Email is a great marketing tool, especially in the business-to-business (B2B) world. But professionals may receive hundreds of emails every week, and they simply don’t have the time to read every one of them.
If you want to reach your contacts through email marketing, you’ll have to secure their attention long enough to avoid immediate transfer to the dreaded “trash” folder. We asked a group of Forbes Agency Council members how to stand out among the many emails in a professional’s inbox. Their best answers are below.
1. Hyper-Personalize Your Messages
Only reach out if you are willing to be hyper-targeted and personalize your message to the target recipient. Thereafter, don’t ask for anything up front. Focus on providing value and sharing. This builds trust and credibility. Remember, it’s a mini relationship you are building. - Zamir Javer, Jumpfactor
2. Write Your Subject Line Last
When I write my emails, I always write my subject line last. I work with nonprofits and social enterprises. Because of that, I like to create emails that are very personable and feel more like a letter you would send a friend. I even include a handwritten signature at the end of every email. Once the email is complete, I pull the best line from the text and use it as my subject line. - Genia Stevens, Belwah Media
3. Stay Away From Image Overload
Make them personal. Sometimes a plain text email, addressing the recipient by their first name, will perform much better than a graphics-heavy email with 18 clickable links. In addition to getting noticed and read, it has a better chance of actually making it to their inbox. Too many images or sales-heavy words can land you a spot in the dreaded “Promotions” folder. - Bernard May, National Positions
4. Don’t Templatize Your Personalization
Treat people like real people, not businesses or business contacts. Don’t try to “trick” them into thinking your email is personalized by using templated content and customizing the name of the recipient or company—make it truly personal. Generic personalized emails are today’s mass junk mail. The gig is up. The recipient knows it wasn’t written just for them. - Kelli Corney, Mightily
5. Get Right To The Point
With over 400 emails flooding my inbox each day, I’m quick to delete just about anything that looks like spam—which means that on more than one occasion, I’ve deleted emails that did, in fact, present some kind of lucrative opportunity for collaboration. It’s the emails that get right to the point in the subject line that grab my attention the most—subject lines like “new potential client opportunity.” - Michelle Dempsey, Very Well-Written Marketing
6. Appeal To The Few People Who Need You Now
Email marketing will not work miracles. Don’t expect it to. Write subject lines that will appeal to the few customers who need what you’re offering now. If they open your email and glance at it for a second or two, you’ve earned a brand impression. Be brief and clear about the value proposition and call to action. Have a plan to follow up with those who click the email but don’t “convert.” - Craig Klein, SalesNexus.com
7. Offer Insights And Speak To Tipping Points
Emails that promote products and services are only useful to people who want products or services promoted to them, which is typically a very small segment of any email list. Instead, offer insights that help your audience achieve their most important goals. Identify tipping points when they know they need better ideas to move ahead, and offer great advice. This helps you top the inbox. - Randy Shattuck, The Shattuck Group
8. Send Something They Want To Read
There are certain emails that I look forward to receiving. I open every single one. Why? Because the information inside is offering real insight that will add value to my life. This applies to seeing a new piece of clothing that I might want, or to the consultant who is sharing their thoughts on our field. In short, you can earn trust by sending quality and keep trust by not sending too often. - Benjamin Collins, Laughing Samurai
9. Leverage User-Generated Content
The power of user-generated content extends far beyond social media. Repurposing user-generated content as part of your email marketing strategy can help capture attention and drive sales, as this content tends to be more authentic, personal and engaging. Not to mention, a consistent and streamlined visual marketing approach across all channels can help strengthen consumer relationships. - David Shadpour, Social Native
10. Don’t Lead With Self-Interest
Lead with the news or a subject line that’s relevant (or humorous) to the receiver, not yourself. Emails with subject lines like, “Got time for a call?” are underwhelming because the self-interest is clear. But when you write to a prospect or contact with a compelling subject line that shows you actually care about their problems or interests, the probability of hitting “delete” decreases. - Kathleen Lucente, Red Fan Communications
11. Offer ‘Positive Disruption’
Know your audience and their interests and needs. Be ahead of trends and industry news, and be the first to offer keen insights, opinions and solutions. Positive disruption can spur thinking and charge change. Focus on what your targets need to know and not just what you want to share. No one needs more information, but everyone needs knowledge. Make sure the news you share is worth reading. - Pat Fiore, FIORE
12. Always Frame Your Message From The Customer’s Perspective
Many times, email marketing messages focus too heavily on broad product claims or feature sets. Challenge yourself to look at the communication from the point of view of the customer. What benefit will it bring them? What need will it fulfill? Be specific. You’ll be surprised how this shifts and improves your narrative. - Jenni Smith, EGR International
13. Use A Personalized Video
By using a personalized video with an embedded animation in the email, we are able to break through the noise of the inbox and grab the attention of our prospects. We use BombBomb to create hyper-personalized and relevant content for our prospects and then email them with a few sentences and an embedded GIF preview of the video, which plays directly in their inbox. - Adam Guild, Placepull
14. Say One Thing, Really Well
Your window of engagement is three seconds. Within that time, you must clearly articulate your message and how it will add value to their lives. While you may have a series of new services and helpful tips to share with your customers, push yourself to focus on one core message with one call to action. - Andrew Au, Intercept Group
