Work Better, Not Harder

What's a goal of business blogging that will never be a goal of email marketing? Search engine optimization (SEO), of course. For email, it's all about subject line optimization . (Is SLO a 'thing'?) Crafting a compelling email subject line can achieve better and more immediate results than writing a whole blog post that is well optimized for SEO. After 9 years, over 600 blog posts, and more than a thousand email newsletters, here is what I know to be true: email beats blogging hands down for tangible and measurable results... faster . Writing for your newsletter means writing for people , which is way more fun than writing for search engines , whether it's your blog or your whole website. You don't have to be concerned with tediously repeating keywords and phrases, for one thing. Sure, your email newsletter may include your blog posts. And it should... because your newsletter will get people reading and clicking through to your website much faster ...

This email message below arrived in my inbox shortly after sending out my weekly small business event listing (for Halifax, Nova Scotia) . I love it when instant blog posts arrive by email. Hello Linda I've been getting emails from you for a couple of years and, sorry to say, I've always ignored them. Here are two reasons: 1— your subject line is boring. I get lots of emails like these but only open the ones with an interesting subject, e.g. "How to fight your phone fear" or "Learn web design in our latest WordPress meet-up." 2— There is no website that collects these items in an easy to scan format. As a WordPress developer I can set you up with a terrific visual calendar that can easily talk to your personal appointment book. We can talk about improving your business any time. It was a well-intentioned message; here was my response: The subject line is boring on purpose - you can easily ignore it if you're not interested in knowing about events...

If you give someone a $25 giftcard to a shop where the lowest priced item is $50, is it a gift? What if a complete stranger gifts you 50% off the price of a conference ticket? Is that a gift? The headline said: Our Gift to You: A Special Discount for Generators Summit . When I followed the link in the email to get my gift, I was taken to an Eventbrite ticket purchase page. Currently I can get the early bird price. What a generous gift... not. Usually I would tweet or otherwise share information about such an interesting event, even if I won't attend. This particular event is actually getting a whole blog post. Be aware of the perceptions of people opening your emails or clicking on your links.   Using the word 'gift' in any marketing context is tricky because it mixes up social values with economic values. Just because others do it, doesn't mean it's right (for you). Click to Tweet this Article

How long did you think about the subject line of that email you just sent to your brand new client? Will they be interested or excited to open it? Or will they leave it sitting unopened, floating closer to the bottom of their inbox? I've discovered a little quirk. In fact, it feels more like a secret I shouldn't acknowledge, maybe even a tad manipulative. It didn't start out that way but now I know what I know... well, I can't un-know it. Here it is. If I send an email to any of my work friends with the words 'no rush' in the subject line, it's likely to get opened faster than any other email I send them. Of course, this may not work any longer once my friends read this article. But let me be clear, I've never used that knowledge to manipulate. And that's why it works. When I send an email with 'no rush' in the subject line, I really mean there's nothing inside requiring their attention soon. Usually it's a business idea in ...

You can tell when you read a headline that lets you get to know the writer a little better. It often contains an opinion, or perhaps a turn of phrase that is unique to them. If your business is all about selling you, it's worth it to take extra care with your headlines and subject lines. Here's the promised simple test: Read your headline out loud. Does it sound like something you'd say out loud? Still not sure? Go look yourself in the eye in a mirror and say it out loud. Or add the words, "Hi Mom," to the beginning of your headline. This test will make you stop and reconsider. Perhaps you won't change a word but the exercise is still valuable. Don't overspend your time editing the text and not give enough attention to your headline. Your headline is the most important factor in whether anyone even gets to reading your article. photo by nix|photo / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article

Would you want me to be nagging you about your newsletter campaign? Making sure you keep to your schedule, aren't stuck for writing ideas, and regularly check your statistics? I've been told nagging can be very helpful . Here are some pieces of advice I dish out to clients on a regular basis - not because I like nagging but because I know these things can make a difference. Plan your content ahead of time. Planning gets you thinking, even if those plans are bound to be broken . Use a 2-step writing process . Draft and write your content; edit and polish it on another day, or later the same day. Finalize your copy before it gets inserted into your newsletter. Last minute changes, while not always avoidable, are most prone to mistakes. Your final check should be proofing, not editing . Try using a Word template to assemble your content.  Create one with the appropriate sections and it will operate like a checklist so you won’t forget anything. Take care with you...

