Most of us have at some point received an email from a brand that made us cringe. Not all communication experiences are positive. This is especially true for businesses who utilise newsletters to talk to their customer database. Those studying an honours degree in strategic communication will know all too well that an email can make or break a brand.
What makes a good email? For starters, writing skills are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to creating great ones. You don’t need an honours degree in communication studies but surprisingly, many brands struggle to get this right. What can businesses do to ensure that they engage with customers instead of spamming them? We’re sharing a few tips below.
1. Address each person
There’s nothing worse than feeling as if you’re one of many. When brands use “dear customers” they lose out on the chance to make the recipient feel important. When you miss out on this first opportunity, you’re giving the reader the best excuse to stop reading, hit delete or click unsubscribe. These days, technology enables you to address each mail to every customer with their first name. This makes it more personalised and increases the chances of it getting read by almost 50%.
2. Is your email part of a larger campaign?
If the answer is no, should you even be sending an email newsletter? By having an overarching marketing campaign that drives all of your digital you’re more likely to figure out if you did or didn’t reach your objectives. You’ll also have a clearer plan of what you should and shouldn’t be including in each marketing message in addition to emails alone.
3. Customer needs should influence the content you create
Unfortunately, many brands neglect this one and choose to focus on their own needs rather than that of their target audience. This means that those who receive the email newsletter can’t really resonate with the message. Taking into account the needs of your customers means that they are more likely to respond favourably and in line with your objectives. The more you cater to these needs, the more you can personalise the communication. As a result, you can reach, engage and retain customers in the long term
4. Is the email necessary?
More often than not, the newsletter could have just been a series of posts on social media. If it is justified, the email is often too long. By ensuring that you only send out emails when they are warranted, your audience won’t feel spammed by an inbox influx that leaves them irritated and put off. Make sure that you always give them the opportunity to opt out, just in case.
Make new world thinking the foundation of your success
At The IIE’s Varsity College, our focus is firmly on skills that employers look for when hiring new talent. This includes the likes of problem-solving and critical thinking. If you’re looking to stand out with a highly employable skillset, why not start with an IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Communication? For more on this postgraduate degree and what it could offer you, please contact The IIE’s Varsity College today.
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). South Africa’s leading private higher education provider that’s registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).