Fixing your email mistakes is crucial to commercial success. This blog has some cool instant fixes for your worst email marketing mistakes.
Who should read this blog and why?
Calling all bloggers, WordPress users, e-commerce wizards, CEOs, tech enthusiasts, WooCommerce sellers and marketing managers! This article packs a punch with golden advice to combat the worst email marketing blunders.
What are the 3 worst email marketing habits?
Let’s talk about 3 worst email marketing mistakes.
- Ineffective subject lines
- Subpar newsletters (poorly designed newsletters, poor content, no mobile optimization)
- Unprofessional emails (impersonal tone, typos, miscommunication, not reader focused)
We’ve all been there – those subject lines that just don’t grab your attention, lackluster newsletters and B2B or B2C emails that feel like they’re from a robot. These slip-ups with emails can really cost a business. Think about it: lower open rates, fewer conversions, less sales, etc.
If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone.
Here’s the scoop: Icegram Express, a top-notch email marketing tool, heard from its users loud and clear. Before they switched to Icegram, users were also dealing with dull subject lines, emails that missed the mark and newsletters that just weren’t cutting it.
And it’s not just them. People using platforms like MailChimp, HubSpot and SendinBlue had their fair share of email woes too. They were sending out messages that felt like they were from a robot, which didn’t sit well with their customers.
So how you can up your email game and leave these bad email habits or blunders behind? Let’s learn below.
3 worst email marketing mistakes | How to identify and fix them?
Ineffective subject lines: the gateway to ignored emails
You know that feeling when you receive an email with a vague or uninteresting subject line? It’s a common occurrence and unfortunately, it’s a significant email marketing faux pas. Your subject line is the first thing your recipients see and if it doesn’t pique their interest, your email is likely to be ignored.
So, what could go wrong with subject lines? Take a look below.
Mistake: Vague or generic language
Subject lines like “Newsletter #5” or “Special Offer Inside” lack clarity and fail to entice the reader.
Example: Instead of “Newsletter #5,” try “Exclusive Insider Insights: Newsletter #5.”
Mistake: Overuse of capitalization or exclamation marks
Excessive use of capital letters or exclamation marks can make the subject line seem spammy or overly aggressive.
Example: Avoid subject lines like “AMAZING DEALS INSIDE!!!!”. Instead, you can do like this – “Super Deals Inside! Make your life Amazing!”
Mistake: Lack of personalization
Failing to tailor subject lines to the recipient’s interests or behavior can lead to disengagement.
Example: Instead of a generic “New Arrivals,” personalize it based on past purchases, like “Discover New Arrivals in Your Favorite Categories!”
Here are some additional ways to make your subject lines more effective:
Ineffective: “New Blog Post”
Effective: “Unlock Success Secrets: 5 Proven Strategies Shared in Our Latest Blog Post”
Ineffective: “Webinar Invite”
Effective: “Join Us Live: Get Super Growth Potential with Our Complimentary Webinar”
Ineffective: “January Promotion”
Effective: “Exclusive January Special Offer Inside! Upgrade Your Life Now”
You’ve put time and effort into creating your newsletters, but if they’re not up to par, they might be doing more harm than good. A subpar newsletter can lead to disengaged subscribers and even unsubscribes. It’s crucial to provide value, relevant content and an engaging format.
Find the following issues with your newsletters –
Mistake: Poor content relevance comes under the worst email marketing mistakes
Sending irrelevant content to your subscribers can lead to disengagement or even unsubscribes.
Example: Sending makeup tips to woodworking enthusiasts or WordPress site developers won’t be effective at all. That’s why it’s essential to understand your customers beforehand and deliver newsletters that align with their interests.
Mistake: Neglecting mobile optimization
Failing to ensure that your newsletters are mobile-friendly can result in a frustrating user experience.
Example: Steer clear of newsletters featuring small fonts and images that don’t adapt well to mobile screens. To boost your email marketing game, make sure your font size is compatible with a range of modern devices and your images are sizable enough for easy viewing on mobile.
Mistake: Ignoring Call-to-Action (CTA) optimization
Not providing clear and compelling CTAs can hinder conversions and engagement.
