Are you tired of clickbait-y emails? If you are, don’t you think your audience is, too?

These days, it’s hard to get people to open emails, so marketers get desperate. What do marketers do when they get desperate? They come up with silly, over-promised subject lines. Rather than sending out insincere emails that let people down, be a powerhouse and generate real responses from authentic emails. It’s not hard to do, and you can start taking steps today.

Below I share five great tips to help you improve your email marketing response rate and win with your customers.

1. Show recipients you won’t waste their time.

Somewhere along the way, someone got the idea that being vague in an email piques curiosity. While this approach can work for some things, it doesn’t work in this area. Inboxes are full of messages, so get right to the point and tell your recipients what’s in it for them. To do this, follow these steps:

  • Create a conversational, simple subject line

  • Write a brief opening

  • Include information in a way that makes sense for the user

  • Use bullet points or brief sentences

  • Include a compelling CTA

2. Give the most attention to the first sentence of your opening.

Subject lines are important – here are 19 tips that will help you write better ones – but most people look further because of the clickbait. With more and more people opening emails on their mobile devices, use the first sentence in the email to your advantage. This line shows up in the inbox as people browse through their messages.

3. Show off your English skills.

You studied English in school? Good. Now let’s show it. Your emails should always be free of spelling and grammar errors, which you already know. But, did you know that spelling the recipient’s name wrong looks just as bad as misspelling words in the email? Be sure you get the name right, otherwise your email ends up looking lazy.

4. Be a good friend and show readers you sympathize.

One of the best ways to break the ice is by letting people know that you understand their pain points. Perhaps you’ve felt them yourself, which is why you’re an advocate for your product. Before you identify with your recipients, do your homework. The last thing you want is to get caught pretending you know what you’re talking about when you don’t.

5. Politely tell readers what to do with a CTA.

Calls to action are so much harder than they look. But, if you give them more attention than they’re getting now, I’m confident you will see an increase in conversions. At the end of your email, let people know the next step you’d like them to take. Make it personal and relevant –  and don’t forget your manners. Thanking someone for their time or consideration goes a long way in building relationships.

Email marketing still gives you one of the best returns. Rather than blindly sending out emails, give them some thought. Apply a few of these tips. You never know when a great customer can be landed over a simple email.