graph_going_upIf your email campaigns are flat or if you are running out of email campaign ideas you might want to take these 5 tips to heart.

You’ll find that a systematic approach can spur your creativity and allow you to get better results.

1.  Segment your lists.

One very simple thing you can do to get your email campaigns to ‘break out of the rut’ is to segment your lists.  Start with customers and prospects.  Then separate customers into blue chip and others.  You’ll find that your email will be treated differently by these groups.

2.  Create an email campaign calendar.

If you live from email to email you might not know that your messages are scattered and unconnected.  Create a calendar and think about what events are coming up that you can support using email.  These are marketing opportunities like holidays, trade shows, new product announcements and such.

You’ll find that you start to think of an overall plan that will look more natural to your audience.

3.  Spend some time on your subject line.

Successful copywriters will tell you the headline is the key to a good ad.  A good subject line is the key to a good email campaign.  There are many ways to write poor headline but let me just say this.

Do not be clever, tricky, or funny.  Those just don’t work.  Try a subject line that answers the question, “Why should I open this?”

4.  Make ’em short.

The best emails are the short emails.  If they are too long, (even if it is world class content) your readers will create a folder with your name on it, copy your email into that folder to read at a later date . . . and never look at it again!

5.  Make ’em relevant.

This one is easy to say and hard to do.  You would be amazed however the number of customers I have who tell me, I know I sell golf lessons but some of these people must need car insurance.  That’s an example of NOT relevant.

Email campaigns work best when the content is what your readers expect to see or hear from you–that’s relevance.  The more precise the better.

Stay on topic and your results will improve.