Category - Email Marketing

It’s a problem as old as old as email marketing itself: a poorly responding list. Sometimes marketers struggle to get clicks, they struggle to get people to open their emails, and they struggle to get readers to take definite action (such as purchasing a product).

Why does this happen?

There are actually quite few mistakes that can kill your results. Are you making one or more of these mistakes too?

Read on to find out…

Mistake 1. Setting Incorrect Expectations

From the very moment someone lands on your lead page or even reads the very first email you send, you should be telling them what to expect with regards to your list.

Specifically, this includes:

What kind of content they can expect to receive. Promos? Special discounts and other deals? “How to” instructional content? Freemiums? Curated content? Some combination of these? Whatever it is, let your readers know upfront what they get.

How often they’ll receive content. People don’t mind getting frequent content, as long as they know to expect it. However, what is a problem is if you email infrequently, such as less than once per week. If you don’t get in touch on a regular basis, your subscribers are going to forget about you. That means they’ll do business with your competitor who reaches out to them more frequently.

Related to this…

Mistake 2. Repurposing Your List

Some email marketers don’t see much of a response from their lists, so they repurpose it. In other words, they start sending content that violates their readers’ expectations. This is a mistake that will kill your results.

For example, maybe you’ve told your list they’ll receive “content and tips” once a week. But then you start hammering them with promos once a day.

Or maybe you have a bodybuilding list that started off focusing on specific lifts, but now focuses almost exclusively on nutrition. You’re likely to see your conversions drop, because current subscribers primarily signed up to get lifting info, not nutrition info.

So how do you fix this?

Obviously, the first step is to plan your list strategy carefully so that you don’t end up repurposing it midstream.

Secondly, if you DO make a major change, then warn your readers. Let them know what’s coming for a few weeks before you make the change. Be sure to also change your lead page and welcome emails to reflect these changes.

Mistake 3. Sending Untargeted Emails

There are actually two parts to this mistake:

The first part is making the mistake of simply not understanding what your market wants.

There are three ways to fix this mistake:

Do your market research. Find out what your market is already buying, and then put similar offers in front of them.

Survey your list. Find out what their problems are and find out what kinds of solutions they’re seeking.

Test your offers. If they don’t perform, find an offer that does produce high conversions with your list.

The second part is making the mistake of not segmenting your list.

You can fix this problem with these steps:

Separate your prospect lists from your customer lists.

Separate customer lists according to what they purchase.

Offer freemiums to your prospects to help you segment by their interests.

Once you have these micro-targeted lists, you’ll be better able to send out targeted content and offers that produce high conversion rates.

Next…

Mistake 4. Crafting Poor Subject Lines

Your subject lines can make or break the success of each email you send. If they’re boring, overhyped or irrelevant, people won’t even bother to open your email.

You can fix this mistake by applying these tips:

Offer a big benefit. Let readers know what’s in it for them if they open the email. (E.G., “Here’s the #1 way to get more traffic…”)

Don’t overhype. It’s okay to make a bold promise if you can deliver big-time within the email, but don’t exaggerate and hype things up. (Here’s an example of what NOT to do: “How To Make $1 million in 48 hours!”)

Use social proof. People are more likely to do something if others are doing it too. (E.G., “Find out why so many smart marketers love this app…”)

Next…

Mistake 5. Ignoring the Pre-Head

The pre-head is that little bit of text that is shown in the message preview, which is accessible before the recipient actually opens the email. If the subject line gets their attention, then they’ll often look at the preview. If the preview doesn’t hold their attention, they’re not going to bother opening the email to read the rest.

Point is, you need to make the first 100 characters of your email absolutely gripping. Tell a story. Present a big benefit. Build anticipation for what’s coming. Make people curious. In short, give people a compelling reason to open your email.

Mistake 6. Making The Email About You

One of the best ways to lose your readers’ attention is to make the email about you. It’s one thing to tell a relevant story about yourself, but it’s another thing entirely to make the entire email about you. When that happens, readers bail out. You can bet they won’t see your calls to action.

So how do you avoid or fix this mistake?

There’s actually a simple “quick and easy” way to ensure you’re making your email about your readers and not yourself. Simply take a look at how many times you use words like “you” versus how many times you use words like “I” or “me.”

HINT: You should use the word “you” MUCH more frequently than words like “I” or “me.” You should be using the word “you” about three times more often than self-referential words.

And finally…

Mistake 7. Offering a Weak Call to Action

Your subscribers can be hooked and engaged throughout your entire email, but you can still blow it at the end by offering a weak call to action (or, worse yet, NO call to action).

You see, people don’t click on a button or link just because it’s right in front of their face.

You need to do two things:

#1: tell them specifically to click on that link.

#2: give them a good reason to click now.

