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March 14, 2022 Content Chat Recap: How To Improve Your Email Marketing And Business Emails

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Email marketing is an incredibly powerful and cost-effective channel for marketers, generating up to $42 for every $1 spent and playing a crucial role in building your community relationships. However, you’ll need a better content strategy than “Open Now <First Name>! Your Opportunity Awaits.” to drive recipient engagement and unlock meaningful results from your email marketing.

In this #ContentChat recap, we’re joined by Anne Janzer (@AnneJanzer), writing and marketing book author, to discuss how to improve your email marketing and business emails. In the below chat recap, you’ll learn:

  • Common email marketing mistakes
  • Ways to avoid making those common mistakes
  • How to improve your email subject lines and body content

If you’re looking for more advice to improve your emails, grab a copy of Anne’s book 33 Ways Not to Screw Up Your Business Emails, and check out this past #ContentChat recap on email marketing hacks that drive results.

Q1: We’ve all made or seen a mistake with email marketing or business emails. What is an example that you can share?

Email marketing mistakes are common—especially broken links.

Raise your hand if you’ve had your name misspelled in an email or misspelled your recipient’s name…

Or if the personalization settings failed so your email was addressed to <First-Name>.

Many of us have received an email template without the full content.

Or emails not meant for us.

Image-only emails often get caught in spam filters.

And typos are all-too-common (and avoidable!).

Emails often throw too many CTAs at the reader.

And it’s easy to forget to update your email banner.

Remember: mistakes happen and self-compassion is essential.

If you make a mistake you can share an apology email. But don’t use this as a tricky way to increase your opens (your recipients can tell if you’re not being authentic).

Q2: How can content marketers improve their email subject lines?

In marketing emails, Anne says that the subject line is all about getting people to open and click. Business email subject lines, however, aim to help people open, respond, and retrieve.

Keep subject lines short, clear, and simple.

Avoid clickbait tactics.

Erika recommends you write your subject line after you write your email. That way, you can craft a subject line that accurately communicates the “what’s in it for me” for your reader.

Try a few different approaches and test which resonate best with your subscribers.

Q3: What are common ways that marketers can enhance the body of their emails?

Help your reader skim your email. Break up text with line breaks, use subheads and bold text, spotlight links with a different color than your text, and use bullet points to list items out.

Keep your emails short and concise.

Do not present all your information in an image file (it may not load). For all rich media content, enable your subscriber to view it in a new window.

Focus on the reader experience. How do they prefer to consume content? What value are they seeking from an email newsletter?

And always ensure that your subject line accurately conveys your email’s content.

Q4: Are emojis appropriate in business emails? How can they be used effectively, and what should marketers remember about using emojis in email?

Emojis can influence the tone of your email, but remember that not everyone interprets emojis the same way. It’s best to use emojis sparingly in emails, and don’t rely on emojis alone.

Different industries or companies will vary in acceptance of emojis.

Test your subject lines to see whether your subscribers respond well to emojis.

Q5: What safety nets can marketers use to reduce their chances of making mistakes with their emails?

Fill in the recipient’s email address last. That way you won’t accidentally send an unfinished email.

Enable delay send on Outlook or Gmail so you can unsend a message.

Send yourself an email first to review it. It also helps to have a colleague read it from a fresh perspective.

Use tools like Grammarly to spot grammatical errors.

Test every link and double-check your recipient name.

Q6: AMA time with @AnneJanzer: What are your questions about improving your emails?

What goes into a successful B2B email newsletter? Per Anne, always provide value. Provide content that helps your subscriber overcome their challenges and work smarter, including how-to articles, checklists, guides, and more.

Interested in learning more from Anne? Check out her website to see all of her books, including 33 Ways Not To Screw Up Your Business Emails, Writing To Be Understood, And The Writer’s Process.

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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