8 Quick Tips to Better Email Marketing
1. Ensure your emails are communicating your unique brand message
– use a flexible and cleanly designed, responsive template (responsive = opens on all devices). With the OTA’s sending out emails every week, you need to ensure, now more than ever, that your brand is in the market and stands out to your past guests.
2. Short subject lines increase open rates
According to a metrics report compiled by Mailer Mailer as a result of studying 1.4 billion opt-in email newsletters, short subject lines (between 4 and 15 characters), had the highest open rates (see graphic below). We would speculate that part of the reason for this is because shorter subject lines are less clear (which builds intrigue) and are more conversational.
3. Create a dedicated landing page – special offer, blog article etc.
Rather than sending people to your website home page, send them directly to the new special offer you want them to read or the full article if it is a blog. More visits to your website are good for SEO and more content can be shared with booking links etc.
4. Keep your emails short and sweet
Long and lengthy email newsletters are harder work for today’s busy people. Make life easier and simpler by communicating more often, but keeping it short and sweet. This will be easier for you and your guests. A combination of a catchy graphic and a short article makes your communication clear and interesting. Remember to put click through’s to your website, throughout your email.
5. Write in a casual, friendly tone
There are two kinds of marketing content on the web today. The kind written by a person in a conversational tone and the kind written by a person in a cold, distant, and corporate tone of voice. Which would you rather read?
6. Send emails on a consistent basis – once a month builds your brand
Although this tip is number six, it’s actually number one in importance. If you take nothing else away from this list, remember this one. By sending out a newsletter at a regular, set interval, people have an expectation about when they will receive it, and as long as the quality of the message and content is high, they will anticipate it. As a result of being consistent with quality articles, you will see a jump in website traffic and an overall steady increase.
7. Add more email opt-in forms with minimal fields
It makes sense to double or triple the amount of times you add subscribe fields to your site, to double or triple the chances of people subscribing.
8. Offer a clear incentive to subscribe
People are more inclined to subscribe if there is something in it for them. If they know they are going to receive special offers, exclusive deals or even win a prize, they are more likely to join your list. Competitions are a great way to really grow your database and cross promote with new audiences, if you collaborate with a tour company or restaurant and utilise their database as well.
We see our best results come from email marketing on a consistent basis. It is one of the most cost effective, online marketing strategies and, if done correctly, will ensure steady long term growth for your business. So, keep it consistent, simple, short and friendly and watch your results grow.
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