For example: “Click here now to take advantage of this special 50% off pricing – but hurry, this offer ends tomorrow!”

Okay so those are the basic mistakes… I'm sure there are a ton more. 😉

Did you discover that you’re making one or more of the mistakes you just learned about? The good news is that you also learned how to fix these mistakes or avoid them altogether. You can even use this as a checklist of mistakes to avoid the next time you send out an email. Here’s to better conversion rates!

Need email marketing help? The Email Marketing Kickstart Workshop is ready for you to enroll! If you want to learn how to use email marketing in your online business, get people to open your emails, click your links, and buy then you NEED to grab your spot right now at http://www.LearningIM.com/email-marketing-kickstart-workshop

I have a question for you… Humor me for a minute. 🙂

Why do you send emails to your list?

Because you want them to take some specific action, such as clicking on a link.

Right? Duh,  Liz! 🙂

But, if you’ve already started up your email list, then you know that subscribers don’t tend to do a lot of clicking. Sometimes they don’t click on the links in your emails. And let’s be honest: sometimes they don’t even bother clicking on your email itself to open it.

🙁

The good news is that you can turn that all around starting today by taking a look at these 15 ways to get more clicks in your email campaigns.

1. Use Images

Big walls of text are boring. You can break up the content by using images. Not only does this make your email more aesthetically pleasing, a well-placed image can also draw your reader’s eyes into the content.

Check out these tips for using images effectively:

Use simple images. Busy images are a turn off, as the viewer doesn’t know what to focus on. Use simple images, such as an image with one or two people or objects

Show happy people. If you’re using images of people, show happy people who are looking at the camera. Alternatively, the people in the photo should be looking in the direction of the text. That’s because your reader’s eyes tend to naturally follow where the subject of a photo is looking.

Place images near important text. This draws the reader’s eyes back into the content.

Next…

2. Write Enticing Subject Lines

We've talked about getting people to open your emails using subject lines, but  you can't get anyone to click on the links within your email if they don't open it! If your subject line doesn’t capture your subscribers’ attention, then they’re not even going to bother opening your email.

Check out these tips for writing enticing subject lines:

Present a benefit. Let readers know what’s in it for them if they open your email. For example: “Eat this yummy food to lose weight…”

Ask an intriguing question. For example, “Are you making these deadly copywriting mistakes?”

Keep it short. Some mobile phones cut subject lines to as few as 25 characters, while other email clients cut them off at around 50-60 characters. So be sure to get the gist of your headline in the first few words to get the click.

Next…

3. Arouse Curiosity

You can use this tactic in three ways:

1. Arouse curiosity in your subject line to boost your open rate. Example: “Do you know this copywriting secret?”

2. Arouse curiosity in the beginning of your email to keep people reading. Example: “In just moments you’ll discover the #1 way to increase your golf drive by 25 yards!”

3. Arouse curiosity near your call to action to get the click. Example: “Find out what million dollar marketers know about creating six-figure product launches. Click here to discover these secrets now for yourself!”

Here’s the next tip…

4. Offer More Information

The idea here is to simply offer something very valuable to your readers, and then offer them more (as a paid product). This valuable thing might be a free report, an app, a checklist, a gear list or even just a really good article.

For example:

“Now that you’ve seen the exact checklist I use to get my membership sites up and running, you’ll want to get your hands on my complete profitable site system. Click here to check it out…”

This will get them clicking for MORE!

5. Segment Your List

The idea here is to create targeted segments of your list so that you can send out targeted content and ads to these specific segments. The more targeted your emails, the more clicks you’ll get.

For example: let’s suppose you have a dog training list. If you segment this list into obedience training, trick training and agility training, you’ll get a much higher conversion rate.

Here are three ways to segment your list:

Send your existing subscribers to another lead page. Each lead page you correct should correspond to a specific segment of your list.

Segment your lists according to what they buy. For example, if someone purchases a book on a particular topic, then you can add them to a customer list that’s targeted to this topic.

Get subscribers to tell you what interests them. You can ask them to simply place a checkmark next to topics that interest them at the time they’re first joining your list, and then segment your list according to interests.

Next…

6. Format for Easy Readability

Here’s the long and short of it: if your email looks hard to read, people will bail on you.

So format for easy readability using these tips:

Use short words, sentences and paragraphs. This creates a lot of white space, and makes it easy for readers to jump in.

Don’t write at a college level. Instead, make it easily consumable for the average reader. What you’re reading right now is an example of making your writing accessible. 

Use a conversational tone. A friendly tone and entertaining comment will keep people reading.

Next…

7. Send a Series of Emails

People rarely buy something the first time they come in contact with it. That’s why you can boost your clicks and conversions by sending a series of emails that all promote the same offer.

For example, create a three-part series called, “The Three Secrets of Selling Your Home Fast.” Each email would explain one secret, as well as provide a link to a related product.

