We love that you are sending your list emails and/or a regular newsletter! To help your digital marketing be the most successful, each time you send out a correspondence to your list, these 8 things should be included. Every time. Miss one, and you’re missing opportunities to connect, communicate, educate, and sell.
8 Things to Include in Every Email
Don’t let a list of 8 things deter you. That sounds like a lot—it isn’t. Many of these are elements you can set up one time and be done with it, while others will need to be created custom for each email that goes out. Regardless, they’re all details to tend to, because you don’t have time to go to all this effort without it yielding some benefits for your business, do you? No, you don’t.
- A “From” label that reflects who you are. Unless necessary, don’t use a “Do Not Reply” in the “from” field of your email. Customize that field with your email address or company name so your readers can know at a glance who the email is from.
- A good subject line. We would argue that this is the single most important element in your email, because without an interesting subject line, most people won’t even open your email, let alone buy from you. Make it short and to the point or alluring and quirky, but spend some time planning this short description out.
- An enticing snippet. Most emails have a short snippet or preheader that gives the reader their next glimpse into the email, further enticing them to open it up and start reading.
- Email body. This is the reason for your email in the first place. It may focus on one thing (an event your store is having, your new book, a new service or product, a promotion), or it could have several parts (a tip of the month along with your updated event schedule, current sales, a before-and-after). Your copy is the heart of your email and needs to get to the point.
- At least one good image or graphic. What’s more boring than a whole bunch of text to read? Yawn. We’re in the horticulture industry, for Pete’s sake! Use a brilliant, enticing, clear, gorgeous image or create a graphic that includes the details of the event or product. Give your readers’ eyes places to hop to for interest so they don’t click out of your email immediately.
- A call to action. We’re surprised how many times we observe this being left out of an email or newsletter. Your call to action (CTA) should always be included, and in various forms. A button with a link to purchase, a link to make an appointment, a place to purchase a ticket, a form for giving feedback, a button to buy the book. Whatever it is, your email should invite the reader to do something and take action. You don’t ask, you usually don’t get.
- Footer info. You can (and should) include links for those who would like to unsubscribe, learn about any disclaimers, manage their preferences, and access links to your services or business.
- Contact info & social media links. This can be underneath
/or a part of your signature, or down by the footer. Always, always give your audience ways to further connect with you rather than chop it off at the end of the email.
