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How to Craft the Perfect Marketing Email

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Every day, more than 225 billion emails will be sent and received around the world. Of those, almost 105 billion of them will be directed at consumers, according to a recent study from The Radicati Group, a California-based technology marketing research firm.

That being said, it’s important, now more than ever, to make sure your brand is present in your customers’ email inboxes. And with more than 80 emails—that’s personal, business and commercial combined—reaching each of your customers every day, the messages coming from your brand need to be relevant, succinct and attractive.

According to the Radicati report, this email overload will only continue to grow over the next two years. The firm predicts the number of consumers with email accounts will continue to rise, and the number of consumer emails sent and received per day worldwide will also increase by almost 13 billion by 2019.

Many business owners in the home improvement industry use email as an effective marketing technique to keep customers informed about everything from special sales to new products and services.

Whether you’re new to email marketing or simply looking for ways to improve, Hardware Retailing has a few tips. Follow the best practices listed here to make your email stand out and increase the chances that your customers will open and engage with your emails.

1. Subject Line

Consider words and phrases that gauge interest. For example, would you be more likely to open an email that says, “June Sale” or, “We’re Helping You Keep It Cool”? It’s also important to avoid trigger words, such as “free,” “act now” and “special promotion,” which could send your emails to the junk folder.

2. Headline

Once your customers open your email, the first thing they see is the headline, which is the bolded line at the top of your email. Is it catchy? Does it draw attention? Is it related to the subject line? Does it accurately describe the information within the email, or is it misleading?

3. Design

Think about the emails you enjoy reading. It’s unlikely they include only text. Photos, bulleted lists, graphics and colors make emails easier to read and more interesting to look at. Take advantage of the templates available through your email marketing service to easily enhance your design.

4. Length

Your message should be concise, clear and complete at the same time. It shouldn’t take customers more than a few seconds to read your email. Instead of typing out paragraphs of content, consider using graphics, photos and links to your website or social media pages.

5. Footer

This section always appears at the bottom of your email template and includes several kinds of necessary information, such as contact information, the option to unsubscribe and more. Make sure this section is accurate and up-to-date and that the links within it work properly.

6. Tracking

Utilize the analytics feature of your email marketing platform to track what’s working and what’s not. For example, you can determine what types of emails are being opened and read most often, or what type of content is causing customers to unsubscribe. To learn more about tracking your analytics, click here.

For more resources on how to develop a strategy and send great emails, click here.

About Hilary Welter

As marketing and research coordinator, it’s Hilary’s duty to keep retailers informed about NRHA products and services and to help coordinate industry research projects. Additionally, Hilary is the voice behind NRHA’s and Hardware Retailing’s social media accounts. She appreciates a good book, spicy food, well-made horror films, craft beer and exploring new places near and far.

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