If you’re going to do something, do it well. If you’re considering email as a marketing channel, it’s imperative you read up on the best practices before you hit send.

Subject Line

The first thing people will see (besides your “from” email) is the subject line. This is what determines if they open your email or doom it to the digital dump. Use words that will entice the reader and motivate them to take action. Create a sense of importance or urgency. But most importantly, keep it short and simple.

Personalization

Treat your recipient with respect. Use their name as a greeting and once more throughout the message. Try including a brief intro that feels more personal-like “how is your week going?” Don’t just sell, sell, sell! People are craving genuine connections and being personal is one way to create a more organic relationship with your customers. 

Legibility

People are checking their email at work with a busy to-do list sitting in front of them. Don’t overwhelm them by writing a novel! Keep your messaging brief and to-the-point. Avoid getting off topic and break up the text with bullet points and call outs so it’s easy to read at a glance. Use a simple, clean font at 14pt and don’t be afraid of white space!

Edit, edit, edit!

There’s one sure way to turn off your audience…typos! Spelling errors and grammatical flaws will make your organization look unprofessional. Read your email before you send it, then read it again. Then have another employee read it. Better safe than sorry!

Call to Action

Be sure that every email you send out has a clear call to action. What do you want people to do when they read it? Whatever your offer is, keep it before the fold and use buttons if possible to help direct people where to go. 

Email may just be a powerful channel for your marketing efforts if you utilize these best practices!