Many have predicted the slow demise of email marketing, but email still remains an effective way to generate leads, relay company information and sell products online. Sending emails is more than just writing up a quick message and sending it off to your mailing list. The best emails do well because they have the right balance of engaging content, a unique layout and a smart marketing strategy.

 

Here’s how to turn your emails into five-star prodigies.

 

 

Create an Attention Grabbing Headline

 

 

Think about how many emails wander into your inbox every day. Your email needs to break through the others so that it grabs your readers’ attention and encourages them to open the email. Ideas include personalizing the headline, using actionable language and addressing your readers’ needs.

 

 

Include a Call-to-Action

 

 

Include a clear call-to-action that your reader will see in the email. Whether it’s downloading an ebook, signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product, you should have clear buttons or links for your readers to use. Having a call-to-action also makes it easier to measure results.

 

 

Add Social Sharing Buttons

 

 

Where people once thought that social media would outshine email, the two actually make a great team. More than half of organizations integrate their social media and email marketing strategies. Include social share buttons so that your emails can be shared on sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as emailed to others.

 

 

Use Personalization

 

 

Too often, emails send out generalized messages, but this can make the reader feel disconnected from the company. Easy ways to personalize your email is by including the recipient’s name in the greeting and developing targeted content. This also helps your recipients to build a better rapport with your company.

 

 

Ensure Mobile Optimized Emails

 

 

As mobile devices continue to grow, it’s important that your emails are mobile optimized. Over time, more people will read your emails on mobile devices rather than laptops and computers, so it’s important that your emails are readable across all platforms.

 

 

Relevant Image

 

 

The human brain processes visual content much faster than text, so adding a photo will grab your recipients’ attention, engage your readers and make your email stand apart from the rest. Not sure what type of photo to include? Show recipients an image of what they will get, such as a freebie item or the cover of an ebook.

 

 

Your email campaign is a core part of your overall marketing strategy so be sure to develop a five-star system before hitting the “send” key.