Please tell me I’m not alone!  Each morning, I scan my email inbox for important emails.  First, I look for familiar names.  Names of family and friends and then colleagues or clients.  Once I’ve done that, I scan for keywords or company names that pique my interest.  I’m afraid to say that after that, I “bulk-delete” everything else that doesn’t interest me.  Just this morning the ratio of “bulk-delete” emails to emails I opened and at least glanced at was 5:1.  That’s a lot of email noise!

According to Sanebox Blog, who compiles studies regarding email overload, the average person spends 28% of their workweek reading and responding to email. Also, the average inbox contains only 38% important, relevant emails. Down from 42% just a few years ago. Today’s email inboxes are cluttered with noise.

If you are hoping to reach current or potential customers via their email, how can you avoid the “bulk-delete”?

Cut through the clutter and noise of a crowded email inbox with a clear and relevant message.

First, determine who you are trying to connect with through your email.  Narrow this down. I mean narrow it down. Are you speaking to a married family man in his 40s with children still at home?  Or are you talking to a 20-something single woman who travels monthly for work?  Your email’s offer, message, tone, and style should reflect the person on the receiving end.

A clear email message starts with a clear subject line.  Most of your email recipients will decide whether or not to open your email based solely on this one thing.  It is best to tell the recipient exactly what to expect when they open your email.

Don’t try to sell your brand or the product in the subject line.  Witty or clever subject lines that bait the recipient into opening the email may get you more opens. However, it has been found that these individuals do not follow through on your call-to-action (CTA).  Also, be sure to avoid words that are viewed as spam triggers. If you’re marked as spam, you won’t even make it to the inbox.

A 2011 case study from AWeber Communications found that a clear subject line received 541% more clicks than a clever one.

All email content should be free of spelling and grammatical errors.  Also, it’s best to steer clear of excessive punctuation and profanity.  Write email content that is authentic and reliable.  Use an educated and professional tone, but don’t be afraid to throw in a slight amount of humor as well, when appropriate.

Your reader should never wonder why they are getting your email.

You would never send an email selling car tires to a person who doesn’t own a car.  Your product does not benefit them nor is it relevant to their life.  If it is not immediately clear to the recipient why they would be interested in your message, you’ve haven’t targeted your content properly.

It can be difficult in today’s noisy, overcrowded world to reach consumers through email. The message conveyed in your email should be interesting and relevant. Use a subject line that tells the reader exactly what they will gain from reading your email. Remember, if you wouldn’t want to open your email, your recipient probably won’t either.

Learn more about email by downloading our FREE e-book, Email Best Practices: Maximize Deliverability with Help from ANS

There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world.  We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.” – Dale Carnegie

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If you need help knowing who your target market is, or how to write to connect with them, contact us at sales@a-names.com for a free consultation.