8. Focus on a Single Call to Action

The point is, each email should focus on ONE primary purpose. If you ask people to click on multiple links for multiple offers, your conversion rate will drop. That’s why each email you send should focus on one link and call to action.

However…

9. Include Your Link and CTA More Than Once

Even though each email focuses on one call to action, you need to repeat the link and call to action multiple times throughout your email.

For example:

Include a clickable headline.

Embed your call to action and link in the middle of the content.

Create a call to action button and place it at the end of the email.

TIP: The idea is to tell people to take action and give them the link to do so. Next, give them even more reasons to take action, and then repeat the call to action and link.

Next…

10. Reward People For Taking Quick Action

If you give people a chance to procrastinate, they will. If they leave your email without clicking, it’s unlikely they’ll come back. That’s why you need to create a sense of urgency. And one way to do that is by rewarding people for taking quick action.

For example…

Be one of the first 100 people to act now, and you’ll get a copy of “Online Business Made Easy” absolutely free! Click here to get yours now…

11. Write One-to-One

So many email marketers make the mistake of referring to their “subscribers” or their “list” in their emails. Don’t do this. You want each of your subscribers to feel like you’re writing to them one-on-one.

Here’s how:

Don’t make any references that suggest you’re writing to multiple people. For example, avoid words such as subscribers, list, readers, prospects, etc.

Know your audience. The more you know about them, the easier it is for you to create targeted content that makes them feel like you’re talking directly to them.

Use a conversational tone. Make your subscribers feel like they’re reading a personal email from a friend.

Next up…

12. Be Emotional And Personal

Here’s a simple truth: once someone “connects” with you and your email message, the more likely they are to take action. People do business with those that they know, like and trust. That’s why it’s important to evoke emotion and personality in your emails.

Here’s how:

Tell stories. Not only does a good story evoke emotion, it also engages readers and keeps them reading.

Empathize with readers. Let people know that you understand how they feel about the problem (if you really do understand!).

Get them to imagine the joy of the solution. If people can imagine how good they’ll feel if they solve their problem, they’re more likely to click your link. Tell how it changed your life.

Next…

13. Promise and Deliver Tremendous Value

Sad but true: your prospects are used to people over-promising and under-delivering. You can pleasantly surprise them (and bond them to you like glue, creating loyal customers) by delivering tremendous value.

This includes:

Sending them valuable freemiums that others in your niche are charging for.

Being sure each email you send is in-demand, valuable and high quality.

Sharing some of your best content with your subscribers.

Giving your subscribers things they can’t get anywhere else (such as exclusive deals, tools and content).

Next…

14. Use a Bullet List

A bulleted list of benefits gives you two awesome advantages:

It sets important content apart. In fact, many people are conditioned to looking at bulleted lists, as usually they contain important information and benefits.

Skimmers will take notice. This is a great way to draw a skimmer/scanner back into your content, lead them down to your call to action, and get more clicks.

Next…

15. Test, Track and Tweak

Don’t guess at what produces great results for you. Instead, test, track and tweak every major part of your email.

Now most people know to test subject lines, email openers, calls to action and offers. However, don’t forget to test the design of your email.

This includes:

The overall design or template you’re using, including the layout.

The design colors.

The graphics and their placement.

The call to action buttons (both the design and the text).

Most major email service providers have built tracking tools right into their platforms so you can easily split-test your emails.

Now let’s wrap things up…

You just discovered 15 effective ways to increase clicks across all your email campaigns. These proven methods work for me, they work for countless other successful marketers around the world, and I know they’ll work for you too. But don’t take my word for it – start implementing these tactics today to see for yourself!

Need email marketing help? The Email Marketing Kickstart Workshop is ready for you to enroll! If you want to learn how to use email marketing in your online business, get people to open your emails, click your links, and buy then you NEED to grab your spot right now at http://www.LearningIM.com/email-marketing-kickstart-workshop

Every Internet business owner looks for ways to generate more income from their email campaigns. Well here’s where it all starts: you need to get people in the habit of opening your emails. 

If your subscribers are not opening your emails, then they’re obviously not going to see your awesome content and strong calls to action.

So how do you get people in the habit of tapping open your emails the second those emails hit the recipients’ inboxes?

Take a look at these seven proven ways…

1. Send Emails When Your Audience Can Take Action 

Since so many people have mobile phones, most folks are almost always connected and monitoring their inboxes. However, just because they’re monitoring emails doesn’t mean they have time to take action on them.

If they open your email and don’t have time to take action, then it’s unlikely they’ll remember to take action later. By that time, their inbox will have filled up with your competitors’ emails. Yikes!

So what you need to do is figure out when your readers are not only online, but they also have time to respond.