Example: Imagine this: You’ve got this amazing limited-time sale happening. But then, when you send out the newsletter, you forget to shout it out in your call-to-action. What happens next? You’re looking at a certain drop in sales or conversions, all because that crucial CTA was missing. To rectify this, make it a priority to thoroughly review your newsletter before sending it out to ensure a CTA is included.
Mistake: Poorly designed newsletters
Email newsletters often suffer from poorly designed layouts and visuals, which can lead to decreased reader engagement.
Example: Picture this – you open a newsletter and it’s like a design overload – fonts all over the place, images jumbled up and colors screaming for attention. That’s a classic case of a badly designed newsletter. Here’s the fix: if you’re not a design pro, grab a piece of paper and sketch out how you want your newsletter to look. Then, pick out the perfect colors and images to match your vision. It’s all about nailing that design game.
Get some more ideas here to rectify poor newsletter issue –
Ineffective: Generic content for all subscribers, regardless of interests.
Effective: Segment your list and send tailored content. E.g., Provide skincare tips to beauty enthusiasts and new product updates to potential buyers.
Ineffective: Cluttered layout with too much text and minimal visuals.
Effective: Use a clean, visually appealing design with images that complement the content.
Ineffective: Lack of a clear call-to-action (CTA) or a compelling reason for the reader to engage.
Effective: Include a prominent CTA button with clear instructions, e.g., “Shop Now”, “Download E-Book” or “Learn More.”
Unprofessional emails and impersonal email tones: the silent killer of customer engagement
Imagine receiving an email that reads like a robotic announcement rather than a message from a person. It’s off-putting, right?
Impersonal and unprofessional tones can make your recipients feel like they’re just another faceless contact in your list.
Some bad emails to consider –
Mistake: Using generic greetings
Starting an email with “Dear Customer” lacks personalization and can feel distant.
Example: Instead of “Dear Customer,” use “Hi [First Name],”
Mistake: Lack of proofreading
Emails with grammatical errors or typos can make your brand appear unprofessional.
Example: “Her’s a special offer just for you!” should be corrected to “Here’s a special offer just for you!”
Mistake: Failure to address customer pain points
Ignoring or not addressing customer concerns can lead to a disconnect. If your email content is also lacking empathy, you are in trouble again. Readers want their problems empathized and resolved too.
Example: If a customer expresses dissatisfaction in a previous email, follow up with a solution or apology.
Find more ways below to fix unprofessional emailing activities.
Unprofessional: Generic greetings like “To Whom It May Concern.”
Professional: Personalize the greeting with the recipient’s name, e.g., “Hi [First Name],”
Unprofessional: Poor grammar, spelling mistakes or overly technical jargon.
Professional: Proofread your emails for grammar and spelling errors. Use language that’s clear and easy to understand.
Impersonal: Using a no-reply email address.
Personal: Encourage recipients to reply by using a real email address, like “reply@example.com.”
How to achieve over 20% email-opened strike rate with thought-provoking subject lines?
Monotonous subject lines won’t do your emails any favors; they either end up in the spam folder or get a swift delete from users.
If you’re aiming to level up your marketing game or get a high strike rate of email open, the magic lies in your wordplay when crafting those subject lines.
Here are five ingenious tricks that can inject fresh life into your subject lines and, in turn, give your emails a much-needed boost:
- Crisp and concise subject lines outperform lengthier ones. According to email marketing specialists, even a two-word subject line paired with a captivating emoji can have a powerful impact on the recipient
- Formulate subject lines that pique readers’ curiosity
- Share a surprising or unconventional statistic in your subject line
- Provide readers with intriguing offers that spark curiosity and excitement
- Treat your subject line as a movie teaser, hinting at the exciting content inside
So, let’s talk about a cool WordPress plugin called Icegram Express. This email marketing tool, backed up by rave reviews from customers (check them out here), can be a game-changer for your email marketing and newsletters.
Sure, there are other options out there, but what makes your newsletters stand out is your dedication to putting the customer/reader first and nailing that top-tier design.
Let’s take care of the design part first. If you want those newsletters to really pop, consider bringing in a talented graphics designer. They can whip up some seriously eye-catching stuff for your email newsletter game.
Now, here’s the real kicker: a lot of newsletters (or bad emails) get it wrong. They blab on about themselves or their business, forgetting the reader or customer altogether.
But guess what? Readers and customers are more into solutions for their own problems.