Sometimes I can be quite judgmental of others' newsletters, and most of the time I keep that to myself. Being a critic means I can also appreciate good examples of newsletters, and email marketing in general. Have a look at this one which arrived in my inbox recently from a local restaurant with the subject line: Seasons Greetings from all of us at Finbar's . The content in this email is just right for several reasons. The subject line clearly said what is was - a holiday greeting. If I wasn't in the mood for holiday cheer, I could have deleted it with little hassle (but stayed subscribed for future news). I was feeling cheery when I received Finbar's email. A good overall balance of images and text - and not too long. It looked like it wouldn't take much time to read. A colourful photo of the young kids dressed for the season - you won't find this on shutterstock; it connects on a personal level. A funny personal story - curiosity got me reading the ...

When a client mentioned CoSchedule's Headline Analyzer , I hopped on over to check it out. (Thanks Natasha!) Here's the promise I found there: "The free blog post headline analyzer will score your overall headline quality and rate its ability to result in social shares, increased traffic, and SEO value." My initial thought was that it would have to be run by algorithms so its value would be limited. But my skepticism turned to enthusiasm with my first use. The rather mechanical breakdown of my proposed subject line was detailed and looked at different success factors. The Headline Analyzer was useful to help me brainstorm alternatives and especially to consider options I wouldn't have otherwise devised. I think success came partially from paying more attention instead of rushing to publish. Go check it out - it'll take only a few minutes to improve your headline score. photo by Benjamin Ellis / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article

Using a date in your newsletter sends a signal to your reader about how often they can expect to hear from you. Not everyone will realize your newsletter is biweekly or monthly or quarterly, even if you've said it somewhere inside. Inside , near the top, the format of the date sends a message. Using month-year signals it's monthly but might also be used for less frequent, too. Using the specific date tends to signal a more frequent distribution. But not always because I also recommend this date format if you want to simulate the feel of a personal letter. Using season-year signals quarterly or less frequent. (e.g. Summer 2016) Your date could also be in your subject line , where it's purpose is to make life easy for your subscribers (or at least make sorting their email easier). Using month-year sends a clear message that it's a monthly newsletter as it sits in an inbox. Using a specific date in a more frequent mailing helps your subscribers easily t...

Perhaps nothing. Using a news story or pop culture as a hook can create interest that attracts readers. Keep your subject line (or headline) relevant and appropriate, though, or you'll forsake credibility. "What will Happen to eMail Marketing on the iWatch?" is a good example, even if a horrible thought. "What will Happen to eMail Marketing during a Zombie Apocalypse ?" is not a good example. (I admit to giving it some thought but, really, there's nothing to write about.) photo by Sangudo / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article

I admit to having a bit of fun with that subject line but I'm not BSing you. Here is the statistic given by Adestra: Using the word 'alert' in a subject line increases open rates by 38.1% (variance vs. average).  (Source:Adestra) You have just participated in an experiment if you opened this post in your email - thanks! If you can legitimately use 'alert' in your subject line, that's great. But beware - if your subject line is not relevant to the content within , you might get more opens but will lose credibility (and subscribers). Another way to lose credibility is to quote incorrect information as fact. I originally stumbled across that statistic in an article by Hubspot. This jumped off the page: 61.8% increase in opens when using the word 'alert' in subject lines. (Source:Adestra) It seemed a little too good to be true and I immediately started plotting to use 'alert' in a subject line. I'm glad I decided to check the origi...

Whether it's an article title, a blog post title, a subject line or a call to action, there is no doubt that crafting a good one takes a little art and a little science. "The job of the headline is to get the first line of your copy read." ~ CopyBlogger For every article, I could write 4 titles: the simple straightforward one that says what it's all about - it's useful and truthful the catchy or clever one - the content adds context to the title once you start reading the teaser that hints at the content, but is meant to garner opens rather than be useful the version for SEO using keywords and phrases that people might search for I tend to start with #1 because it's often the idea that I jotted down to write about. After I finish writing, I might come up with a couple of choices that are more like #2. I tend to avoid #3 except in certain circumstances. Then a friend started talking about #4. I resisted because it kind of felt like selli...