Here are four steps you can take to figure out the best time to email your list:

1. See when most of your subscribers originally joined. For example, if a lot of people seemed to join on Tuesday morning, then that’s probably a good time to send emails.

2. Think about your audience. Where do they live? Do they work? If so, what are their work hours? What kind of hobbies do they have and when do they do them? Answer these types of questions, and you’ll get a better idea of when your prospects have time to read emails.

3. Look at when your audience is otherwise active. For example, when are they commenting on your blog or social media pages?

4. Test and track. Ultimately, this is the best way to figure out exactly what days and times are best for mailing your subscribers.

Next…

2. Broadcast Emails Regularly 

The idea here is to get your subscribers used to receiving your emails on certain days at certain times. Indeed, you want your subscribers to look forward to your regular emails.

For example, you might create a regular feature, such as offering a new freemium every Friday. You can bet your readers will eagerly open every email they get from you on Fridays!

3. Offer Your Best Content and Deals 

Sometimes email marketers figure that since they’re offering their newsletter for free, then they can offer content that’s worth zero dollars. That is just the opposite of what you want to be doing. Instead, you should be offering your BEST content to your readers.

Learn this…

You want your readers to be thoroughly impressed every time they open your emails.

That means you should be consistently sending out high-quality content. Every. Single. Email.

You should also be offering your best deals to your subscribers. Reward them for staying on your list by offering bonuses and discounts that they can’t get anywhere else.

4. Build Anticipation 

The idea here is to use your current email to boost response for an upcoming email. You do this by building anticipation, as well as telling readers exactly when to expect the next email.

For example: “Stay tuned, because tomorrow you’ll discover a surprising way to save thousands of dollars on your taxes this year. You won’t want to miss this, so keep an eye on your inbox…”

5. Use Relevant Subject Lines

You can get away with using irrelevant subject lines… once. But once you do one “bait and switch” where the subject line doesn’t match the content, your readers are going to lose faith in you. And that means they’re not going to open your future emails.

Let me give you an example…

Subject line: Here’s your $5487 affiliate check…

Email: If you join my affiliate program today, you could be receiving emails like this every month!

See how that works? You get people thinking they’re getting money, and then you pull a fast one on them. They’re going to be disappointed. They’re going to trash your email. And they might even unsubscribe.   In other words, use only relevant subject lines … not “clickbait” type subject lines!

6. Format For Mobile

More and more people are checking their emails on their mobile phones, which means you need to be absolutely sure your emails look good. Of course if you’re sending text, it’s generally no problem. Just be sure to have plenty of white space, and put links on separate lines so they stand out and they’re easy to tap/click.

And what if you’re sending HTML emails? Then you need to be sure you’re using a responsive design template. This means the design, images and columns should naturally grow or shrink to best fit the user’s device and screen size.

7. Resend Unopened Emails

Most every major email service provider (such as Aweber) provide tools for you to track how many people are opening your emails and clicking on your links. Better yet, these service providers also give you the tools to segment out the people on your list who didn’t open your last email. And that means you can send a follow-up emails to those folks.

Heads up…

Don’t send out same email with the exact same subject line and pre-header (preview) information. It’s possible the recipient decided to simply not open your last email because it didn’t grab their attention. So offer something new—a new benefit, and/or a pinch of curiosity to persuade recipients to open this second email.

Okay so… You just discovered seven proven-effective ways to get your subscribers in the habit of opening your emails. If you apply AT LEAST one of these tactics, you’re bound to see an increase in your open rate and overall conversions. But don’t just choose one method. Instead, put them all to work for you as soon as possible to see what they can do for your response rates!

Need email marketing help? The Email Marketing Kickstart Workshop is ready for you to enroll! If you want to learn how to use email marketing in your online business, get people to open your emails, click your links, and buy then you NEED to grab your spot right now at http://www.LearningIM.com/email-marketing-kickstart-workshop

Look… A button or link doesn’t do a whole lot on its own to compel someone to take action. That’s why you need to specifically instruct people on what you want them to do next. This is referred to, of course, as your CTA, or call to action.

Heads up…

There is no one-size-fits-all CTA. That’s why you’ll want to take a look at these ten effective CTAs and when to use them…

1. General Offer CTA

This is a call to action that you use when you want someone to purchase a product or service, but you’re not offering any discounts or other special offers.

For example: 

Click here to purchase this meal-planning app today – and do it now, because this is your key to losing weight and getting healthy!

Take out your credit card and click here to join the #1 copywriting club – this is a great way to start making more money with every sales letter!

This is probably one of the most common calls to action you’ll use, as it’s a great way to promote a product at the end of a piece of content.

2. Special Offer CTA

Whether you’re launching a product or you just want to drum up some sales with a special offer, this is the call to action to use.

