To see how well your email marketing works, test it. What does that mean right? If you break an email down into its component parts, you get to know what each part does and how it can be used to maximize results. If you don’t have the time, or ability to run a series of tests, at least get to know the parts to make sure you are getting the most bang from your email content.

Subject Line

Your email subject line is like the headline of a newspaper article. It is probably the most important text in your email. It is the first thing the recipient sees and is the one thing that convinces them to actually open your email. Having the right subject line will help achieve the highest possible open rate.

Email copy

The wording you use in your email will determine how many recipients will respond, and how many of them will become customers. It is not just the quality of the content that is important but the length as well. Lengthy emails get boring and short emails that don’t say anything worthwhile are annoying.

Rich vs. Plain Text

Experiment with graphically enhanced text, called Rich Text and plain text in your message. See which one causes the most reaction.

Graphics

Graphics can help and hinder an email’s effectiveness. Too much will distract, too few will be boring. You may feel like Goldilocks finding the right porridge, but it is important.

Links

Ultimately you are looking for the email to create some kind of action, usually a click through to your website. Don’t just test the call to action in the email review the destination as well. The web page should reflect and complete the message started in your email. It will ultimately close the deal whether that is making a sale, convincing a prospect to donate, ask for information or whatever you are trying to accomplish with an email. By the way, don’t just link to your home page. You want to direct them to a page that is specific to the content of your email.

Email is still a popular, inexpensive and effective channel to market with. However, the popular part means our inboxes are jammed with offers and information. To increase the effective part in this environment you need to compel a recipient to open the email, read it and react. By react we mean click through to what you are offering and not react by deleting it. Understanding the components of an email and how they work together will help make your emails irresistible.