Customers open emails they connect with and those, which sound relevant. So, the first thing you need to do is to understand your customer’s expectations and things that matter to them the most. Whenever you shoot an email ask yourself, “Does the email content, especially the subject line matter to my customer?” Customers instantly connect to emails, which are personalized and when the call to action is relevant. Also, if you create an urgency they do read and respond as well. Focus on the value you create for the customer and the benefits you are offering.

Email campaigns can surely hike sales, provided you stimulate and inspire the audience towards investing their money in your brand/ products. When would you buy a product? When it provides a solution to an existing or future problem. When you trust the brand and you connect (emotionally and rationally) with the message/signal the advertiser is trying to convey to you. Well, then you have your question answered. So, convey to the audience that your product/service will provide them with a solution and add value to their life. Share testimonials and case studies to build trust. Create an email with inspiring content and visually strong images (a picture is worth a thousand words) that emotionally and rationally connect with the customer.

Content that offers value to the customers, for example, a discount or sale would elicit an instant response. But, emails are not just meant to inform customers about offers and discounts. There is a journey that each brand has to travel vis-a-vis each customer to drive him/her to reach to the end of the sales funnel and ultimately make a purchase. Through emails, you connect with the audience, build interest in your brand, build trust and then get down to talking about the sale. When you directly talk about the sale, it might generate a positive response once or twice but, to convert that customer into a loyal one, you need to go through this journey.

Buying an email list is strictly a no-no! As these email ids are not verified and not all are interested in your brand. The email list is of no use if your subscribers do not open your emails. If subscribers aren’t actively engaging with your emails or aren’t interested, your email campaigning efforts are redundant. There are various ways in which you can grow your own opt-in email list. You have to ask for email ids from customers when they visit your website and in return provide them with some deliverable like e-book, whitepaper, etc. A pop-up window asking them to share their email ids should help build a list of subscribers. You can have a sidebar that will ask your blog visitors to sign in and share their email ids. Ask for their permission to send emails and promotional items.