Your subject line is the first thing your subscribers see. Make sure it’s compelling and gives them a reason to open your email. Consider taking inspiration from Emails Nest to see examples of compelling subject lines that may also be suitable for your emails.
1. Failing to Segment Your List
Whether you’re an influencer with digital products or a well-established eCommerce brand, your email marketing strategy should include segmentation. This way, you can tailor your content to fit the needs of each audience.
Segmenting your list can be as simple as separating your contacts by demographics or as complex as using buyer personas or data from your CRM. Depending on your objectives, you may also want to consider segments for different stages of the customer journey or for specific marketing goals like re-engaging disengaged subscribers or rewarding loyal customers.
More is not always better, and having too many subscribers on your list can actually hurt deliverability rates. Make sure you regularly remove hard bounces and unengaged subscribers to ensure your emails reach the right inboxes. Also, remember to test your emails for readability issues and correct links.
2. Using Unattractive Images
While images can add visual appeal to emails, they should be used sparingly. Overusing them can reduce the impact and effectiveness of an email, while also causing it to look unattractive and boring. Emails that are image-heavy can also take longer to load, and may trigger spam filters.
Additionally, using large and low-quality images can cause an email to be unable to display on certain devices or be blocked altogether, which will leave the recipient with nothing more than a blank screen. To avoid this, use high-quality images that tell a story and bring your products to life.
3. Failing to Include a Call-to-Action
Whether you want your email subscribers to follow your social media accounts, subscribe to your blog, or make a purchase, your emails must include a clear call-to-action. Without one, your subscribers will be unsure what to do next and may lose interest in your business.
Avoid cliched calls-to-action that scream “Buy Now.” Instead, create an email that provides value to your audience and encourages them to engage with your brand.
Long, drawn-out emails can overwhelm readers and turn them off. Try to keep your content brief and concise, and use storytelling in your emails to make them more engaging and memorable. For example, a B2B software company could detail how their product helped a client solve a problem. This type of email will resonate with your audience and increase your conversions.
4. Using Buzzwords in Your Subject Lines
A subject line is your email’s first impression, so it should be clear, concise, and impactful. Buzzwords and other filler words can clog up your subject line and make it less effective.
Avoid using “free,” “reminder,” or “sale” in your subject lines, as these trigger spam filters. Instead, try to use words that sound personal to your recipients. For example, incorporating their name into the subject line can increase their engagement and connection to your brand.
Also, keep in mind that most email carriers display subject lines between 38 and 47 characters. Subject lines that are too long can be truncated and may not be read by your subscribers. To avoid this, test your subject lines with a tool that shows how they’ll look at different truncation points.
5. Writing in All Capital Letters
Emails that appear like late-night infomercials are a turnoff for many readers. They may be reluctant to open a marketing message that sounds too skeezy, and may even unsubscribe from your list altogether.
Writing in all capital letters can also seem aggressive and spammy, decreasing your email open rates. In addition, it may trigger spam filters and prevent your emails from reaching your recipients’ inboxes.
When used sparingly and with intention, capital letters can add emphasis to certain words or convey emotions and tone. However, it’s best to avoid using all caps in your subject line. Subject lines should be concise, descriptive, and attention-grabbing. They should also be aligned with the content of your email. For example, “Limited Time Offer” and “Today Only” are attention-grabbing subject lines that communicate urgency. They are also a good way to grab your audience’s attention and increase your email open rate.
6. Using a Personal Email Address
Email marketing can be a great way to connect with your audience and bring in new customers. But it’s important to be aware of the mistakes that can occur when creating and sending your emails so you can avoid them.
One of the most common mistakes is using a personal email address when sending marketing emails. This can be confusing for recipients and may cause them to unsubscribe from your emails.
To prevent this, make sure to use a business-related email address, such as your company name or a variation of it. Additionally, it’s also a good idea to include your company’s name in the “from” line of your emails to make it clear that the message is coming from a business. This will help to avoid confusion and build trust with your audience. In addition, it will ensure that your email is accessible to those with reading disabilities.
7. Using Stock Images
Using the wrong images can make an email look cheesy, unprofessional and boring. The photos you choose should be high-quality and align with your brand image. They should also have a clear purpose and be strategically placed.
It’s important to remember that some email clients block images by default, and using too many images can trigger spam filters. Also, avoid cropping your images in strange ways. Nothing irritates a customer more than an oddly-cropped photo.
If you don’t have the resources to create bespoke illustrative images for your emails, there are some great websites that sell high-quality stock photos. Just be sure to check that the site is royalty-free and that you’re following copyright rules. Otherwise, you could face legal action that damages your reputation and your business. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to get caught in an email marketing trap that doesn’t work for your business.
8. Using a Non-Business Email Address
Using a non-business email address is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when sending out emails. It can negatively impact your email deliverability and make you look unprofessional and untrustworthy. It also makes it harder for your subscribers to reply to your emails and can lead them to unsubscribe.
It’s important to keep in mind that email marketing is a form of advertising, so you should only use emails from people who have specifically opted-in to receive your messages. This way, you can be sure that your subscribers are interested in receiving your emails and will not report them as spam.
Avoiding these email marketing mistakes can help you to increase your email engagement and conversions. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your email campaigns are successful and provide a positive ROI for your business.
9. Using a Non-Segmented List
Email marketing is a powerful tool for reaching and engaging your audience. However, it’s important to understand the most common mistakes that can impact the effectiveness of your campaigns.
One of the biggest mistakes that email marketers make is not properly segmenting their list. This can lead to a high number of unsubscribes and a lack of engagement.
You can avoid this mistake by asking your subscribers for their email frequency preferences and then creating different email lists based on those preferences. You can also use data about your customers, such as their business type and language, to personalize your emails. This can help you build trust and increase conversions. Additionally, you should regularly clean your list of hard-bounced email addresses. This can reduce the number of messages sent to inactive subscribers and improve your deliverability rate.
10. Using a Non-Attractive Template
An email with an unattractive template can turn off subscribers and make them less likely to engage with your content. Instead, use a visually appealing and well-formatted design that aligns with your brand’s image.
Another mistake you can make is using too many images in your emails. This can slow down the load time, distract readers and may even cause your emails to be marked as spam. Instead, use images strategically and limit them to a few per email.
Subject lines are one of the most important elements of your email, so it’s crucial to spend time crafting them. Use attention-grabbing, descriptive, and compelling subject lines that give subscribers a reason to open your email. And then, deliver on the promise you made in the subject line! This will improve your subject line click-through rates.