For example:

Click here now to claim your 50% discount – but hurry, because this coupon expires tomorrow!

Be one of the first 50 people to order this tub of whey protein, and you’ll get a second tub absolutely free! So click here now before this special offer ends…

Next up…

3. Upsell/Cross-Sell CTA

If you’ve already convinced your reader to purchase a product, then your next step is to persuade them to purchase something else. Ideally this call to action should go on the order page itself, although in some cases you may offer it as an additional option right inside an email, particularly in a follow-up (post-purchase) email. Just make sure you set your email automation up correctly if doing this right inside of the email.

For example:

Click here to double your whey protein order for just $25 more…

Click here to upgrade to the gold membership, where you’ll get two free coaching sessions every month…

Next…

4. One-Time Offer CTA

The idea here is to present a one-time offer. If the prospect doesn’t take advantage of the offer, they’ll never see that particular offer again. This special offer might include a discount, bonus products, or both.

TIP: If you want to create even more urgency with a one-time offer, then present a countdown timer next to the offer. For example, you might give your prospect 60 minutes to order, before the offer disappears off the table forever.

For example:

You’ll only see this offer one-time, so order in the next 60 minutes before it’s gone for good!

This is a one-time offer that you can only take advantage of today, so order now to avoid disappointment!

Here’s the next CTA you’ll want to use…

5. Lead Generation CTA

Now you may be looking at this CTA and thinking, “Wait a minute… why on earth would I want to use a lead-generation call to action when my leads are already on my mailing list?”

There are two good reasons to direct your subscribers to join a mailing list:

1. You can segment your list by offering your subscribers freemiums for joining your other lists.

2. You may be doing a joint venture where you tell your leads to join your JV partner’s mailing list (and they do the same for you).

For example:

Enter your name and email address in the form below, and then click “submit” to download this free WordPress plugin!

Click here to get your free golfing report – it’s sure to shave strokes off your game, so claim yours today!

This gets your existing subscribers onto an additional list with additional targeted mailings to create additional streams of income!

Next…

6. Free event CTA

One of the most valuable ways to offer information is through a live event such as a webinar or even an offline workshop held in a hotel or other conference room. These sorts of events are also great ways to generate leads or even segment an existing list.

Here are two examples of how to put this call to action to work for you:

Now you too can discover the secrets of getting washboard abs – click here to register for this free webinar!

Are you on the path to retiring with at least one million dollars in the bank? Find out tonight at 9:00 by hopping on this free webinar. Click here now to register – and hurry, because seating is limited…

Next…

7. Contest Entry CTA

If you’re looking for a way to drum up some excitement in your niche, you might offer your prospects and customers a chance to win prizes through a contest.

Here’s what your calls to action might look like:

Click here to enter the contest for free—and do it now, because you’ll kick yourself if you miss out on winning these great prizes!

Click here to enter the contest now—and be sure to tell your friends, because you’ll get an extra chance to win if you share the contest on social media!

Next…

8. Get More Info CTA

Sometimes you may want your prospects to contact you for more information. Maybe you want them to call you for a free consultation, or perhaps email you about their needs. If you do any pre-sale consults, then you’ll want to use this call to action.

For example:

Click here to begin your free 15-minute consultation (hurry, this offer is limited to the next 25 people who act now…)

Click here to get your free no-obligation estimate for web development and marketing – you might be surprised at just how affordable it is to put your best foot forward!

Next…

9. Read More/See More CTA

Sometimes when people get to the end of a piece of content, you simply want them to look at another article, read a social media post, or perhaps watch a video. That’s where this call to action comes in. It’s a great way to get people to your blog to see your ads, and it also works well to get your prospects to watch a pre-selling video.

For example:

If you liked this article, then you’re going to love Part 2, where you’ll discover 10 more fat-busting secrets. Click here to read it now…

The very best way to learn how to tune a carburetor is to watch someone else do it first. Click here to watch a video where you can literally look over my shoulder as I clean and tune a ’66 Mustang carb…

And finally…

10. Social media sharing CTA

If you’re trying to kick start a viral effect, then you’ll want to include this call to action alongside the content you want shared.

For example:

Your friends will love finding out this secret too! Click here to share it with them on Facebook…

Do you know anyone else who’s struggling with insomnia? Click here to share this article with them so they can start getting some much-needed sleep…

Now let’s wrap things up…

It’s not enough to simply drop a link, button, or form in front of your prospects. If you want to get great response rates, you need to offer a strong call to action. And you just learned ten of the most effective calls to action along with good times to use them. Put them to work for you starting today, as I know you’ll love your results!

Need email marketing help? The Email Marketing Kickstart Workshop is ready for you to enroll! If you want to learn how to use email marketing in your online business, get people to open your emails, click your links, and buy then you NEED to grab your spot right now at http://www.LearningIM.com/email-marketing-kickstart-workshop

It’s one thing to get your subscribers to open your email.

