If your email inbox is anything like mine, it’s about to get buried by an avalanche of emails from retailers all offering their best deals of the holiday season. The sheer volume is overwhelming. And with 53% of all emails now being opened on mobile devices, having a mobile-optimized email design is table stakes for retailers to even get in the game.
If you’ve been successful at all in e-commerce, then the odds are pretty good that you already have a mobile-optimized email design. So what else can you do to stand out in a busy shopper’s inbox? Here are three ways you can go beyond mobile optimization to sell more stuff with email marketing over the holidays.
Up your subject line game.
Let’s get this out of the way: There’s no magic formula for the perfect subject line. (Seriously, we’ve checked). But there are a few things you can do with your subject lines that will encourage more email opens.
First of all, keep them short. iPhones cut subject lines off at 32 characters, so be sure to front-load your subject line with the key message you want to get across. If you need a little more room, you can always elaborate in the pre-header text.
And when it comes to copy, you want to be compelling, but your subject line isn’t the place to try out your latest standup routine. People are quickly scanning their inboxes, so it’s likely they won’t take the time to get the joke. Plus, opinions about what’s funny can vary, but actual, concrete value is hard to deny (or ignore).
One last thing about subject lines: Try to make yours feel as personal as possible without being over-the-top creepy. According to Experian, personalized subject lines are 29% more likely to be opened.
Send your most relevant content ever.
When I pull out my phone to scroll through the gazillion holiday emails in my inbox, I’m only going to notice and open the ones that are super relevant to my interests and what I’m shopping for. So, personalized content is an absolute must.
The numbers tell the same story. Personalized, relevant emails lift transaction rates 6 times higher (Experian) and generate 18 times more revenue (Juniper Research). If you want those kind of results (and what retailer doesn’t?), dive into all the customer data you’ve been collecting and segment your audience accordingly.
For example, you probably know what your customers have bought, how much they spent, the last time they purchased, where they live, what content they like to click on, etc. All of it is information you can use to deliver the kind of highly targeted emails your audience can’t wait to open.
Make the most of your email marketing toolset.
Email marketing is just one thing on your to-do list during the hectic holiday season, so it’s understandable if you feel like you don’t have the time to tailor content to each and every one of your subscribers. The good news? You have a couple of super helpful tools in automation and dynamic content that make it easier than ever.
With dynamic content, you can send unique content to your individual subscribers – all from a single email. For example, you could show customers who recently bought children’s clothes your latest kids’ gear and show people who typically buy jeans your new denim collection. You don’t have to design and send multiple emails to do it, which saves you tons of time during the busiest part of the year.
As for automation, it’s the best way to send relevant content to your subscribers at scale. Once you set it up, it takes care of the sending for you, so you can focus on other things – like counting all the cash that’s rolling in. When you get automated emails right, they’ll become some of the best-performing emails you’ll ever send.
According to eMarketer, B2C marketers who connect with customers through automated emails see conversion rates as high as 50%. Now those are the kind of results that will truly make your holidays feel merry and bright.
Cynthia Price is Director of Marketing at Emma.