Email marketing is popular with photographers and illustrators, and for good reason. It’s highly measurable, easy to execute and relatively inexpensive. But its popularity also means that there’s lots of competition for the attention of buyers; meaning you have to focus on all the components that make up a successful piece of email marketing. From the subject line to the design, your email has to resonate with the buyer so they won’t hesitate to learn more about you.
Based on the latest research from Marketing Prof’s 2010 Email Marketing virtual conference, here are 5 simple things you can do to get buyers to pay more attention to your email marketing:
Tip #1: Choose a Recognizable 'From' Name
Your ‘from’ name is what tells readers who’s sending this email, so make sure it’s recognizable to your audience. 73% of recipients flag emails as spam based solely on the ‘from’ name, so make it relevant. If your company name includes the word “photography” or “illustration”, then be sure to include it. If you use only your name, try adding “photographer” or “illustrator” after it. This helps the art buyer know the email is legitimate and relevant.
Tip #2: Tease Your Reader in Your Subject Line
Whether a buyer opens your email has almost everything to do with your subject line. It should be relevant to your audience as well as provide a hint at the content of your email. If your email contains new work, say so. If it’s been published in a well-known magazine, let them know. Try something simple like “New photos in Martha Stewart Living” or “New personal project: Life in the Appalachians”. As with your ‘from’ name, relevance is key. 69% of recipients report email as spam based just on the subject line. Research has also shown that many buyers are reading email on their smart phones, so try to keep it under 38 characters.
Tip #3:Leverage the Preview Pane
Did you know that images are disabled more than 50% of the time? If half the buyers in your mailing can’t see your images, what can you do about it? The answer is to include the use of alt text for your images. Most email service providers make it easy for you to do this, without having to understand HTML. Use alt text to describe the image in your promo. Once the buyer knows your email is relevant, they will turn images on and view your promo, also allowing for an “open’ to be counted. If the link to your portfolio is in a graphic, be sure to include the copy as alt text. Remember that the average preview pane is 300px by 300px, so keep space in mind when you’re designing for a preview pane.
Tip #4: Keep It Above the Fold
“Above the fold” refers to the amount of your email that is displayed by your recipient’s email client. Because your recipient will only initially see the content above the fold, you must keep all your important messaging there. Make sure your branding and most important image can be seen by buyers choosing to view your email. Only 11% of those who open your email will actually scroll down, so if you don’t show buyers something that’s relevant, the chances are much higher that they’ll delete your email without reading it. Or worse, unsubscribe altogether. If you have a lot of content, like with a newsletter, include links or another kind of teaser to encourage your reader to scroll down.
Tip #5: Be Consistent With Your Branding
When a buyer clicks through to your website it means that they’re very interested in your work. Make sure that the look and feel of your email matches with your website so the reader’s experience is consistent. Don’t make the buyer question whether they’ve come to the right site, your branding will take care of that for you. Apply this principle to all aspects of your marketing – keep your branding consistent across all the channels you use. It helps to ensure your efforts are recognized.
These are easy ideas to try, even if you have no technical knowledge of email marketing.
Article from: AgencyAccess.com
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