No… That's a HUGE thing! *lol*

It’s another thing entirely to get them to keep reading every single word of your email, right down the part where they see your call to action.

Simply put: if you can increase the number of people who see your call to action, then you’ll increase your conversion rate.

So with that in mind, here are 20 proven ways to keep your subscribers reading…

1. Make It About Them

Your readers aren’t cracking open your email to read about you. Truth is, they’re a little self-centered. As we all are. They want to read about their problems, they want to read about solutions that could help them and they want to read stories, tips and articles that are relevant to their lives.

Here’s a quick and easy way to check if your emails are about your reader: check how many times you use words like “you” and “your,” versus using words like “I,” “me” and “mine.” If you use self-referential words (like “me”) more than reader-oriented words, it’s time to rewrite your email to make it about your reader.

2. Tell Stories

A good story engages readers, pulls them into the email, and keeps them reading until the end. Especially if you interrupt the story before its climax to share other information, and then return to finish up the story at the conclusion of your email.

And as an added bonus, a good story makes your content more memorable, too. That means your readers will be thinking about your content long after they’ve closed your email.

3. Build Anticipation

Get this: as soon as readers open your email, they’re going to be looking for signs that reading it is worth their time. One way you can persuade them to keep reading is by building anticipation right up front for what’s coming. In other words, let them know the benefits they’ll get if they keep reading.

For example: “You’re about to discover a simple three-step process for house-training your new puppy in 10 days or less…”

4. Make Them Curious

Another good way to keep people glued to your email is by making them curious. In other words, don’t just build anticipation – make them curious about what’s coming up.

For example: “In just a few moments you’ll discover a surprising tweak that can double your conversion rates!”

5. Format for Easy Readability

Have you ever taken one look at a hiking trail, realized it looks way too hard for the hike you had in mind, and turned around to head back?

That’s kind of like what your readers are doing when they open your email. If your content merely LOOKS like it’s going to be difficult to read, your subscribers are going to bail out early. Here are three quick tips to avoid this problem:

Break up long paragraphs of lists into a bulleted list.

Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs. This is particularly true at the beginning of the email. Hint: Try to open with a one-sentence paragraph, which makes the content look really easy to read.

Break up the content. For example, insert sub-headlines into the middle of your content, which breaks up long blocks of text. Added bonus: it draws a skimmers’ eyes back into the content.

Next…

6. Use a Friendly Tone

When you craft an email, imagine that you’re writing to a friend. That way your email will take on a warm, conversational and friendly tone.

Bonus Tip: Add variety to the way you open and close your emails. For example, instead of always opening with, “Dear [name],” try something like “warm greetings” or “Hello!”

End result? You seem more like a human rather than a robot, which helps you build a relationship with your subscribers.

Next up…

7. Break Big Topics Into Multiple Emails

When people open an email, they don’t expect to find an article the length of “War and Peace” inside. That’s why you should break up big topics into multiple emails. This makes your content easy to read, which keeps your readers’ eyes glued to the page.

And as an added bonus, sending a series of related emails makes it more likely your readers are going to open and read the next email you send, too. That means they’ll see your links and calls to action repeatedly, which gives your conversion rates a nice boost.

The more contacts you have with your readers about a particular offer, the more clicks you will receive.

8. Build Credibility and Believability

Sometimes people simply stop reading your emails because they don’t believe what you’re saying. That’s why you need to build credibility and readability.

Here’s how: Deliver on your promises. Avoid hype. Avoid false promises. Instead, under-promise and over-deliver.

Be honest. For example, if you’re reviewing someone else’s product, be honest about the product flaws. People will trust you more if you’re known for telling the truth (even if that truth means you won’t make as many sales that day).

Next…

9. Insert Plenty of Tips and Examples

Slogging through a “how to” article isn’t any fun if the reader isn’t quite understanding what you’re trying to teach them. And if the reader is confused, they’ll bail.

The solution? Provide plenty of tips and examples to make the concepts more clear. If you need an example of how this works, just look at the additional tips and examples provided right in this very post!

10. Offer Something Unique

Did you know that peoples’ brains actually light up when they encounter something unique? That’s right, the brain rewards learning new information. And that’s why you should always seek to offer new information, or even just new twists on old methods. If you can get your readers’ brains to light up, you can bet those readers will read every last word of your email.

11. Make Use of Graphics

One good way to break up the text, make the content more aesthetically pleasing, and illustrate complex concepts is through the use of graphics.

This includes:

Infographics
Charts and tables
Screenshots
Illustrations
Mind maps
And any other relevant graphic that will engage your readers’ interest.

12. Provide Actionable Info

The idea here is simple: teach your readers how to do something, and then provide an action step they can take. Try to give them an action step that will produce fast results.

