What would you say about a marketing device that returned over $43 for every dollar you spent on it?
Too good to be true, right?
The Perils of Poor Design
“Fantastic!” you say. “Let’s crank out an email right now and blast it to our list. After all, emails are easy and anybody can do them.”
Not so fast. While it’s true that millions of emails are exchanged daily, only a tiny fraction are well enough designed to grab a customer’s attention and get them to make that all important click that results in a purchase.
To begin with, there are essentially two types of commercial emails, ones that mostly depend on text to get results and those that are more visually or image driven (much like a magazine ad). Many of the very best commercial emails contain a balance of both. Whatever the approach, it must be chosen because it has the best chance of making an impact with your audience.
It is important to know quality design is NOT just about a snazzy picture, cute turn of phrase or a colorful graphic (though these might be part of a well-designed email). Rather, good design depends just as much on advance planning and strategy and careful selection of elements to achieve the desired end.
Remember, the competition – and clutter – is fiercer than ever.
Take your own email inbox, for example. Most of what you receive is either deleted immediately or quickly scanned and disposed of. The level of email fatigue and cynicism is high, but that’s because most commercial email solicitations are inadequately thought out, poorly timed and lack quality design.
No wonder people (that’s us, folks!) are so quick to trash emails.
Don’t Waste Your Opportunity!
But there is good news. Most commercial emails arrive with the consent of the customer. At some point, he or she has asked to receive email updates or solicitations from you. This gives you a vital opportunity to impress them.
However, if your email is sloppily designed, annoyed customers will quickly unsubscribe from your list. Don’t waste your chance to enjoy an ROI of $43 to $1 or more simply because you decided to do it yourself.
Instead, hire a capable designer who understands that the following are essential to a successful commercial email: copy that is well formatted and brief (keeping in mind that email readers are in a hurry); a reminder that the customer granted permission to receive email from you; an easy-to-find unsubscribe link; focused content that focuses on one or two ideas rather than many; careful timing; a call to action (a compelling offer that screams: “take action now!”); solid HTML coding; strong copy and headlines; compelling images (but not too many); and, of course, a catchy subject line that demands the email be opened.
Again, remember the subject line is crucial to getting an email opened but after that it’s good design that will determine whether the end-user/customer decides to read on and take you up on your offer.
Good Design Turns Clicks into Profits
Finally, never forget that an effective email is a marketing tool that can deliver convenience and value to your customers while realizing significant dividends for you. If $43 to $1 sounds good to you, the key to success is a creative and expertly designed piece that cuts through the clutter, cements customer loyalty and burnishes your brand.
written by Scott Wigton