Has your email marketing stopped working? Or never really taken off at all?

The right, or wrong, elements can make a big difference in whether your marketing emails drive sales, or even get opened. Here are 10 things that can help improve email marketing campaigns.

They can make the difference between a campaign that works, and one that flops.

1. Choose your list wisely

The most critical part of any email marketing campaign is the list.  The list accounts for 40% of your return. If you send it to the “wrong” people, it will fail, no matter how great the subject line, the product, or the offer. Don’t send everything to everyone, unless your list is very small or the people on it are very similar to each other.

Getting the list right will improve your email marketing more than anything else you do.

2. Write a great subject line

Once you’ve got a good list, the next critical factor to look at is the subject line. The subject line works like a headline in an ad. It has to grab the attention of the people receiving the email; otherwise they won’t open it. Make a big promise, set up a contradiction, or ask a question. Experiment, if you can, with different subject lines for the same email (by splitting up your list).  See which one works best.

3. Have an irresistible offer

This doesn’t have to be a sale. It’s simply what readers will get by responding. It’s got to be something people want (badly), that solves a troubling problem. Make it something people want, at a price that makes it easy to buy. Don’t make it cheap, make it great value for the money with bonuses, extra access, or greater speed.

4. Make a promise and paint a picture of the results

Create a vivid picture of what the customer gets. The customer has to be the hero (not you). Make the details all about how much money or time they’ll save, the problem they’ll solve, etc.

5. Call to action

If you don’t ask for a response, you won’t get one. Ask for the click, the sale, or the order straight out. Don’t be shy about it. Make the link stand out and the “order now” buttons a bright color.

6. Personalize the text

Use the recipient’s name. Everyone likes to see their own name in print. I had several lenses (little web sites) on Squidoo. Each time I logged in, the site greeted me by name and said something cheerful (Hey there, Jodi, good fortune awaits you at the end of the day). It’s silly, and I *know* that it does the same thing to everybody else, but it still made me smile).

7. Clear instructions on how to buy

Make it obvious what the reader has to do, and exactly how she should do it. Describe what will happen when she clicks or calls. Check to make sure everything is working properly (no broken links, missing information, or disconnected telephone extensions).

8. Limited offer

Give a compelling reason to act right away (a deadline, a limited number of registrations or appointments available, or extra bonuses).

9. Prove that your solution works

Don’t just make claims, prove them. Include testimonials from satisfied customers showing how happy they are. Include a free “sample,” such as pictures of exhibits you built, case studies of real-world projects, or before and after videos.

10. Use a landing page

A landing page is a single web page, or online sales letter created specifically for each campaign. The landing page tells your story, fills out the details of your offer, and makes the final sale. Never, ever send people to your home page.

Photo: crazy tales

Tomorrow is Freebie Friday, stay tuned for free email templates.