If you’re all about “me, me, me,” or your business, you might just end up in the ignored pile.
So, keep your newsletters reader-focused and you’ll be valuable and perhaps for eternity.
Here are some more tips straight from the playbook of the best email marketers to spice up your newsletter campaigns.
- Keep it simple: Don’t overload your newsletters with multiple objectives or products. Focus on what matters most.
- Craft captivating headlines: Reel readers in with attention-grabbing, out-of-the-box titles that make them want to submerge into your content.
- Hyperlink sparingly: Avoid going overboard with hyperlinks; too many can overwhelm readers and push your email into the “ignore” or “spam” category.
- High-quality visuals: If you’re using images, make sure they are of top-notch quality and add real value to your readers’ experience.
How to deal with unprofessional emails in email marketing?
According to Statista, a whopping 90% of U.S. consumers are all in for personalized marketing. If your newsletter game is off, too generic or filled with impersonal oddities, you’re risking your audience’s attention. Let’s fix that:
Tailor your newsletters to individual preferences. Make readers feel like you’re talking directly to them.
Are you sending the same generic content to all subscribers? This has a problem. Generic content feels like just another face in the crowd. Such generic newsletters lack a distinct, compelling message or value proposition, blending in with the crowd.
Fix 1: Personalize your emails by using the recipient’s name and segmenting your list based on preferences or behavior.
Example: Instead of sending a blanket newsletter about all your products, tailor it based on what the subscriber has shown interest in before.
Fix 2: Add a unique angle or insight to each newsletter that grabs the reader’s attention.
Example: If you’re in the fashion industry, instead of just listing products, provide style tips, how-tos and trends related to those products.
Divide your subscribers into groups based on interests or behaviors. Send them content that speaks to their specific needs.
It is undoubtedly a poor approach to provide the same content to all subscribers, regardless of their interests or behavior.
Fix: Divide your subscribers into groups based on their preferences or behavior and send them content that addresses their specific needs.
Example: If you have subscribers interested in both cooking and fitness, send cooking tips to one group and workout advice to the other.
Focus on building relationships rather than pushing products. Share valuable insights and stories that resonate with your audience.
Are you bombarding your readers/customers with constant sales pitches and pushing products without building a genuine connection? That’s a big no-no in the world of emails. It’s like showing a spam flag or saying goodbye to conversions. Building a real connection is the secret sauce to pro-level newsletter emails.
Fix: Share valuable insights, stories and tips that resonate with your audience and focus on building trust.
Example: Instead of just promoting a new product, share a success story from a customer who benefited from it. You can also showcase a case study on how your product is different and has a competitive edge.
Encourage feedback and actively listen to your subscribers. Use their insights to fine-tune your newsletters for even better personalization.
A lot of email marketers skip the whole feedback thing. But here’s the thing – that’s a big missed opportunity for getting better. Seriously, you’re losing a lot of insights for improvement.
Fix: Get the feedback rolling and really listen to what your subscribers have to say. It’s like fine-tuning your newsletters for a personal touch-up. Or, just straight-up ask them to hit you back with their thoughts. It’s an easy way to get a quick response to what your readers want.
Example: You can add a section in your newsletter, asking them to spill the beans on what they’d like to see more of.
You know what, WordPress email plugins like Icegram Express really make email campaigning easy for bloggers, WordPress site owners and WooCommerce sellers. You can use the smart features of Icegram Express like abandoned cart recovery sequences, automatic batch sending and more to up your email marketing game.
Subscribe to Icegram newsletters or get in touch with the email marketing support team to amp up your email campaigns now!
Final say – Staying away from the worst email marketing mistakes
The biggest slip-ups in email marketing are weak subject lines, lackluster newsletters and cringe-worthy unprofessional emails. These email marketing mistakes not easy to get away with in the beginning, but if you make it a habit to review and have a handy checklist, you can definitely turn things around.
Now, this article here? It’s loaded with fixes and examples that can really help you spot those subject line snags, newsletter no-no’s and those bad emails.
Here’s a golden rule: always bring something valuable in your email. Otherwise, it might just end up in the dreaded ‘ignore’ pile again.
And lastly, Icegram Express is just a click away! It’s affordable, easy to use and packed with smart features to help you get more customer subscriptions. Give it a try today for awesome newsletters and more!