If you've ever tried to send a newsletter with the word 'sex' in it, you'll know that spam checkers don't like it. Likewise they don't like 'ass'. Or 'financial' and 'freedom' anywhere near each other. Or many swear words. Sometimes this can be a challenge when talking about certain topics. For example, I've had to change the word 'sex' to 'gender', and another time to 'sexual'. But what do you do when 'kick ass' is exactly the right message you want to send? It doesn't have to be a show stopper. Find some creative way around it. Here's an example. Debi at New Life Business Solutions sent me her content with the subject line filled in as "Need a kick in the ass?" It had to change. The alternative was "Need a kick in the posterior area?" Hardly catchy, but maybe intriguing. I tried to make up for it inside. view full email message Click to Tweet this Articl...

You might think it’s a good idea to use a subject line that will make people curious about what’s inside the email - a teaser. That tactic can work well if the sender is familiar. But generally, if that’s the case, there’s no need to trick people into opening. And, if that isn't the case, there better be something really amazing within the email or your reader will feel duped - not a good thing! Instead, consider a subject line that clearly signals what’s within . When people know what they will get and it’s relevant to them, they'll open. If it’s not relevant, they can ignore, and ignoring is much better than unsubscribing . Consider this example: Among the many emails in my inbox every day, I found one from my local pub with the subject line ‘Open me. I’m Irish!’ The combination of the sender and the subject line meant I immediately knew they're writing to tell me about what was going on for St. Patrick’s Day, perhaps food specials and entertainment. If I was pla...

The main goal of your subject line is to get your subscribers to open your newsletter – that’s it. But achieving that is not as simple as it sounds. If you are engaged in promotional email campaigns (advertising), you might use scare tactics or name dropping to encourage opens. These tactics may work well for B2C marketing but if your goal is to build your reputation and gain trust, ensure that your subject line is not misleading. You don't want your subscribers to feel let down or ripped off once they click to open. Here are some tips for creating a subject line that encourages opens without endangering your reputation: Simply and clearly describe the content within, focusing on results not features. Make sure to develop content that your subscribers will find valuable and interesting. Don’t use fancy words and acronyms. Ask a question your readers are dying to know the answer to. Make sure you answer the question within your newsletter! Say something surprising...

If you want to publish a superior newsletter, you need a quality control process. There are so many ways in which a newsletter can have errors so it’s difficult to create an issue with no mistakes at all. That’s why it’s so important to check everything and assume nothing. Below is a checklist similar to our own quality control process. I’m sure it will also work for you if you are using a bulk email service provider. If you aren't, you should seriously consider getting one. Once you've finished assembling your newsletter, save it and make a copy to proof and edit. Run the spell checker. Edit appropriately, noting if the software uses an American or Canadian dictionary. Run the spam checker . Again, edit if necessary. Send a test message to yourself. When you receive that test email : Scan the formatting and overall look . Is text spaced from borders and images? Are fonts used consistently throughout? Are the colours, images, borders and fills congruent w...

Most people have email boxes that are overflowing and not enough time to read it all. If you are like me, a day out of the office can bring dread when I finally get back to my desk... and my inbox! Your subject line needs to prompt your subscriber to open your message. To avoid spam filters, a quick Google search will unearth lists of words not to use in an email subject line. Getting past the spam filter is just the first step - you still need to encourage your recipient to open your email. Help your subscribers save time with your email subject line. Make your subject line instantly recognizable in their inbox and include the main topic contained within. If they are really busy, they can file it for later reading or delete it without having to take the time to open it. Although they may not read every issue, they will appreciate your effort. Better still, if the topic is of interest to them, they are more likely to open and read it later. Your subject li...

One way to drive traffic to your blog is to use current popular news stories as a jump off point to hook your audience. Readers often search current news stories and, if your post headline contains one of them, the same thought process will have them following the link to your blog post. For example, emergency preparedness planning was a hot topic during the swine flu pandemic warnings in 2009. Emergency preparedness is less discussed with the story dropping out of the headlines. If you would like to open up the topic again with your clients, try using the Icelandic volcano eruptions and the havoc resulting at UK airports as a jumping off point. Be sure to include the story headline in your blog post title to have your readers clicking in and keep the post content relevant to keep them there. Click to Tweet this Article