Sunday, March 1, 2009

Higher Conversion Rates With Better Marketing Emails Made Simple

By Charles Newman

Everyone with an email account receives marketing emails. In today's high paced technology savvy environment it's hard to avoid. But despite this fact certain marketing emails are more effective than others, especially the ones that are so attention grabbing that they entice the reader to click on the links inside. Email Management guides like Constant Contact make it simple to produce the most efficient, highest converting marketing emails. This is the ideal manner in which to test out marketing plans for your business!

How do I figure out what the best format is you ask? It's a piece of cake! Email management programs give you the ability to separate recipient lists into groups, letting you send Group A an email, for instance one called Marketing Email A, and Group B Marketing one called Email B. For Example: Email A is a long detailed email, about 2 limited time special deals with a several small pics next to each one, and a link. Email B shows 5 products, with very little text, a small pic of each product, and a link.

The email management program can track which email is opened, which links in the email get clicked, and even whether readers click through to a specific page on your website for example the "Buy Now" page! Evaluating formats in this way is the most efficient means of creating emails that convert for your site. This can be a bit time consuming and takes some trial and error, but never fear, it yields results!

What is important is to test out two or three specific email formats that are distinct and different from each other. Then, when you see what works, improve on it and test the format even further. As your tests progress you will learn which formats work best for your product. Maybe long descriptive emails with 2 products convert better than emails with 5 products. Maybe putting links in the body of the text works better than a list. Maybe many pictures convert better than text, or vice versa. The results will be different for each product or service.

Real World Application: One of my colleagues at a travel agency found that the highest conversion was on emails that included pictures of one exclusive resort deal that she was advertising. The conversion rates for these emails were 65% higher than emails that contained the same deal next to 4 others that were just as good!

Using an email management tool and doing these measured tests will give you definitive proof of the most effective email format. You will instantly see which type of email has higher conversion rates, write future emails using these new ideas, and see how well it works!

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