Here we are! The last month of 2015! Woo-hoo! Here we come 2016, so long previous year and all those promises we never fulfilled!
Of course that means it’s time to make new promises that will likely also go unfulfilled.
But save that “unfulfilled” part for the resolutions you make about going to the gym and eating healthy and walking 10 miles a day. You can always do that stuff next year. This year, it’s time to make a commitment to keeping your email program in tip-top shape.
And because we want you to have the email program you deserve, we’ve went ahead and written out those resolutions for you!
6. “I Will Not Batch And Blast”
This is as close to spamming as you can get without actually being called a spammer. Don’t your subscribers deserve better?
“This feels like spam. Why would they do this to me?”
Fortunately for you, committing yourself to the resolutions on this list will prevent you from even sending anything close to what can be considered a batch and blast.
In the new year, do right by your subscribers by sending awesome, personalized emails.
5. “I will test everything.”
Step 1 of creating those awesome, personalized emails is to test absolutely everything with each send. We know, we know: Nobody likes tests.
It’s going to be ok, Leo.
But the more you test, the greater results you’ll get for that send. And not only that, you’ll get to know your email list a little better. You’ll get a better feel for what your subscribers like and don’t like, which copy is working, what images they like — you can glean all this from testing.
Testing isn’t glamorous, but it’s hugely important.
4. “I will stay relevant.”
This one is two-fold. Stay relevant as it pertains to the times, and stay relevant as it pertains to what your subscribers like.
We’ll tackle the second one first: When you have enough data to look at, part of that whole “awesome, personalized” email stuff we mentioned above means combing through it to see what really interests your subscribers. This way, you can send them emails relevant to the things that make them give you a click.
That precious, precious click.
That first “relevant” fold is, of course, mainly about keeping with the times — and that goes beyond just sending out emails that are holiday-themed at the appropriate times. If there are any huge events going on, or big movie releases, or something is trending huge on social media, make sure you capitalize on that momentum by generating emails themed to whatever it is people are going wild about.
3. “I will make my emails responsive.”
Over 50% of people check their emails from a handheld device.
Which is why it’s hugely important that you make your emails responsive. What does that mean? That means that your email will respond and format itself depending on what kind of device is being used to view it because it’s smart and can detect stuff like that.
It’s the first step.
Let’s face it: Nobody wants to open an email, only to be greeted by a mess of a message. Making sure emails are responsive and double-checking them with a Litmus test is part of providing your subscribers with an awesome customer experience.
2. “I will keep my lists clean.”
Like testing, we understand that cleaning is low on everyone’s “fun list.”
But keeping your list clean of inactive subscribers will go far when it comes to maintaining a good reputation with major ISPs. Having a good reputation with ISPs when it comes to your deliverability. The worse that rep is, the closer your sends make it to going into your subscribers’ spam boxes.
1. “I will study my data.”
Testing, cleaning, and now studying? These all likely qualify for least-appealing resolutions you can pick. But having a top-notch email marketing program requires all these things, and it’s worth it: For every dollar you spend on your email marketing, you can see an ROI up to $38.
Anyway, back to studying. When you have enough data about your subscribers, it’s time for you to dive into it. Find out who is opening which emails, during which times. What are people purchasing? When’s is everyone’s birthday? Are they a new subscriber? Frequent buyer? How long have they been on your list for? What’s are their favorite colors?
Once you have all the details, then you can start segmenting lists and setting up relational tables and sending those awesome, personalized emails that we started this whole thing off with.
Starting the new year with these resolutions is more than just committing to improving your email marketing program — it’s committing with providing your subscribers the best experience possible.
And, hey, if you need help, we’re happy to provide it!
Also check out What Is Relational Data Anyway? and 10 Calls-To-Action TO Use (And 5 To Avoid).