How is the open rate on your emails? The click-throughs? Improve your email marketing open rate with a different approach. You have to realize that you want to be welcomed into their inbox, like an uninvited guest.
You’re Unwelcome
If you are going to burst into someone’s inbox, you must give them a reason to let you stay. Otherwise, that “delete,” “spam,” or “unsubscribe” button annihilates your message.
Building great emails…
- Starts with an updated, edited distribution list
- Includes a worthwhile offer
- Capitalizes on the first click immediately
- Prepares for data collection to inform future communication
Consider every marketing email a chance to break up a “rainy day.” You need to know your list well enough to bring them exactly what they want, even if they don’t know what they want.
An Uninvited Guest
Your audience have put up filters to block your messages. Some are technical, like blocking unknown senders. Others are psychological, such as a wariness of spammy design and suspicious links.
According to MailChimp, the average email open rate is between 18% to 26%.
- Agriculture and Food Services 24.71%
- Architecture and Construction 24.78%
- Arts and Artists 27.23%
- Beauty and Personal Care 18.48%
- Business and Finance 20.97%
- Computers and Electronics 20.87%
- Construction 22.10%
- Consulting 19.54%
- Creative Services/Agency 22.41%
- Daily Deals/E-Coupons 15.22%
- E-commerce 16.75%
- Education and Training 22.00%
- Entertainment and Events 21.21%
- Gambling 18.75%
- Games 20.82%
- Government 26.33%
- Health and Fitness 21.93%
- Hobbies 28.46%
- Home and Garden 23.82%
- Insurance 21.56%
- Legal 22.49%
- Manufacturing 21.74%
- Marketing and Advertising 17.81%
- Media and Publishing 22.14%
- Medical, Dental, and Healthcare 22.43%
- Mobile 19.43%
- Music and Musicians 22.86%
- Non-Profit 24.98%
- Other 23.06%
- Pharmaceuticals 20.02%
- Photo and Video 25.36%
- Politics 22.23%
- Professional Services 20.89%
- Public Relations 20.12%
- Real Estate 20.84%
- Recruitment and Staffing 20.73%
- Religion 26.46%
- Restaurant 21.17%
- Restaurant and Venue 21.71%
- Retail 20.96%
- Social Networks and Online Communities 21.71%
- Software and Web App 20.95%
- Sports 25.41%
- Telecommunications 21.57%
- Travel and Transportation 20.69%
- Vitamin Supplements 17.26%
How do you compare?
Your emails need to make it past that fish in his fishbowl, assuring your contact even as you grab their attention. Then you can improve your email marketing open rates and click throughs over time.
How to Improve Your Email Marketing Open Rate
Email marketing remains one of the most effective tools for businesses to engage with their audience. However, crafting the perfect email is only half the battle; getting your audience to open it is the real challenge. Here are some strategies to help improve your email marketing open rate.
1. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first impression your email makes. It should be engaging, concise, and relevant to entice recipients to open your email. Consider the following tips:
- Be clear and specific: Avoid vague language. Clearly state the purpose of your email.
- Create urgency: Use time-sensitive language to encourage immediate action.
- Personalize: Incorporate the recipient’s name or other personalized details to make the email feel more tailored to them.
2. Segment Your Audience
Not all subscribers are the same. Segmenting your email list allows you to send more relevant content to different groups based on demographics, behavior, or preferences. This tailored approach can significantly increase open rates.
3. Optimize Timing
Timing can have a big impact on whether your emails are opened. Test different days and times to see when your audience is most responsive. Generally, mid-week and mid-day tend to perform well, but it can vary depending on your specific audience.
4. Ensure Mobile-Friendliness
With many users accessing emails on their smartphones, it’s crucial that your emails are mobile-friendly. Use responsive design, keep text concise, and ensure links and buttons are easy to click on a mobile device.
5. Maintain a Clean Email List
Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers. This not only helps with deliverability but also ensures you’re focusing on an engaged audience who are more likely to open your emails.
6. A/B Testing
Experiment with different elements of your emails to see what works best. A/B testing subject lines, sender names, and email content can provide valuable insights into what drives higher open rates.
7. Build Trust with Your Audience
Consistency is key in building trust. Ensure your emails consistently provide value, whether through educational content, exclusive offers, or entertainment. Over time, this trust can lead to higher open rates.
8. Use a Recognizable Sender Name
Emails from a recognizable sender are more likely to be opened. Use your company name or a familiar individual within your organization to send emails. This familiarity can improve trust and encourage engagement.
Do They Open Your Emails?
Currently, I’m enjoying a process where I am helping one of my clients build up their email list. We have a 60% open rate because I have been careful to only include contacts that have opted into the offers. Additionally, the emails are infrequent and valuable. This leads to more opens and clicks because the list only includes engaged contacts.
If your open rate and click-through rate fall short of your expectations, consider an overhaul of your content. You need more than just a single, catchy subject line. You need to build a reputation for sending emails that are worth reading.
Additional Resources
- How To Build An Email Marketing List That Actually Works, from Business Insider
- How Email Marketing Supports Your Content Marketing And SEO Campaigns, from Forbes
- More Emails, More Sales? The Surprising Argument For Aggressive Email Marketing, from Entrepreneur
- The No. 1 Secret of Email Marketing, from Inc.
About The Shop Shop
We’re a Lynchburg Marketing Agency with an unparalleled client experience. Working with us is simple. We’ll make sure your products are online and ready to sell. And you can get back to the parts of your business that you love.
Regular Meetings: We visit in person or schedule phone calls to discuss your projects. This keeps our team on the same page as our clients throughout the week. It also helps us identify opportunities and challenges for a more personalized client experience.
Weekly Email Updates: Every Friday, each client receives an email summarizing the past week’s activities — including progress on the project. We also note anything needed from your team like approvals or content. Finally, we list what’s on the agenda for the following week.
Monthly Reports: At the end of each month, we prepare a progress report customized to your project or campaign. This covers the metrics that matter most to you — for strategic decisions about your project.
Get in touch with us to change your retail strategy today.
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