Attention spans are getting shorter.
One study claims it’s shorter than a goldfish’s.
But this doesn’t mean people now have fishlike intelligence.
We simply got smarter at spending our attention.
That’s the key to getting your emails opened and read.
You have to show they’re worth people’s attention
… and you only have 8 seconds to do this.
Follow these proven tips to make each crucial second count.
#1 Figure out the best sending schedule
Send times affect email engagement rates.
Research shows mid-morning on weekdays work best.
Tweak your send times based on your own campaign and audience.
Related: Sending Emails on Sunday? Are you Kidding me?!
#2 Spend extra effort crafting your subject line
47% of recipients open emails based on subject lines alone.
Good subject lines use recipients’ curiosity and self-interest.
Come up with 2 to 3 subject line ideas and test each one.
Related: The Pick-up Lines of Email Marketing: How to Increase Open Rates In Just a Few Words
#3 Avoid starting with “Hi, my name is…”
Opening lines affect whether your emails get read.
Your email won’t be worth reading if it starts off by talking about you.
Hook your prospects by making the opening about them.
Related: Dissecting the World’s First Spam Email: 5 Timeless Lessons We Learned
#4 Show that you really did your homework
Personalized emails fetch 29% more opens and 41% higher CTRs than generic emails.
But deeper personalization improves conversion by up to 360%.
Open by mentioning a recent trigger event or a shared background.
Related: Email Marketing Series: How to Make your Emails Impossible to Ignore [Video]
#5 Pay attention to layout and formatting
Recipients spend only 5 seconds scanning an email.
In one glance, your prospect should know what the message is about.
Break the body into smaller chunks and make key items stand out.
But as attention spans continue to dwindle,
this is the best way to email prospects:
Seek respect, not attention.
It lasts longer.–Z. Abdelnour
Related: The Only Guide to Email Marketing Analytics You’ll Ever Need