For example, you might show readers simple ways to boost their conversion rates. The action step might be to change one of their email subject lines using a specific (proven) template that you provide. It only takes a few minutes to take this step, and yet readers will get fast results This makes it more likely they’ll open up the next email you send to them!

13. Create a Regular Column

The idea here is to give your readers something to look forward to every week.

For example:

My #1 Tip Tuesdays, where you offer a high-value tip.

Freemium Friday, where you give your readers a valuable and highly desirable product.

You get the idea – I’m sure you can come up with your own regular features and columns that your readers are sure to love and anticipate.

Next…

14. Get Personal

Basically, use a couple lines in every email to tell your readers a little bit about you.

For example:

“I just got in from my 10-mile training run…”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I just had to share this pic of my newborn son…”

Obviously, you don’t want to drone on and on about yourself, because readers will lose interest fast. But dropping in a few tidbits here and there will make you seem more human. And if these tidbits are relevant to the niche, that’s even better. People will start caring about you, which means they’ll be more interested in reading every email you send.

15. Surprise Your Readers

The idea here is to say something others in your niche aren’t saying, offer a controversial viewpoint, or even pleasantly surprise them with a freemium.

Bonus Tip: Don’t use the same formula for every email. For example, don’t always send “How To” emails. Instead, drop a video with a few tips.

Bottom line: mix things up, as the variety will keep people reading (and coming back for more).

16. Let Their Voices Count

Asking your readers for their opinions does two things. First, it makes your readers feel special when they know their opinions are valued. Secondly, it gives you insight into what your readers want, which is always a good thing.

So what should you ask readers about?

These:

Ask them what kind of content they would like to see next.

Ask them for their most pressing questions (which you can answer within the newsletter).

Let them choose between content idea options.

Ask for their feedback.

Let them beta test.

Basically, ask your readers how you can better serve them.

17. Tie Your Email Into Current Events

Tying your emails into current events helps you enter the conversation that’s already going on in your reader’s head. That means they’ll stop what they’re doing and read your email. That’s exactly what you want them to do!

For example, if the Olympics are going on, you might tell a story about the Olympics that ties into your niche.

18. Keep Focused On the Benefits

Earlier I mentioned that your readers should understand the benefits of reading your content as soon as they open your email. But don’t stop there. Keep your readers focused on the benefits.

Here’s how:

Keep letting readers know what’s coming up. For example, halfway through your newsletter you can drop another set of curiosity-arousing benefits.

Let readers know the benefits of taking action on what they just learned. (Hint: provide the actionable information we talked about earlier, where people will get good and fast results)

Let readers know the benefits of following your call to action, such as clicking on a link. This increases your conversion rate.

Next…

19. Spice Up Your Content

Don’t just educate your readers—edutain them. This means you entertain them while you educate them. Be careful with this though.

You can entertain them with:

Occasional humor.

Stories.

Expressive language that includes analogies, metaphors and similes.

In other words, don’t write like you’re creating a stuffy textbook. Make the content both entertaining and useful, and people will keep reading.

20. Ask Questions

Here’s a really good way to engage readers: ask questions. You can ask a single question, or you can even provide a short quiz. Either way, it not only engages readers, but it’s also a good way to get them to self-identify.

For example, “Do you ever have trouble falling back asleep when you wake up in the middle of the night?”

Whew… That's a lot of info, and I hop it helps!

Your conversion rates and profits rest entirely on you holding your readers’ interest and keeping them reading right to the end of each email. The good news is that you just discovered 20 proven ways to keep readers hooked and reading. Just be sure not to cherry-pick through these ideas. Instead, implement as many as possible, and I’m betting you’ll see some great results!

Need email marketing help? The Email Marketing Kickstart Workshop is ready for you to enroll! If you want to learn how to use email marketing in your online business, get people to open your emails, click your links, and buy then you NEED to grab your spot right now at http://www.LearningIM.com/email-marketing-kickstart-workshop

When writing effective calls to action in your emails, it’s easy to skip over a step or a key point. That’s why you’ll want to use this handy seven-step checklist guide to ensure you’re writing calls to action that get great results. Bookmark this, Pin it, print it out, or whatever you need to do to keep it on hand.

Let's get started…

Step 1. Be Sure Your Instructions Are Specific

Don’t make any assumptions about whether your prospects know how to do something.

For example: If you want them to order, then tell them HOW to order. Do they…

Click a link?

Fill out a form?

Pick up the phone to call you?

Send a check?

E.G., “Get started with your order by clicking here…”

In short, don’t just tell people to take action. Instead, be very specific about how they should take action.

Step 2. Check That Your CTA is Clear

Your goal is to provide a clear, succinct call to action.

