10 Ways To Get Your Email Opened and Read

How do you get people to actually open and read your email? Open rates and click-throughs are important metrics for marketers. If a reader opens and clicks on your emails, you know they're paying attention to your message.

Some people open your emails but delete them without reading them. While others delete them without thinking or leave all the emails in the inbox unread. They subscribed to you because they wanted information from you in the first place, so give them something worthy of their time. Here are 10 tips to help you get your email opened and read.

1. Use an Intriguing Subject Line

Your email's subject line is one of the first things your recipient will see, so it's important to make a good impression. Here are some tips for writing an interesting and effective subject line:

• Use attention-grabbing words and interesting or unexpected phrases.
• Pose a question that will pique curiosity.
• Keep it short and to the point - recipients are more likely to open and read an email with a concise subject line.
• Avoid using spammy keywords or making excessive use of CAPITAL letters, exclamation marks!!!!!, symbols %$#&@, or emojis .

Some of the most common and effective attention-grabbing words include:

Provocative:

Something that is provocative is likely to provoke a strong reaction or response from those who see it. This could be something that is shocking, controversial, or simply unexpected. 

Power words can be used to evoke an emotional response, such as "amazing," "incredible," or "phenomenal."

Intriguing:

Intriguing things are often curious or interesting and can capture people's attention easily. Something that is intriguing may make people want to know more, or it could be so puzzling that people can't help but take a closer look.

Time-sensitive words can be used to create a sense of urgency, such as "now," "today," or "instant." Curiosity-inducing words are also effective, to make people want to know more, such as "secret," "revealed," or "unbelievable."

Funny:

Funny things are often entertaining and can lighten the mood. They can also be used to contrast serious topics, making them all the more striking.

Suspenseful:

Suspenseful elements can make people curious and on the edge of their seats. This could be done through cliffhangers, mystery, or even just a sense of unease.

2. Keep Your Emails Reasonably Short

It's no secret that people are inundated with emails these days. In fact, the average worker spends nearly two and a half hours checking and responding to emails each day, according to a recent study. So, if you want your message to stand out in someone's crowded inbox, keeping your emails reasonably short is a good place to start.

While there's no magic formula for the perfect email length, shorter is generally better when it comes to getting your message read and acted upon. For one thing, busy people appreciate concise communication. They don't have time to wade through paragraphs of text or pages of attachments, so the shorter your email, the better chance you have of getting it to read.

In addition, shorter emails tend to be more focused and less likely to contain irrelevant information. When you keep your message brief, you're more likely to stay on point and avoid rambling or going off on tangents. As a result, your recipient will be able to grasp your main points more easily and be more likely to take action based on what they've read.

Of course, there will be times when a longer email is necessary – for example when you're sharing detailed instructions or extensive feedback. But in general, err on the side of brevity to ensure that your messages are read and responded to promptly.

3. Use One or Two Images

Images can be a great way to grab attention and make your email stand out. But, it's important to use them sparingly. A lot of images in one email can be visually entertaining for recipients, but they will make the email slow to render. Many of your subscribers open your emails on their phones, which might not be connected to wifi when they open them. This may result in them seeing a blank email rather than all the images in your message.

Instead, focus on using one or two images that help illustrate your point. Make sure they're relevant to your message and add value for your reader. Remember, less is often more when it comes to email marketing.

4. Use Lists

If you want to get your email opened and read, one of the best ways to do so is to use lists. People love lists because they are easy to scan and digest. When you use lists in your emails, you make it easier for people to understand what you are trying to say and take action on it. Some tips for using lists in your emails:

• Use numbered or bullet points to make your list easy to read.
• Keep your items short - people will appreciate being able to quickly skim through the email.
• Highlight the most important items by making them bold or using a different color.
• If you have a lot of items on your list, consider breaking it up into smaller sections.

Lists are a great way to organize information in your emails so that people can easily understand and take action on what you're saying. Use them whenever possible to improve your chances of getting your message across loud and clear.

5. Personalize Your Emails

Your recipient is much more likely to open and read an email that feels like it’s been written just for them, rather than a generic blast.

There are a few simple ways you can personalize your emails to ensure they get opened and read every time; 

Call Them By Their First Name

Use the recipient’s name in the subject line and throughout the body of the email whenever possible. This will help your email stand out in a crowded inbox and show that you’re addressing the person directly.

Segment Your List

Segment your list so that you can send targeted messages to specific groups of people. This could be based on things like location, interests, or previous interactions with your brand. By doing this, you can make sure each email feels highly relevant to the person receiving it, which will increase the likelihood of them reading it all the way through.

