Over the summer, we often pack together in modest crowds (or in a neighbor’s backyard) to watch fireworks explode in the sky.
These energy-packed bursts are exciting.
Have you ever wondered if you could make your emails just as explosive?
Obviously, there’s no deafening boom or radiant circle of dazzling lights when you tap on an email. But there are many things you can do to skyrocket your email opens.
How do you determine an email open rate?
Many top email providers automatically give you your email open rate, but if yours does not, the calculation is simple.
Open rate = opens/ (number of emails sent – bounces)
When you figure out the email open rate, you have a few options. You can use unique opens (i.e., opens per individual) or simple opens, which is the number of opens in total. You can also exchange the number of emails sent for the number of emails delivered.
Now you have an open rate. So, what is a “good” open rate?
What is a good open rate?
In 2023, the industry average open rate is 20.5%, according to a report by Campaign Monitor.
But that number is subjective and changes depending on what you’re selling (and who you sell to).
It’s all about your audience. Find out the open rate for your industry. This creates a benchmark for you to strive for.
Don’t skip this step. These benchmarks are important, especially when collecting your open rates for the first time. Just ensure that the numbers you choose to benchmark against using the same variables (unique opens vs. simple opens) as you are to ensure that they are accurate.
Hygiene and Clean
You can’t have impressively high open rates if your list is a mess.
Make sure that your data stays up to date. If someone hard bounces, remove them ASAP.
If someone ignores your emails for months, maybe put them on a separate list to give them a break, then try sending them an email after a month or so welcoming them back.
If you’re getting a low email deliverability rate, check the quality of your data. You can’t have an explosive open rate unless your data is squeaky clean.
Smooth out and Segment Your Subject Lines
Subject lines are one of the primary factors in increasing open.
Your subject lines should contain a combination of these five elements:
- Real value – the subject line is the first location you make a value proposition to the lead. In a few words, you offer your lead something in exchange for their open.
- Controversy – say something that triggers an opinion. This is a great way to encourage leads to open up. They either think, “that’s right!” and open, or “that’s not right!” Either way, you trigger an emotional reaction, leading to higher open rates overall.
- Powerful words – like controversy these words trigger a reaction. They get leads’ attention; they catch their eye as they skim their inbox. Use strong words at the end of your subject line to leave a lasting impression, enough so that they open your email.
- Urgency – this is straightforward. Use time-sensitive language to imply or outwardly state that time is passing and your leads are missing out. Be mindful of how forceful your language is; you can be too salesy with these tactics. Use urgency sparingly and carefully. It’s like the boy who cried wolf; if you say “you’re running out of time” too many times, no one will believe you.
- Questions – questions are a great tactic to sprinkle into your email subject lines. Whenever you ask a lead a question, you also evoke an answer. This is a double-edged sword, though. If you ask, “Are you tired of fighting with your old marketing automation solution?” and they say no, you may have just lost a lead. But if they say yes, they open your email, and you have succeeded in ushering them a step or two down your pipeline.
Your subject lines are important. They are the first impression leads get of your brand every time you hit their inbox. Another important tactic is to segment your subject lines (and emails overall) so that the right person gets the right email at the right time.
Don’t miss your chance. Your chance to get them to open your emails comes more than once in a lifetime, but only if you keep your leads opening (and not unsubscribing).
Keep Your (Pre)Head(er) on Straight
Many marketers forget that the preheader is the second chance you get to impress your audience. Look over the tactics we mentioned above. You want to use an additional one of those tactics (preferably a different one than the one you used in the subject line) to further tempt someone into opening your email.
And please, don’t forget that the preheader text is there. When you get weird code or disjointed language in your preheader, it’s the antithesis of tempting your leads.
Try different tactics in your preheaders to see what works. You can even use the same subject lines and do an A/B test to determine what works.
Don’t Forget the From Name
Don’t be dodgy in your From name. Make sure it’s clear who you are and what you do. Identify yourself. If the email comes from a department in your business, make sure it’s clear which department sent it. You don’t want your marketing and support emails to come from the same place.
Another great tactic to try here is to make your From name an actual human name. That means instead of your email coming from HIPB2B; it will come from Bret Smith, CEO at HIPB2B. This personal touch will mean the world to leads, many of whom get 100s of promotional emails daily.
Don’t skip this step. A vague or sketchy-looking From name can make or break your open rate.
Would you rather your emails make an explosive impact or fizzle out like a dud firework? Test these tactics in your own email marketing strategy. That’s the only way you will find out what works for you.
Have you changed any tactics that resulted in higher open rates? What were they? Are they on this list? Let us know in the comments section.
