If you have an email list, then one of your top priorities is to boost the response rate of that list. In other words, you want to engage your readers.
You want them to click on your emails and then hang on your every word. Heck, you want them to sit by their inboxes waiting for your emails on your regular publishing days. And if you don’t get an email sent out, you want them to miss it so much that they email you to see if you’re okay (yes, this actually happens).
Truth is, a lot of marketers who start building a mailing list sort of expect all of these things to happen magically. Then they feel disappointed when their list seems more like a lumpy sack of potatoes then real, live human beings on the other side of those email addresses.
It gets worse…
Not only do these marketers have problems getting people to buy from the list, they even have troubles getting the list to do the simplest of tasks, such as “liking” a Facebook page or taking a 30-second poll.
Obviously, a problem like this doesn’t have a one-step solution. You need to work on managing your subscribers’ expectations and engaging your audience with good content. However, you’ll also want to use these three tips for boosting your response rates…
- Test your subject lines.
Your subject line is the most important part of your entire email. After all, if your subject line doesn’t do its job (which is to get people to open your email and start reading it), then the rest of your email is wasted. No one will read it. It will go straight to the trash alongside the Viagra spam and emails from Nigerian princes.
That’s why it’s so important for you to spend time crafting compelling subject lines. But it’s also important for you to test these subject lines. Virtually all the major autoresponders and mailing list managers (like Aweber.com) give you the tools and analytics to split-test your subject lines on emails to see which ones improve your open rates and conversion rates. So stop guessing what subject lines work and start testing!
- Provide a clear call to action.
The next method for improving your response rate is to tell your subscribers exactly what you want them to do when they reach the end of your email. This is referred to as a call to action.
Examples:
- Click here now to claim your free report…
- Click here now to register for this exciting workshop…
- Click here now to enter your coupon code and save a whopping 50% off the regular retail price…
Point is, be specific – take your subscribers by the hand and explicitly tell them what to do. It may seem obvious what to do, but you’ll boost your conversion rate with this simple tip.
- Send multiple emails with the same offer.
Sometimes people don’t read every single email we send. (I know, shocking… right?) Sometimes people do read every email, but they don’t take the action went want them to take. In the case of a product purchase, they may decide to “think about it.”
So here’s what you need to do: send out multiple emails for every product you promote. This not only helps build the value of the offer, but it also makes your subscribers more familiar with the offer – both of which will boost conversion rates. And yes, it also helps ensure those subscribers who skip emails will see the offer.
How many emails you send depends on what you’re selling. However, you’ll want to promote the offer in at least three separate emails. That helps build familiarity with the offer, as well as making sure most subscribers see at least one of your emails.
Conclusion
These tips all seem pretty simple, but don’t overlook them. They’re powerful and proven ways to boost your response rates so that you can start making more money with your mailing list.