When you send your email marketing campaigns (either followup autoresponders, broadcasts, etc.) there are a number of factors that affect your overall conversion rate.
Open Rates
The number of people who’ve received your message in their Inbox, who take the time to OPEN your message, is determined, predominantly, by the subject line. Your “from name” and “from address” may affect your open rate, too — but, the largest factor in how many of your recipients (who received your email in their inbox) OPEN your message, is based upon the SUBJECT LINE.
Test at least 3 different subject lines. Then, utilize the one that has provided you with the best open rates.
Click Through Rates
In your message, you can have a number of “call to action” links that are designed to generate a specific response. You may link to a particular product’s “buy now” page, or you may offer a discount or special bonus if the subscriber purchases now, or you may offer a free white paper or case study.
Regardless of the call to action:
What verbiage do you use in the header of this “offer”?
(ex: “Limited time offer”, or “Free White Paper!”)
What content do you use to compel the subscriber to act?
(ex: “Free shipping”, or “Get Product B when you buy Product A now!”)
What “action button” do you use?
(e.g. “submit”, or “buy now!”)
Assuming you’re testing only one of these “offers” in your email followup, you want to test these variables to create the most Click-Worthy offer you can. Taking the time to test these variables can add up to significant increase in overall conversions.
Landing Page
After the subscriber has clicked on your link within your email message, what do they see on your site? Is the content of your landing page consistent with what they read in your email? For example, if you offer the subscriber “Free Shipping if you order today” — do you simply take them to the product page? Does the product page show “Free Shipping – today only!”? Or, do you take them to a special landing page, designed with this offer in mind?
Order Process
This final component of conversion should never be overlooked. Does your ecommerce solution require login before ordering? Does it require multiple steps before ordering is complete? Do you accept all forms of payment, or only paypal? What is your shopping cart abandonment rate? These factors certainly play into the overall conversion rate for ALL of your traffic sources, not just your email campaigns. Be sure to have the best shopping cart conversion rate possible!
Remember: The conversion process doesn’t end with the click from your email. It’s nice to have clicks, but it’s better to have overall conversions!
So, test away, and optimize your campaigns.
Our Preferred Email Marketing Software Vendors with good testing solutions are:
- Arial Software – Campaign (Director and Enterprise)
- Lyris HQ – Email Solutions and WebAnalytics
- Aweber
Links to A/B Testing Resources:
MarketingExperiments.com
–I love Dr. Flint McGlaughin’s work at MarketingExperiments.com. I’ve been a fan for many years.
WilsonWeb.com
–I love Dr. Ralph Wilson’s content and reviews, too! I’ve been a fan for many years, here, too!
Info:
http://www.lunametrics.com/aboutus/archives/WhatisAB-Testing.php