You see, here’s the thing…

If taking action sounds like it’s difficult, then people won’t do it.

That’s why your call to action generally only lists the step they need to take NEXT, such as clicking an order. You don’t provide instructions for what comes after, because then your call to action will be all muddied up. Worse yet, taking action will appear difficult, and that will destroy your conversion rate.

For example: “Click here to get your copy of this bodybuilding video right now!”

That’s clear and it’s succinct.

Now check out this example of what NOT to do:

“Click here to go to the order form, and then fill out your name, address and credit card number. Click the buy button. Wait for the confirmation email. Click the link inside your confirmation email, and you’ll get instant access to this bodybuilding video!”

See the difference?

The first example is clear about what the prospect needs to do next, but in order to remain clear it doesn’t go into detail. The second example is unclear, convoluted, and it just plain sounds hard.

As you craft your call to action, ask yourself:

Are the instructions clear?

Are the instructions succinct?

Do I focus on the immediate next step I want prospects to take?

Next…

Step 3. Ensure You Give People a Reason to Take Action

In the last step you told people what you want them to do. Now you need to give them a good reason to take that particular action… why they should do it.

Ask yourself these questions:

What are the main benefits people will receive if they take action?

What kind of results might they expect?

What negative consequences might befall them if they do NOT take action?

What are other reasons they should take action?

Once you’ve thoughtfully answered those questions, then you can inject a “reason why” into your call to action.

For example: “Click here to order now, because a slimmer, healthier you is right around the corner!”

Step 4. Create a Sense of Urgency

People will procrastinate if you let them, and that means they won’t click and they won’t buy. That’s why you need to create a sense of urgency. Ask yourself these questions to help you decide how to create this sense of urgency:

Is the main product or service limited in any way? (E.G., You can only take on four copywriting clients at this time…)

Are you offering a special offer in the form of a discount?

Are you offering a special offer in the form of a bonus product or service?

Are you making a time-limited offer, such as a discount that’s set to expire in a few days?

Are you making a quantity-limited offer, such as a bonus that’s only available to the first 200 customers?

Will your prospects experience any sort of unpleasant consequence if they don’t order now, such as a shipping delay?

Is there any other way to inject urgency into the offer?

Example: Click here to order right now in order to guarantee delivery by December 25th!

Even if you can’t create real urgency, you can still create a sense of urgency by using time-sensitive words. For example:

Act now
Hurry
Right now
Today
Right away
Ends soon
Offer could end at any time
Hurry before it’s gone for good

Example: Hurry and click here to order this amazing cookbook!

Next…

Step 5. Set the CTA and Link Apart

This is a hot one…

This step is very simple: separate your call to action and link or button on a separate line from the rest of your text. This makes the link or button stand out, which in turn gets your prospects’ attention.

Step 6. Make Sure Your Link Works (Duh!)

We’ve all seen those “whoops, here’s the correct link” emails. Don’t make this mistake. Save embarrassment by following these steps instead:

Clear your cache. (Important!)

Click on your links to be sure they work.

Follow all the way through the process (such as the order form) to be sure all links, scripts and processes work.

Check the links and pages on your other devices (e.g., see how they look on your phone).

Ask a couple friends to check your links and pages as well.

And finally…

Step 7. Test Multiple Versions

If you followed all the steps above, then you’re going to have a pretty darn good call to action. However, there is always room for improvement. That’s why you’ll want to track and test your calls to action to see if you can boost your conversion rate.

Follow these steps:

Check if your email service provider offers testing tools. Most major (such as Aweber) providers let you split your email list into two groups, and then test responses.

Decide which ONE factor you’re going to test.

This might be:

The call to action text.

The color of the button.

The design of the button.

Using a link instead of a button.

Using a different link (e.g., direct link versus TinyUrl-style link).

The font color of the call to action.

The font style of the call to action.

The font size of the call to action.

Create two versions of your email that are exactly identical except for the ONE factor you’re testing.

Randomly split your email list into two groups.

Send your two different versions of your email to these two groups.

Look at the data to see if one version gave you a significantly better click-through rate. The higher-converting version is called the control.

Rinse and repeat with a different version to test against your control.

Rinse and repeat with different factors to improve your conversion rate.

Now let’s wrap things up..

You can use this checklist to double check your current calls to action in your email campaigns, especially those that currently aren’t performing very well.

You’ll want to consult this list before you create your next email. You might even want to print this off so the information is at your fingertips. Whatever you do, just be sure to use this info (over and over again), because it can really boost your conversions and profits!

Need email marketing help? The Email Marketing Kickstart Workshop is ready for you to enroll! If you want to learn how to use email marketing in your online business, get people to open your emails, click your links, and buy then you NEED to grab your spot right now at http://www.LearningIM.com/email-marketing-kickstart-workshop