Marketing Profs

The ability to move, motivate, and entice consumers within the confines of their inbox is not an easy task. Too often, marketers overlook the tools available to attract and draw customers to open their messages.

The inbox is a competitive arena in which you must fight for your open. The battle can be won by effectively utilizing and optimizing four straightforward email marketing elements. I find myself continually surprised by how many large online retailers still do not incorporate these simple elements into their email marketing efforts.

Take advantage of the opportunities to optimize your existing email marketing campaigns. The results surprise even the most seasoned email marketer.

From Name

Why does the from name matter? Your consumers determine whether to open, delete, or mark a message as spam based on your from name. Your brand name recognition and loyalty are captured in the from name.

Use a consistent from name that your consumers will immediately recognize as your company's brand name among the sea of messages in their inbox. Consider the from name as your company's inbox logo.

Continually changing or adding cute and tricky from names will actually create a lack of consumer confidence your message's authenticity—nothing can damage your response rate more than an unrecognizable from name.

I immediately think of one major online retail shop-at-home company that uses many from names to distinguish among specific types of messages. Its name speaks for itself, and yet it diminishes its brand's influence and power by adding tags such as Weekly, Specials, Home Solutions, Health & Fitness...

Subject Lines

The second and equally important factor for determining whether a consumer opens a message is the subject line. Essentially, it should be a concise call to action that must elicit a reaction from the consumer.

Too often, the subject line is created at the last minute, as an afterthought. This crucial element needs more attention paid to it. Email marketing plans should not only outline a creative design process but also several brainstorming sessions to develop smart and effective subject lines.

I often say, "If you spend five minutes creating your subject line, go back and spend at least ten more minutes to get it right." The key is to create a short, clear, and enticing call to action that speaks to your consumer.