Use Dynamic Content

The dynamic Content feature of email marketing software enables you to really tailor each email to the individual. Dynamic content is information that changes based on who is viewing it, and it can be used to insert relevant images, links, or calls to action into your emails. This is a great way to further customize each message and make sure it’s providing value for everyone who reads it.

6. Be Clear About What You Want Them To Do

If you want your subscribers to take action on your email, it's important to be clear about what you're asking them to do. Tell them explicitly to click the link in your email, and make sure the link goes to where you want them to go. 

If you're not clear, people may just ignore your email entirely. So take the time to be clear and concise in your request, and you'll increase the chances that people will actually take action on your email.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Use active voice: When you use active voice, your sentences are direct and easy to understand. This makes your writing more engaging and interesting to read.
• Be specific: The more specific you are, the easier it is for your readers to connect with what you're saying. Avoid generalities and vagueness - focus on concrete details instead.
• Use strong verbs: Strong verbs convey confidence and authority. They also make your writing more dynamic and exciting to read. So don't be afraid to use them!
• Use emotion-laden words: Words that evoke emotions can be very effective in getting the users' attention. After all, we're all drawn to things that make us feel something! So don't hesitate to use emotional language in your writing - just be sure not to overdo it.

7. Use a CTA Button

A CTA button stands for “call to action” and is basically a clickable button that you can use in your email to encourage the leads to take a specific action. This could be anything from clicking through to your website or blog, signing up for your newsletter, or even just replying to your email.

You want the leads to be able to see the button and know immediately what they need to do. Make sure the text on the button is clear and concise, and consider using an attention-grabbing color like red or orange.

Including a CTA button in your email will help increase its chances of being opened and read, so make sure to give it a try next time you send out a message!

8. Maintain an Adequate Interval Between Your Emails

You don’t want to bombard them with emails or they’ll quickly get sick of hearing from you and unsubscribe. Instead, focus on quality over quantity. Send them emails that are packed with valuable content that they’ll actually want to read. And make sure to space out your emails so you’re not sending too many at once. 

A good rule of thumb is to send one email at a 2-3 days interval to a week interval. Never send more than once a day, otherwise, it would be considered spam. Don't leave it too long either, otherwise, your subscribers may forget about signing up with you and consider your sudden email message as spam, too.

9. Split Test Your Emails

When it comes to email marketing, split testing is essential in order to gauge what works and what doesn't with the particular leads. Also known as an A/B test, a split test involves sending out two different versions of an email to a segmented group of leads, and then measuring the results to see which version performed better. 

There are a number of things you can test with your emails, such as the subject line, the call to action, the level of personalization, or even the time of day they are sent. 

1. Create two versions that are as similar as possible except for the one element you're testing. For example, if you're testing the subject line, make sure everything else in the email is exactly the same. 
2. Once you have your two versions ready, send them out to a segmented group of recipients ( ideally around 1-2% of your total list).
3. Measure the results by looking at key metrics such as open rate, click-through rate, or even conversion rate. 

After analyzing the data, you'll be able to determine which version performed better and make changes accordingly.

10. Use GetResponse

No matter how perfect your email message content is, if your email lands in your subscribers’ spam folder, all your effort will be wasted. That’s why you should always use a well-known, reliable email marketing software.

GetResponse is a reputable email marketing service that gives a very high deliverability rate. 

The monthly fee is very competitive with a free option. GetResponse's main focus is on helping its customers grow their businesses. They provide a wide range of features, including automation and landing pages, which makes it easy for a beginner entrepreneur to get started with email marketing. 

With GetResponse, you can segment your list so that you're only sending emails to those who are interested in what you have to say. This ensures that your email stands out in their inbox and gets opened. 

It also allows you to track your results so that you can see how many people opened your email and clicked through to your website. This information can help you to refine your email strategy and make sure that your emails are as effective as possible.

All these features will allow you to create highly effective emails that are targeted to the recipients.

The customer support is superb, so if you have any questions or need help getting started, they're always happy to help. GetResponse is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an email marketing service that will give them high deliverability rates and great features to help them grow their business.

So if you want to make sure that your next email campaign is a success, be sure to use GetResponse.

Ten Ways To Get Your Email Opened and Read: Conclusion

Every expert tells you that email marketing has the crucial key to generating revenues for any business online. But only if your email is actually opened and read. I hope that the above 10 tips to make sure your emails are getting opened and read, and you'll be able to better take advantage of this powerful marketing tool.